Does God Create Tragedy?

In our post, "Haiti-Did God Do This?" I gladly set forth the notion that God was not the author of the Haitian devastation through earthquake and that God did not rise to kill or destroy the thousands that lost their lives during this tragic event.

As stated in that post, atheists like Christopher Hitchens, suggest that God, if he exists, is responsible for such destruction in either one or two ways:

1- Either he causes the destruction to make people pray to him. Which is somewhat of a traditional Christian  sentiment also.

Or

2- That He (God) causes the destruction according to his will.

Throughout this God is  unresponsive to the people's cry for help therefore, allowing the people to suffer in pain needlessly.  An example of needless pain according to the critic would be a person who dies after laying under the rubble for 5 to 7 days. Why couldn't God have simply put them out of their misery earlier or better yet, protected them from the tragedy to begin with?

There are many worthy and notable questions that arise from these sentiments and  declarations that are certainly worth our attention. Although not popular with some, I believe the church community can be better benefited talking about these subjects and trying to understand just what happened to Haiti and even other countries that experience tragic natural disaster. I would encourage churches and pastors to begin teaching about the character and nature of God to their youth so that they won't be caught off guard like so many are within Christian circles when they are pressed on issues like this. With that said, let us ask and answer the tough questions...y'u-know the ones that critics think we can't answer:

Is All Of This God's Judgement?

While Pat Robertson certainly thinks so, I'm surprised that a great deal of Christians do also. I know "we'll all understand it better by and by" but I hold that God has clearly revealed certain aspects of his nature towards man and while that nature does include judgement, it also includes, justice, parity, and righteousness. In other words God is not unjust in any of his ways, acts or dealings towards mankind.

While tragic events are certainly a sign of the coming judgement in the sense that it reminds us of our mortality, it is a stretch to say that things like this are the judgement of God himself. It is distinguishing that difference that will be discussed in this post.

Read more!

Have You Read This Book?

I don't have an opinion of Jon Stewart as to his comedy. From what I have seen I don't believe that he is a Christian. If so maybe a secular one. However, I am in full agreement with him on his assessment of media elites such as Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh and their assessment of the earthquake that has devastated Haiti. The following video says what I want to say:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Haiti Earthquake Reactions
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Yes, I think that both Robertson and Limbaugh were off base, not biblically centered and totally wrong in their assessments and approach. I don't expect Limbaugh to get it right. He doesn't claim to know the word of the Lord. However, I certainly expect more of someone who says they know or understand God and his nature and dealings toward man.

We may not know the why, but we should know the who and As I maintain that who was not and is not the God that we serve.

Have we read this book? This is the question of the day.
Read more!

Haiti ~ Did God Do This?

Over the holidays I decided to tackle some of the more difficult assertions that the New and Reformed atheists are setting forth these days. You know those assertions that seem to make sense on the surface but fall apart upon examination? In this post, which will also be followed by an upcoming radio podcast, I plan to do just that.

My heart goes out to all of the many thousand men, women and children who are suffering through the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake. I have been in prayer most of the day as I have read the reports and God quickened my spirit to speak to those of us who also now travail for these our fellow human beings. Please let's continue to pray for them now.

The Tragedy

In what can only be described as one of the worst tragedies imaginable, we observe Haitian devastation that has shaken many of us to our core:

In what is one of the most devastating natural events in recent history, it is estimated that an earthquake with a magnitude of at least 7.0 hit Haiti along the fault line, known as the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone. The quake shook Haiti claiming what preliminary estimates say could be hundreds of thousands dead.

Its currently reported that Haiti consists of approximately 9 million people 80% of whom are Catholic, and that 1/3 of its population is said to be directly and severely affected by this devastation. There is an outcry from all sectors of society. The wealthy and the poor have suffered extremely in this devastation. The Prime Minister's palace, which once stood proudly in regal and grand fashion, has been destroyed and cast aside similar to a rickety shacks and inadequately built homes that housed over 60% of this population.

The devastation has also effected those that are in Haiti to help others in large numbers. A group of approximately 800 physicians and medical service personnel, named Doctor's Without Boarders, whose top mission is to provide humanitarian medical services to the destitute, has itself been stricken, leaving most of its staff unaccounted for and and all of it's locations nonfunctional.

Neither religious nor secular humanitarian leaders have been spared the effects of this devastation by any means. The Roman Catholic Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot, 63 was found dead in his office and UN Leaders such as Heidi Annabe along with at least 100 other UN employees and officials are missing and feared to be dead also.

Read more!

I WAS An Atheist

If one were to listen to the atheist rhetoric of authors such as Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins, and the propaganda that fills the internet, one would think that all "thinking and rational" individuals are simply evolving into a condition of atheism or non theistic belief. After all most who don't believe in God, claim that non-belief is somehow a default system or normalcy of human existence. Many also believe that people are only trained to be believers by their culture, family or environment. Still others believe that theism or belief in God is only a product of birth, location and circumstance. To confirm this many point to the growth of religions such as Islam claiming that the only reason for its growth is the high birth rate within Islamic nations. Others apply the same rationale to Christianity. The metaphysical naturalist believes however that the more men learn the less religious they will be.

All of these assertions are simply weak postulations to explain away what is obvious; 1- man lives in a world that includes much more than the materialistic components and 2- what we see comes from a source that we do not see. In fact the bible being ages ahead of this type of argument, applies the eternal existence of that which is not seen (God) to the concept of faith as follows:

2 Corinthians 4:18 ~ "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal."

As I've discussed in 'Does Science Presuppose Atheism' a common thought of unbelievers is that science will somehow eventually answer all questions and that whatever can't be proven by science is somehow illusionary. Well, aside from that fact that science can't prove itself and that many theories of science begin with presumptions that remain unproven, the interpretations of science are said to only solidify natural laws and solidify materialism.

God Is

For many, the assertions I've outlined above were thought to be common. However all of those thoughts, previously said to be rational, have come under serious scrutiny from individuals that the materialists, and especially metaphysical naturalists don't like to talk about much. With the conversion of scientists like Dr. Francis Collins, Dr. Allister McGrath and Dr. Dean Kenyon the scientific community has been set on its ear for quite some time with quite some time more to come.

Read more!

The Idolatrous Celebration Of "Steve"

In the ongoing saga of the Celebration Of Gospel, offered by BET, a plethora of talents were on display. Some of those talents included secular singers such as Fantasia and Kelly Price, who pretended to be saved for a few minutes, homosexual choir directors who pretended that their anti-biblical practices really didn't matter, and comedians that admit that the church can't turn its back too quickly because certain cuss words may simply fly out of their mouths under the right circumstance...

Then, in what was the ultimate in "star worship", Gospel singers and the gospel industry itself as represented gave a special tribute to the guest host, Steve Harvey, whose claim to gospel fame is hosting the show for 10 years and writing a book 'Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man' in which he claims it's good for a young lady to not rush into sexual activity, by waiting at least 90 days (establishing a 90 day rule) before engaging premarital sex. In other words, the message is have sex if you want to, only find out of this is a person that you really want to have it with after some time. From a secular teacher this is par for the course however there's more that the church should be concerned about.

Obeisance Of The Gospel Industry

As we watched gospel industry elites such as Donnie McClurkin, and Marvin Sapp commend Steve Harvey for the "progress" that he's making both spiritually and materially one couldn't help but be reminded of who these singers were really honoring. To be clear, although Steve "thinks" he's a Christian (I suppose by osmosis) because he has done many good things and doesn't approach things like he used to, I am yet left asking the questions,

1-When did Steve Harvey repent of his sins?  and

2- When did Steve Harvey forsake his sins and follow Jesus?

Read more!

Christian Marriage...I Had To Address Some Issues

Also See: "Marriage & Forgiveness. What That Means For The "Other Woman" (or Man)"
Arguably, the foundation of any society and community is the family. Though modern families come in all kinds of sizes, shapes and component parts, traditionally, the most fundamental element of the family is the marriage between a husband and a wife. In fact, in Western society, the whole social system is built on this type of union.

This is often called the nuclear family, which includes about 2 to 3 children and a pet thrown in to spare. Until recent times this type of union (between a man and a woman) was a standard part of the American culture and a solid part of the American church. However there are all sorts of arrangements marital, non-marital, cross-generational and even cross gender core units that now comprise the basis of "family".

There are many factors that have led to the changing face of the family. To name a few, it can't go without noting that there is a  rapidly growing diversity of social moral values within the American population,  changing demographics, partially promoted by culturally accepted relativism, and an increased post modernistic approach to previously formed social structures.  In addition there are financial pressures, high incarceration rates  in some demographic groups, and increased substance abuse issues which in many cases are a reflection of the lack of self-worth and value. All of this has led to the traditionally oriented nuclear family becoming simply one type among many types of family structures within society.

Marriages. How Stable Is The Foundation?

To our shame, these are the facts of our marital condition:

• According to Religious Tolerance.Org current research shows that the overall divorce rate peaked around 1980 and appears to have declined modestly since then. Divorce rates per 1,000 marriages were 22.6 in 1980, 20.9 in 1990, and 18.8 in 2000. (1)
• A recent study by the Barna Research Group throws extreme doubt on these estimates. Barna released the results of their poll about divorce on 1999-DEC-21. 1 They had interviewed 3,854 adults from the 48 contiguous states. The margin of error is ±2 percentage points. The survey found: 11% of the adult population is currently divorced.  25% of adults have had at least one divorce during their lifetime.  Divorce rates among conservative Christians were significantly higher than for other faith groups, and much higher than Atheists and Agnostics (nonbelievers) experience (2)
• Estimates of the incidence of marital infidelity in the United States range from 20% to 50%. (3)
• One estimate rated the percentage of all Americans who would have an extramarital affair during their lives as high as 70%! (4)
• Nearly half of all U.S. marriages are remarriages for at least one of the spouses (5)
• In a 2001 report, the CDC stated that 1/5 (20%) of first marriages end within five years; 1/3 (33%)within ten years. Second marriages fare even worse. The CDC found "a strong probability that second marriages will end in separation or divorce: 23% after five years and 39% after ten years.”
• Researcher Donald Hughes states that 90% of divorce among Christians occur AFTER they have been saved. (6)

When you click "read more" stop the video until you get to it. I don't want to mess up your concentration. You'll see.

Read more!

Ladies, Would You Stay?

I tried but I just couldn't resist the infamous true life story of the man who denied his blackness. Tiger Woods, the famed world-class golfer managed to accumulate another "back nine" over the years...According to ABC's The View, 9 women have now come forth to claim that Tiger was their lover...He was clubbed by his wife Elin for one or two of them, now his wallet is open and he's bleeding ink. In fact it can't flow quickly enough.

The latest is that Tiger is currently re-modifying his prenup in order to save his marriage. Originally the prenup would have given Elin the right to $20 Million if there was a breakup after 10 years of marriage. however, all that's changed. Here's what a site (The Daily Beast by Gerald Posner) with intimate details of the current negotiations says:

"The lawyer familiar with the couple’s negotiations told The Daily Beast that Tiger also has agreed to shorten the original prenup to seven years from the date of marriage, meaning it will vest in another two. And the revised agreement provides for a staggered schedule of payments spread out over five years that could be worth upward of $75 million. So for Elin to collect $80 million, she’ll need to stay with Tiger another seven years, be a dutiful wife in showing up with him at social events and in public as if they were still the perfect couple, and sign a nondisclosure form that will prevent her from ever telling her story. Even if she lasts only two more years, she’ll still walk away with nearly twice what she was entitled to under the original prenup."

Read more!

The Good News & The Bad News RE: COGIC 2009 Sexual Miscounduct Policy

And not a minute too soon...The long awaited and much anticipated COGIC sexual abuse information entitled, "The Church Of God In Christ's Continued Stand Against Sexual Misconduct" has arrived. In fact this was distributed during the 2009 Holy Convocation in Memphis Tn.

There is some good news and some bad news however and one can read for themselves and formulate their own opinions:

The Good News:

There will be Mandatory Background Screening for all officers, officials and employees of the National church.

The Bad News:

This policy is still however only SUGGESTED as a best practice for all local churches.

The Good News:

There will be Mandatory Education and Training for all individuals desiring to be an elder, minister, missionary, and evangelist within the church. For the national department leaders this will be required training.

The Bad News:

The jurisdiction will be able to select who does the training, when and where and are only "recommended" to do it once per year so in essence the training will not be uniform although the material may.

Read more!

Dan Barker...Da Pimp Of Atheism!

Former Christian Dan Barker and Dinesh D'Souza Debate

Former Christian Dan Barker now turned anti-Christ advocate and Dinesh DSouza debate the existence of God. If you have a couple of hours go through the complete video. Also, at least Dinesh understands the Philosophical Metaphysical Naturalism and atheism of Darwinian evolution as you will hear him argue in the vid. The scientific principles that we've discussed in "Is Evolution Science" and "Does Science Presuppose Atheism" and other posts such as "Unnaturally Selected, 150 Years Of Deception" provide a good foundation for understanding the arguments and reading between the multiple lines of Barker's obfuscations.

The atheists claim that Dinesh was emotional, and threw red herrings and ad hominems. Quite the opposite was true. Barker threw out all kinds of red herrings. I guess the godless say anything to try to divert from the truth that Dan Barker was HANDLED, and that atheism, as a world view, makes some fanciful leaps of unfounded faith as Dinesh allows Barker to reveal. 

Read more!

The Legacy Of The Modern Church

Time To Air Some Dirty Laundry

The 21st Century church is undergoing a modern metamorphosis of epidemic proportions and if it were not for the prayer of Jesus:

Lk. 22:31-31~ "31-And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: 32-But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

The church and all believers would certainly be without hope.

If it were not for the promise of God, I would also be confident that the mutations that we see are irreversible. Why? Because what is emerging does not look like, act like, taste like or even smell like what the apostles and early church died for and what the pioneers of the faith contended for. In fact what is emerging doesn't even resemble any part or type of the dedication that the church had 50 years ago.

Pt. I: Pastor, We've Advanced So Much

Yes we have made our advances in the 21st Century. As noted in my post What Does 21st Century Holiness Look Like?, we as a people, now look better than ever. We live in better homes, we are more mobile and more adept on an array of issues. We are regular thespians in our Platonic and Socratic understandings of the world in which we live. We have made progress in networking, information exchange, systems upgrades, ecumenical ministry target marketing and all, but at what cost has this success come? What has the church paid in return for many of the advances that we have made? Has it cost us a debt that we cannot pay?

One only need to look around to see why I'm even asking the question. From leadership on we seem to be

Read more!

Does Eternal Really Mean Eternal In Hell? Pt. 2

This article is continued from Pt.1

Objection III: Hell wasn't created for men therefore men won't suffer or continue to suffer in it.

One of our regular readers holds that since hell was created for the devil and his angles, that the suffering of men in it will at best be limited because hell was not designed for men. This is a scripture used to support the assertion at times:

Matthew 25:41~"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the DEVIL AND his angels:"

Variation:

Some promoters of this argument also state that even if men do go to hell, the punishment of it is temporary in duration because hell was not made to house men. I call this the "temporary hell thesis" The temporary nature of hell will be dealt with in Objection IV listed below however, in this section,  I will deal with hell as an abode for anyone including rebelling angels.

Hell, The Abode Of The devil And Rebelling demons Or Unrepentant Men?

There are a number of things to say about this argument, but I believe that the assertion itself begs the question "If the suffering or better described torment of hell is somehow limited, and is not intended for men, why should men suffer in hell at all?" Was God somehow caught in an unready state or condition for unrepentant and sinful men? This is highly unlikely since Jesus was a lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev. 13:8). In other words if God made preparation for sin why would he not have made preparation for the judgement of man. As we'll see further in the article, annihilation is inconsistent with the judgement of God as revealed within scripture.

Read more!

Who Paid Bishop Carton Pearson $100,000 To Speak At Azusa In 1990? Pimped & Being Pimped Pt. 1

The Lexi Show Strikes Again

In what was one of the most spiritually diverse interviews between African American leaders of the church, Lexi allowed the founder of modern Pentecostalism's Azusa Conferences, Bishop Carton Pearson a former pentecostal turned Universalist, to share the stage with Dr. Jamaal "Intellectual Orgasm" Bryant, Bishop George Bloomer and Rev. Dr. Van Gayton President Of Logos Bible College & Seminary and, you guessed it, there were some significant claims and statements made.

For those who don't know, or maybe just unaware, Bishop Pearson came through the ranks of the Church Of God In Christ to become one of the most charismatic television evangelists and ministers ever associated with Dr. Oral Roberts and The Oral Roberts University. He managed to woo almost the entire Pentecostal world with his recounting of holiness as taught by many of the early 1900's pentecostal church leaders along with his dynamic singing voice and inviting personality. All of this seems to have concluded and been brought to a screeching halt with his acceptance of the message of inclusion also known as the doctrine of universal reconciliation, which states that men and women everywhere and without repentance from sin or even the acknowledgement of Jesus as Lord or his atoning work, are already saved because Jesus paid for the sins of the whole world. Initially, Bishop Pearson reluctantly promoted this doctrine, along with it's many other caveats such as no hell or penalty for sin, lost almost all of his former ministry associates because of it and rocked the Charismatic wing of the church in the United States.

Read more!

Does Eternal Really Mean Eternal In Hell? Pt.1

There is a view espoused by many individuals within Christian circles who don't believe in the ongoing reality of hell neither it's eternal punishment. That view is called Annihilationism. Here is a working definition of this view:

Annihilationism ~"A Christian doctrine that sinners are destroyed rather than tormented forever in "hell" or the lake of fire. It is directly related to the doctrine of conditional immortality, the idea that a human soul is not immortal unless it is given eternal life. Annihilationism asserts that God will eventually destroy or annihilate the wicked, leaving only the righteous to live on in immortality. Some annihilationists believe the wicked will be punished for their sins in the lake of fire before being annihilated, others that hell is a false doctrine of pagan origin."

Now, in my previous post, Does The Bible Teach A Literal Hell, we addressed the fact that hell is taught throughout the bible and that hell is a literal and not merely figurative place. In fact hell as is taught throughout scripture is a place of ongoing conscious reality and one of torment.

However under the annihilationist construct, there is an emotional appeal to a western sense of morality and guilt based righteousness. Hell either does not exist as a literal place or abode, or is a temporary place of punishment described with figurative terminology specifying extinction rather than an ongoing conscious reality of suffering. Scriptures such as Ecclesiastes 9:5,  Ecclesiastes 9:10, which are used to claim that there is no consciousness or pain beyond death and  Malachai 4:1,  and Mt. 10:28,  claiming that the destruction of the individual in hell is actually the extinction of the individual rather than eternal ongoing punishment.

Read more!

Omniscience and Freewill, Does God Know All Or Did He Leave Some Wiggle Room?

The Proposition:

In Is there a God? (Oxford, 1996, p.7-9) Professor Richard Swinburne, Emeritus Nolloth Professor of the Philosophy of the Christian Religion, University of Oxford said this:

"It seems to me that the same considerations require that we understand God being omniscient in a similarly careful way. Just as God cannot be required to do what is logically impossible to do, so God cannot be required to know what is logically impossible to know. It seems to me that it is logically impossible to know (without the possibility of mistake) what someone will do freely tomorrow. If I am really free to choose tomorrow whether I will go to London or stay at home, then if anyone today has some belief about what I will do (e.g. that I will go to London), I have it in my power tomorrow to make that belief false (e.g. by staying at home). So no one (not even God) can know today (without the possibility of mistake) what I will choose to do tomorrow. So I suggest that we understand God being omniscient as God knowing at any time all that is logically possible to know at that time. That will not include knowledge, before they have done it, of what human persons will do freely. Since God is omnipotent, it will only be because God allows there to be free persons that there will be any free persons. So this limit to divine omniscience arises from the consequences (which God could foresee) of his own choice to create free agents. I must, however, warn the reader that this view of mine that God does not know (without the possibility of mistake) what free agents will do until they do it is not the normal Christian (or Jewish or Islamic) view. My view is, however, implied, I believe, by certain biblical passages; it seems, for example, the natural interpretation of the book of Jonah that, when God told Jonah to preach to Nineveh that it would be destroyed, he believed that probably he would need to destroy it, but that fortunately, since the people of Nineveh repented, God saw no need to carry out his prophecy. In advocating this refinement of our understanding of omniscience, I am simply carrying further the process of internal clarification of the basic Christian understanding of God which other Christian philosophers such as Aquinas pursued in earlier days."...“All this does of course assume that human beings have some limited free will, in the sense that no causes (whether brain states or God) determine fully how they will choose. That is the way it often seems to us that we have such a power. Even the inanimate world, scientists now realize, is not a fully deterministic world—and the world of thought and choice is even less obviously a predictable world.”

The Concept, Called the "Open Futures View" Also Commonly Known As "Open Theism":

1- God is the creator of all things

2- God gave mankind free will.

3- God does not fatalistically predetermine free-will creature's actions

4- God knows only what is logically possible to know about the future
5- The possibility exists that God is wrong about his creation's future actions if they act illogically

6- Therefore God can change his mind to account for what was previously unforeseeable

Read more!

HIV/AIDS & Health Care Reform, What Do We Really Know?

This Post Discusses Adult Situations And Describes Sexual Activities That Some May Find Offensive. Material Contained Herein Is For Educational Purposes

In the days of health care reform one thing is abundantly clear. No matter what the public says Washington will reform the system in some manner or fashion. Supposedly this reform is for the approximately 38 to 45 million uninsured individuals in the United States legally. This reform will, in some form or fashion, make employers responsible for the health care of their employees imposing penalties for failure to acquire health plans. This in and of itself could put some companies out of business depending upon the requirements. While it is not yet all hashed out there is also additional pressure for what has been called the "Public Option". This option is said to be a way for individuals to secure coverage at supposedly lower and more competitive prices group rate prices as opposed to individual plan prices. I have placed the most up to date information on the current congressional wrangling at Dunamis Insurance & Business Services web site, and will update that regularly to clarify exactly what's going on regarding this issue.

However, as noted in "Hate Crimes Legislation, Presidential Approval Of The Gay Agenda" in light of our President's agenda to normalize homosexuality, even calling homosexual relationships:

"just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman."

We should ask and look critically at the real motivation behind such an expansive move, and we should better define what is really occurring and why there is such a push to insure the "uninsured". Most of those infected with HIV/AIDS in care rely on public sector insurance programs or are uninsured, estimated to range between approximately 70% and 83%  [Fleishman, J., Personal communication, Analysis of HCSUS Data, January 2002 also see: Nakashima AK. “Who Will Pay for HIV Treatment? Health Insurance Status of HIV-Infected Persons.” In: Proceedings of the 1997 Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America; September 13-16, 1997; San Francisco, CA. Abstract 293.]

3 Facts To Keep In Mind Before We Embark Upon This Subject:

1- America's citizens should have access to excellent health care and there is enough money within the system to provide such for all of it's citizens. That doesn't necessarily mean that health care should be controlled or distributed by the government. Those things are a separate issue from this writing.

2- No individual should be denied adequate health care because of any factor including sexual orientation. To suggest so is a ridiculous notion. This article makes no such suggestion.

3- There is NO ENDORSEMENT of any immoral sexual activity within this article. God's way of marriage and one man and one woman still is the best prescription for sexual activity, health, growth of the family and health of the community and society in general.

Read more!

A Declaration Of Youth Freedom & Liberation At The 2009 COGIC Convocation

In what was one of the many very powerful sessions of the COGIC 2009 Convocation, on Saturday afternoon 11/7/09 Pastor Donnie McClurkin spoke to the youth plainly, openly, and freely:

"We talk about Tonex but we should know, God did not call us to such perversion"..."God did not call this generation to such perversion"..."They have lied to this generation" If it hadn't been for this Jesus, I would be a homosexual today, BUT he is a deliverer, he is a deliverer today...He's a strong deliverer"

The Message Of Youth Renewal

Pastor McClurkin was used of the Lord to deliver a word to more than 5000 youth that attended the service to present the year end presentation of the COGIC International Youth Department. Preaching a message directed toward them who have been "lost in the house", it was clear to understand and clearly received that the Church Of God In Christ is not a place for homosexual, youth or otherwise, to park and or hide out while he/she proliferates their ungodly lifestyle.

Fathers To Sons & Daughters

There was much food on the table and something for everyone to eat. To the fathers, Pastor McClurkin made note of the fact that the father has long been absent from the midst of the children and the family and have left the youth exposed to the rudiments of the world and to a society that is morally imbalanced.

"Remnants of a holy generation will rise up past their peers and society"

"Young people are not comfortable being real...I went to Mason Temple and I sat in the musical...where are the fathers that will embrace the boys and say NO, NO NO, he (the devil) can't have you!"

"I see feminine men, do not applaud because it sounds like a bash, it's because we've failed, our boys, we've failed our girls, but TODAY, satan's hold will be destroyed from
over the lives of our youth."

 Rehashing some of his own history regarding being raped at 8 Yeas old by his uncle, Pastor McClurkin admonished the parents to become more involv ed with their children and find out more about  their lives and their disappointments in order to effectively serve them and help them when they are in need. He said emphatically:

Read more!

COGIC Issues: 102nd Annual Holy Convocation

Corrections have been made to this page 11/02/2009: Bishop Gilkey's first name is Joseph and Enoch Perry's title was referenced as "Bishop". Those statements were incorrect. Special note 11/29/09: See bottom of the article for commentary and update.

As the Church Of God In Christ's 102nd Annual Holy Convocation  begins Nov. 2-9, 2009, there are some significant 21st century challenges that the church faces.

2 of the most acute questions have been asked by individuals such as Pastor D.L.Foster of GCMWatch.com and myself among others:

1- How will COGIC handle the perpetrators of sexual abuse among clergy?

2- How will COGIC handle the victims of sexual abuse and make them whole?

And what may be a similarly related issue:

3- Truly, how is the real property of congregations and the congregations themselves handled when a pastor dies and why is the congregation overlooked?

Section I: Clergy Sexual Abuse

1- How will COGIC handle the perpetrators of sexual abuse among clergy?

2- How will COGIC handle the victims of sexual abuse and make them whole?

In what was a shocking revelation, Deidre Malone of the Malone Group, and spokeswoman on behalf of COGIC, said that the Presiding Bishop of the Church Of God In Christ, Bishop Charles E. Blake stated that:   She further stated that Bishop Charles E. Blake will announce an initiative regarding clergy sexual misconduct during the Holy Convocation Nov. 2-9.

"The church has been working on this issue for more than 15 years,"

First, it is refreshing to see that this issue will be addressed and addressed openly and hopefully clearly. Although I haven't heard from any official as to the plans and statements that will be made, at ReportCOGICabuse.org, it can be noted that I have at least tried to at least present information pertinent to addressing the care of the victims of these sort of atrocities.

The sad thing is that if the church has been aware of these sort of atrocities for 15 years, why hasn't it  responded with greater sense of urgency and a more exacting resolve? Over the last 15 years there have been 3 Chief Apostles of the church:

Bishop Chandler D. Owens

Bishop G.E. Patterson

Bishop Charles E. Blake

I would say that based on the atrocities of former General Board member, Bishop J.D. Husband, that someone had to know that there was trouble long prior to 15 years ago. GCMWatch also reported this:

"In 1991, through his lawyer, Bishop J.D. Husband, a charter member of the Church of God in Christ’s General Board, admitted guilt to “all charges” levied against him. But multitudes of people are still baffled about what Husband did. Other than rumors, the evidence against him was kept secretive and not even reported to legal authorities."

Although Mrs. Malone's comments leave much open room, one wonders what is it that the church has been working on for 15 years regarding the clergy sexual abuse issue and under who's direction that this "work" been taking place and to what aim. Hopefully that will be addressed during the Convocation and the church will come out with a greater sensitivity toward the victims of sexual abuse and a plan that will permanently remove sexual predators and abuses from all clergy activities. Clearly the days of simply looking the other way, as has been the recent MO of many of our leaders, is over, and children of God are demanding a much greater and more biblical accountability of the church leadership.

Read more!

Youth S.O.S!

We Must Rescue Our Youth

"We're not animals. We're not savages.

We're students and we're trying to achieve,"

Maritza Morales

Richmond High student

Richmond High School in Richmond, CA. has become the center of attention over the last week but not in the way that either it's citizens or the rest of America would have liked.

One would not have thought that a school Homecoming celebration would take on a criminal tone and be froth with what could be considered the most animalistic and degrading treatment of a fellow human being in recent times.

According to CNN.com, It was at a school homecoming that a 15 year old girl had her human dignity stripped away from her while as many as 20 or more people looked on with amusement. This was heinous crime that needs our attention as the church and as a community of believers. It is our time to rise and go back to what we know that works and the only thing that will deliver our youth and families from the whims of human moral relativism and the dank and dark depths and capacity of sin found within the human heart without Christ as savior.

Because of this I have enclosed a special message that I hope will encourage you to be and further become a part of the solution to this degeneration and decay of human value that is all too prevalent and observable within our communities. Please be encouraged: (Click on POSTS at the bottom of the player and then click the message to play it in its entirity)

****The Special Broadcast Program Can Now Be Heard HERE ****

So far there have been approximately 5 arrests and a host of individuals identified that were simply perverted , spineless onlookers who found pleasure in the degradation of a fellow human being.  Video and tape sales won't help us past this one...we don't need personality, we need Jesus! Let us engage in prayer for this young lady who from all accounts was a good person and regardless of that was a person who certainly did not deserve to be demoralized and dehumanized in this way. May the grace, peace and strength and healing power of the Lord Jesus be with her now like never before! Amen.

Blessed!

Further Details Mercury News.com

Read more!

Larry D. Trotter: "I Was At Death's Door"

1/18/2013: For those seeking information on the "Baby Bathtub Scandal", Bishop Trotter's response can be found HERE. We will have NO ARTICLE regarding the issue.  The Dunamis Word DOES NOT ascribe to the terrible internet GOSSIP currently circulating regarding the situation in general, however we can make no sense of why a grown man would be bathing with a child under any circumstance. 

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

This article is not filled with bold faced assertions and character assassination is not the object. The object is to examine the conflict between the understanding and application of holiness in the life of many 21st Century leaders.

An Interview With The Bishop

Leadership, is one of the greatest jobs a person can have. Whether it's leading a crew of employees in secular employment or leading a team to competition and victory. The greatest and most exhaustive type of leadership is spiritual leadership. It's often thankless and strenuous. Many desire the accolades that leadership sometimes brings but few want the responsibility or criticisms that comes along with it.

Recently I come across a leader that has a long history within the church and decided to take a listen and hear for myself what he had to say. I can't tell you enough how surprised I was to hear some of what I heard and also how relived I was to hear some things especially if his accounting was true. So far as the content and even my assertions, one can judge for themselves and feel free to express your opinions if you would like.

Read more!

Unnaturally Selected, 150 Years Of Deception

Before We Get Started:

We have had some recent and good discussion regarding science, evolution and evolutionary theory on this blog. This will likely be my last post in the series. The other posts can be located as follows:

The Rottweiler Who Lost His Teeth & His Mind

Is Evolution Science?

Does Science Presuppose Atheism?

Women, Mathematics & Evolution

Until recently even the radicals have been fairly behaved and welcomed. Those whom we've come to know as regulars are yet welcomed, and new individuals willing to respectfully engage are certainly encouraged to provide their insights, but the charlatans that think that ad hominems are basis for debate, or that can't read what is directly addressed, can crawl back into the pit of primordial slime from which they believe they have arrived. Those individuals are certainly not welcomed. But for the rest, atheist and theist alike, who simply love true dialogue and debate, and want to get to the truth of the issues, let us press on.

150 Years Of Deceit

As we run headlong into the 150th anniversary of the Magnum Opus of Charles R. Darwin's "On The Origin Of Species By Means Of Natural Selection Or The Preservation Of Favored Races In The Struggle For Life (Yes, Favored Races, namely and more specifically them that are WHITE- and they continue to say he wasn't racist-go figure!)

There is a WHY to life and that why is  not in natural processes but in Jesus Christ!  As Christians we are becoming equipped to both understand evolutionary arguments and also put down evolutionary rhetoric and dogmas which have made their rounds, deceiving many into believing that both man and ape share what is called a common ancestor. In fact the Darwinian evolutionary theory of common descent is that all biological beings share this common ancestor, and over time, through process of natural selection, mutation and what is otherwise considered blind process, there have been branches upon branches of species and phyla created to produce this wonderful world of diversity and what we call life.

Read more!

"Hate Crimes" Legislation, Presidential Approval Of The Gay Agenda

This Is What God Says:

Leviticus 18:22-30 ~ 22-THOU SHALT NOT LIE with mankind, as with womankind: it [is] abomination. 23-Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it [is] confusion. 24-Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: 25-And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. 26- Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit [any] of these abominations; [neither] any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: 27-(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which [were] before you, and the land is defiled;) 28-That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that [were] before you.  29-For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit [them] shall be cut off from among their people. 30- Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that [ye] commit not [any one] of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I [am] the LORD your God.

This Is What The President Obama Says:

"My expectation is that when you  look back on these years, you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against gays and lesbians whether in the office or on the battlefield. You will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognized relationships between two men or two women, are just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman."

On Oct. 10,2009 President Barack Obama said these words to a warm and welcoming cheer from the crowd of about 3,000 at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, (HRC) a gay rights advocacy group which we have detailed on this site. In fact gay advocate, Harry Knox, current member of the Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships was the former director of the HRC until Presidential appointment in April of this year.

In one of the most shocking parts of the President's speech he single handedly and in one sentence exalted gay and lesbian relationships to "admirability". Not only are the immoral relationships of homosexual unions out of the closet, they have taken center stage and are now touted as being something worth aspiring to. This means that homosexual relationships are, in the minds of many leaders of our country, at least equally as desirable as heterosexual ones. What has happened? This indicates a paradigm shift of morality, from objective values to culturally commensurate and relative values. Plain and simple the winds of CHANGE has shifted from the absolute truth of the God's word to a standard that is both socially and culturally acceptable and ever changing.

On Military Service

"I will end 'don't-ask-don't tell,'"..."We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve the country,"..."We should be celebrating their willingness to step forward and show such courage and selflessness on behalf of their fellow citizens ... especially when we are fighting two wars."...I will end don't-ask-don't tell, that's my commitment to you."

Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell was the tag name of the law was passed by Congress in 1993 and signed by President Bill Clinton. The act prohibits any homosexual or bisexual person from disclosing his or her sexual orientation or from speaking about any homosexual relationships, including marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States armed forces. President Obama said that he's working with Pentagon and congressional leaders on ending the policy so that gays can serve openly in the military without fear of reprisal or discharge.

The question is do the straight men and women that serve in the military mind taking showers with and bunking with individuals who are openly gay? Is there a psychology that comes along with these type of associations that make it difficult for both the straight and homosexual person? Will there be a greater risk on the battlefield for a homosexual than for a straight individual.? Will the homosexual receive preferential treatment in advancements and promotions?

I'll deal with some of these questions in the racism & the struggle for equal rights below.

On Marriage

"And I've called on congress to repeal the so called defense of marriage act and and to pass the domestic partners benefit and obligations act."

The HRC was one of the major advocates for repealing Prop. 8 in California and suffered a black eye at the hand of what they considered to be the "religious right". Since then 7 states plus DC have joined the ranks of legalized gay marriage bringing the total to 9 states plus DC. This is working according to the plans of the gay activist movement and in particularly groups such as Gay And Lesbian Advocate Defenders (GLAD) and Lambda Legal. who have aggressive plans to make homosexual marriages legal across the United States.

With that comes child indoctrination. As homosexual marriages become legal, and because we currently allow a system of federally controlled education, text books and syllabuses must be changed to reflect the laws of the land. This has happened, and will continue to happen as parents find that they have no rights when it comes to protecting their children in the public education setting. I've documented one such case HERE in Massachusetts which is the "gold standard" for homosexual educational rights.

President Obama has further committed and deeply entrenched himself himself into the homosexual agenda. From the Presidential Web site the further plans are open for everyone to view:

"President Obama also continues to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. He supports full civil unions and federal rights for LGBT couples and opposes a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. He supports repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in a sensible way that strengthens our armed forces and our national security, and also believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation."

Racism & The Struggle For Equal Rights

Is the struggle against racism and for homosexual rights equated? In my opinion absolutely NO. Homosexuality DOES NOT equal the struggle for racial equality although the struggle for social acceptance follows the a similar path.

The critic says that in all of those questions that were asked above, we can simply remove homosexual and insert Black. Those were similar considerations when Blacks were allowed to serve in the proverbial "white man's" army? But is that really the case?

Being Black is certainly nothing that can be changed neither can it be repressed although many try. Black is something that is beyond an individuals choice "to do" and one cannot vacillate between being black and or any other color. In fact once a person IS Black they cannot become any other race or nationality. most say that 1% of blood that is Black is Black forever no matter how bleached it may be.

Similarly to my Grandmother who was 100% Chippewa. By all accounts she looked like a white woman. She married a Black man. When that happened,  her future children, as fair skinned as they would be, were no longer considered Indian (except by the gov't & casino industry) They were considered Black. In fact when my father showed up at the job at General Motors in Detroit, MI., light skinned and as much straight hair as he wanted to have, his skin was yet a half hue darker than white, and immediately my Grandmother, as faithful and good worker as whe was lost her job.

Sexual Choice

You see, all sex is a choice. Although many feel sex is an uncontrollable urge, it's really a choice. Love is also a choice and it is a spiritual venture not meant to be controlled by feelings (as it often is) or emotions (as is the modern standard). Homosexuality is not subject to the constraints of God and is a violation of his word. Plain and simple. It is a sin, along with heterosexual sin, and one must be saved or delivered from sexual sins IF that is one's propensity. I have written about a much argued point on Homosexuality In The New Testament HERE. FYI: God still does not favor homosexuality and it is still a sin.

Be it known, as I have stated clearly before on this blog, no person deserves to be discriminated against in employment, housing or the right to live and pursue freedom because they are homosexual. The reason is because homosexuality is not an illegal activity under the law (at least in most places). Homosexuality has advanced in the American Psychiatric Association (APA) definitions, and was declassified as a mental disorder in 1973. All disciplines soon followed. 

However the doors are open to members and advocates of other so called "sexual minorities" such as pedophiles and the incestuous, who are making the statement and asking the question, "I'm think I'm normal, why not make my sexual lifestyle legal?"

I'm sure that Warren Steed Jeffs is claiming that polygamy and pedophilia have not been give a fair hearing, and that he should not be in jail, not only because he's God's messenger, but also because he's simply a "sexual minority". Then there's movie mogul Roman Polanski who certainly feels unfairly treated especially since the young lady he sexually assaulted 10 years ago was 13 years old. He knows that the legal age of sexual consent in the Netherlands is 12, (see note below) and that America is just plain ole unfair.

Conclusion:

President Obama ended his speech by saying,

"Thank you for the work you're doing, God bless you, God bless America!"

The reality is how can we ask God to bless us when we endorse something contrary to his nature, his will and his word? How can that be blessed of God?

God has spoke and the President has spoken. Who's words will you follow and believe?

For me I'll conclude by saying this:

Joshua 24:15 ~ "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, we will serve the LORD."

Blessed!

Should We Be Alarmed About Hate Crimes Legislation?
Read HERE and then read HERE.

Note:
The Netherlands has no sodomy laws, the age of sexual consent is 16 for all, sex between an adult and a young person between the ages of 12 and 16 is permitted by law, as long as the young person consents. It may only be prosecuted by complaint from the young person or the young person’s parents. The question remains whether the public prosecutions department would proceed to prosecute if the young person themself had consented and their parents filed the complaint.

Read more!

COGIC Victims Advocacy, Essential, Necessary & Urgent Pt. 2

As a subsequent article to our initial post COGIC Victims Advocacy, Essential, Necessary & Urgent Pt. 1 , on 10/15/2009 Charisma Magazine Online featured the work of Pastor D. L. Foster of GCMWatch in bringing attention to what has been considered by many, including myself, to be unchecked immoral and criminal behavior among some fellow COGIC ministry brethern.

In the Charisma article Pastor Foster points toward the newly established web site created to assist COGIC victims of sexual abuse in the healing process with spiritual support as well as poignant advice on how to proceed to rectify problems or file complaints in the event of criminal activity. The site is known as Reportcogicabuse.com. The site is not sponsored or run by the national church but is certainly endorsed by this ministry and many other COGIC ministries across the country. Whether the General Board Of Bishops knows it or not there is an outcry across the nation for the healing of God's people.  

As stated in the previous article, on an unsolicited basis, I personally undertook the opportunity to address the glaring problems that COGIC faced and continues to face from the improprieties of some of it's clergy. In fact my proposal, presented to the highest officials of our church, covered a period of 20 years in which time various elders and ministers and Bishops engaged in improper sexual activity and criminal behaviors. These crimes were documented and in many cases resulted in the perpetrators receiving the full weight of penalty under the law. In some cases individuals died before prosecution could begin and no restitution was ever made.

One such case that did not escape the courts was that of Supt. Leon Dupree of New York. This Elder was charged with rape, burglary and assault with a weapon purportedly done to one of the members of his former church in 1988. Here's the summary from the news report regarding his crime:

[Rome] Daily Sentinel 5/28/88

Rev. Leon Dupree, 47, pastor of Lily of the Valley Church of God in Christ in Rochester, NY, is charged with first degree sexual assault and first degree burglary of a 26 year old woman. She said he was armed with a hammer and struck her with a screwdriver. Dupree was convicted of second degree manslaughter in a 1978 drunken driving fatality and served time in state prison.

Not only did Elder Dupree kill someone before he was saved (I assume) he faced conviction as a rapist and a burglar while he was a pastor. Now a fair question is was he convicted? In response to that, there is no statement from Elder Dupree in any venue proclaiming his innocence. That may be an argument from silence in lieu of court records, but in this case it's pretty powerful. To the heart of the matter, Elder Dupree is currently Pastoring a new and reorganized church called New Visions Community COGIC and his church is in the jurisdiction of General Board member Bishop Frank O. White, which for some reason was absolutely unavailable both in person, phone and fax when my proposal was sent to his fellow Presidium members.

Now the problem with this is NOT that Elder Dupree can repent, serve time and make restitution, as he did at least once previously. Thank God IF he has been restored. The problem is the "IF", and the shuffle.

Read more!