Posted on 06/02/2008 9:39:57 AM PDT by Bowtie52
Over the last several years America has sustained a rash of what has been affectionately termed by the media as “Christian Bashing”. Not really on the scale of a huge social issue, Christian Bashing has been treated as though it were on the level of bashing folks who don’t like broccoli or prefer skim milk in their Espresso rather than whole milk. This is inaccurate. Christianity is a slap in the face to Marxism and Socialism because it receives and obeys an authority higher than Government dictates. Christianity stands in the way of the imposition of Socialistic principals associated with Environmentalism, Feminism, Gay Rights and a host of other Socialistic principals. Christianity and incongruent social structure are unable to coexist. The solution, for those predisposed to Marxist beliefs, is to attack Christians. Not making Christian Bashing into a high profile issue is critical to the success of such advocates. To do so would certainly turn public opinion against them.
Christianity focuses all authority on the Creator rather than the Government. Jesus plainly addressed this by His quote; Mat 10:28 “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” The ultimate condemnation, for the Christian, is damnation to eternal torment which pales in significance to the worst penalty that can be imposed by man made law. With this in mind, Christians are not subject to following a path or dictate that endorses preferential treatment toward a particular group and elevates their value, on a social level, above that of any other person. To do so will violate their Christian principals. The individual and their rights to their individuality, before the Creator, stands as an inviolable principal in Christianity thus, impede the progress of Liberal ideology.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus was not crucified for an act or event. He was crucified for his identity. His being stood in the way of the Political Correctness of the time. He was killed because of WHO he was and how he alone stood above the religious and political rulers of the time. This is the account of the charges leveled against him, the result of which was his crucifixion; Mat 26:63-64 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." {64} "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
These same tenets of behavior can be found in Society at large today. Individualism and the rights associated with it are evaporating in a variety of ways through Homeland Security, Environmental dictates and a variety of Court decisions. The enemy is the ideology that seeks to strip people of their individualism rather than protect that basic human right. Continuation in this vein will unavoidably lead to dictatorship and the deterioration of America as it has been from inception. The enemy here is not the candidates or the Political party, it is the usurpation of individual rights: Christian or otherwise.
Excellent article.
The Liberal/Marxists viscerally **hate** Christians. They would kill us if they could. ( I **seriously** mean this.)
That is absolutely right!
“Individualism and the rights associated with it are evaporating in a variety of ways through Homeland Security,”
Homeland Security??? What the hell are you talking about? I have not lost any rights with anything being done by homeland security. I have lost lots of right with liberal democrats pushing their political correctness bullsh*t: preferences, quotas, hate crimes. The list goes on and on and you come up with an example of “Homeland Security”???
The history of Russia from 1917 to 1991 is stark proof of that fact.
Yes, and look what China does to Christians too.
Main excerpt(s):
“...[back] when societies were governed by the inhuman principle: “cuius regio eius religio”. By virtue of this principle, rulers forcibly imposed their own religious convictions on their subjects, violating the basic rights of conscience.
RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE MUST BE DEFENDED
Pope John Paul II
http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2RTCON.HTM
Homily given on May 22, 1995
....in the difficult post-Reformation period, when societies were governed by the inhuman principle: “cuius regio eius religio”. By virtue of this principle, rulers forcibly imposed their own religious convictions on their subjects, violating the basic rights of conscience. .....
[..]
... One can feel either admiration or hatred for someone who prefers to give his life rather than betray the voice of his own conscience, but certainly one cannot remain indifferent. The martyrs have so many things to tell us; first and foremost, they challenge us about the state of our conscience, they challenge everyone about fidelity to their own conscience.
Our consciences must be based on truth. Conscience...[is called] “man’s most secret core, and his sanctuary” and explains: “Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, tells him inwardly at the right moment: do this, shun that” (Gaudium et spes, n. 16).
As we see from this quotation, conscience is a vitally important issue for every individual. It is our inner guide and also the judge of our actions. How important it is therefore for our conscience to be upright, to make judgements based on truth, to call good and evil, to know howin the Apostle’s wordsto “prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2).
Today our homeland is facing many difficult social, economic and political problems. They must be solved with wisdom and perseverance. The most important of all, however, remains the problem of a just moral order. This order is the foundation of every individual’s life and of the life of every society. For this reason, today Poland urgently and primarily needs men and women of conscience!
To be a person of conscience means first of all, obeying one’s own conscience in every situation and not silencing its inner voice, even if it is sometimes severe and demanding. It means working for what is good and increasing it within and around oneself, and never giving into evil, in the spirit of St. Paul’s words: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom 12:21).
To be a person of conscience means being demanding with oneself, getting up again after falling, being ever converted anew.
To be a person of conscience means working to build up the kingdom of Godthe kingdom of truth and life, of justice, love and peacein our families, in the communities in which we live and throughout our homeland. It also means courageously assuming responsibility for public affairs; it means being concerned for the common good and not closing our eyes to the misery and needs of our neighbor, in a spirit of Gospel solidarity: “Bear one another’s burdens” (Gal 6:2).
...Our 20th century has been a period in which human consciences have been particularly violated. In the name of totalitarian ideologies, millions of people were forced to act against their deepest convictions. Central and Eastern Europe has had unusually painful experiences in this respect. We recall this period when consciences were suppressed, when human dignity was despised, when so many innocent people suffered for deciding to remain faithful to their convictions. We recall the outstanding role taken in those difficult times by the Church in defending the rights of conscience, and not only for the benefit of believers.
In those years we often asked ourselves: Can history swim against the tide of conscience? At what price can it do so? I ask again: at what price?... This price is unfortunately the deep wounds in the nation’s moral fiber, open wounds which still need a long time to heal.
Those times, times of great trial for conscience must be remembered, since for us they are an ever timely warning and exhortation to vigilance: that Polish consciences may not yield to demoralization, that they may not surrender to the trends of moral permissiveness, that they may discover the liberating nature of the teaching of the Gospel and the commandments of God, that in making decisions they may be mindful of Christ’s warning: “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life?” (Mk 8:36-37).
Despite appearances, the rights of conscience must be defended today as well. In the name of tolerance, a powerful intolerance, perhaps an ever more powerful intolerance, is actually spreading in public life and in the mass media. Believers are painfully aware of it. They notice the increasing tendency to marginalize them from the life of society: what is most sacred to them is sometimes mocked and ridiculed. These forms of recurring discrimination arouse great concern and should be a cause for much reflection.
Brothers and sisters! .... do not forget that this life depends first of all on how man will be, on how his conscience will be. Therefore we cry out in prayer:
“Come, Holy Spirit...
Come, Light of men’s hearts.
Wash clean the sinful soul, rain down your grace on the parched soul...
Warm the ice-cold heart, and give direction to the wayward”. Come, Light of consciences!
Christ’s Cross is the sign of our salvation
“Stat crux dum volvitur orbis”. On the paths of the human conscience, which are sometimes so difficult and complicated, God has put up a great “road sign” giving definitive meaning and direction to human life. It is the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. ..
Hail, O Cross of Christ! The Cross of Christ is the sign of our salvation, the sign of our faith and the sign of our hope. St. Paul writes: “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called... the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:23-24).
The Cross reminds us of the price of our salvation. It speaks of what great value man has in God’s eyesevery man!if God loved him even unto the Cross: “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (Jn 13:1). How much this “to the end” says to us. God so loves, he loves man “to the end”. The Cross of Christ is precisely the proof of this. Can we remain indifferent to such a proof of love?
Dear brothers and sisters! In our Polish land the Cross has had its own history now for over 1,000 years. It is the history of salvation which has been written into the history of the great human community that is our nation. Down the centuries, in periods of very harsh trial, the nation has sought and found the strength to survive and to rise from its historical defeats precisely in the Cross of Christ! It has never been disappointed! The strength and wisdom of the Cross has been strong! Can that be forgotten?
“...Can one reject Christ and all that he has brought to human history? .. Certainly one can. Man is free. Man can say ‘no’ to Christ. But the basic question remains: is it licit to do this? In whose name is this licit? By virtue of what rational argument, what value close to one’s will and heart would it be possible to stand before oneself, one’s neighbor, one’s fellow citizens, one’s country, in order to cast off, to say ‘no’ to all that we have seen for 1,000 years? To all that has created and always constituted the basis of our identity?
Today, as Poland lays the foundations for its free and sovereign existence, after experiencing so many years of totalitarianism, these words must be recalled. In their light, 16 years later, a profound examination of conscience must be made: Where are we going? In what direction are consciences heading? What answer will Poland give to Christ?
Dear brothers and sisters, dear compatriots! At this great turning-point in our country’s history, as the future shape of our Republic is being decided, the Pope, your compatriot, tirelessly asks you to welcome anew, with faith and love, this legacy of Christ’s Cross. Once again, in a free and mature way, choose the Cross of Christ.... Accept responsibility for the presence of the Cross in the life of each and every one of you, in the life of your families and in the life of this great community which is Poland. Defend it! For the Apostle says: “We have this treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Cor 4:7). ....
...And here, in our presence, at the end of this meditation, is the Christ of St. John’s Revelation, Christ the Good Shepherd and Christ the Lamb of God, who gave his life for his flock (cf. Rv 7:9-14). ...Amen.
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“[Some are involved in] a disastrous confusion between the poor of the Scripture and the proletariat of Marx.” ~ Pope Benedict XVI Theologies of Liberation http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_df84lt.htm
C.S. Lewis: “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under live robber barons than under omnipotent moral busibodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good, will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”
Pope Benedict XVI: “..an authentic...theology: [is] one that puts:
[1] God and the life of the spirit first,
[2] DIRECT charitable care of others second,
[3] and only then draws consequences for a just social order.”
http://ncrcafe.org/node/1091
More: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1988650/posts?page=27#27
Norman Rockwell, the talented American artist, painted four pictures in 1943 titled Freedom From Fear, Freedom From Want, Freedom of Speech, and Freedom of Worship.
The painting Freedom of Worship contained the logo “EACH ACCORDING TO THE DICTATES OF HIS OWN CONSCIENCE. The phrase “according to the dictates of his own concience” has a colorful history itself (see, eg. http://www2.pitnet.net/primarysources/bayle.html), but Rockwell juxtiposed it into public consciousness against the thrust of non-American social propaganda during the second world war.
Excerpts From Pacem In Terris: Peace on Earth
Encyclical of Pope John XXIII, On Establishing Universal Peace In Truth, Justice, Charity, And Liberty, April 11, 1963
“Man’s personal dignity requires besides that he enjoy freedom and be able to make up his own mind when he acts.
In his association with his fellows, therefore, there is every reason why his recognition of rights, observance of duties, and many-sided collaboration with other men, should be primarily a matter of his own personal decision.
Each man should act on his own initiative, conviction, and sense of responsibility, not under the constant pressure of external coercion or enticement.
There is nothing human about a society that is welded together by force.
Far from encouraging, as it should, the attainment of man’s progress and perfection, it is merely an obstacle to his freedom.”
“Hence, a regime which governs solely or mainly by means of threats and intimidation or promises of reward, provides men with no effective incentive to work for the common good.
And even if it did, it would certainly be offensive to the dignity of free and rational human beings.”
“Consequently, laws and decrees passed in contravention of the moral order, and hence of the divine will, can have no binding force in conscience, since ‘it is right to obey God rather than men.’”
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America’s Founding Principles
“...dedicated to teaching how history, law, logic, and mathematics prove that the ideas that create America’s freedom and prosperity - America’s Founding Principles - are God’s moral rules found in Judeo-Christian Scripture. A big job, to be sure, but to help you quickly see where we are coming from, we summarize these ideas in the blue boxes below. The white boxes give you examples of where these ideas appear in our founding documents, the writings of the Founding Fathers, and the scholarly writings that influenced our founding. We link you to resources where you can learn more, and invite you to explore our site, especially our Freedom 101 and Project Mainspring links ...” http://www.citizensoldier.org/foundation.html
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How to Talk to a Theological Liberal (If You Must) http://www.tektonics.org/guest/libspeak.html
read later
The Framers of our Constitution knew that the sort of socialism that conforms to the biblical worldview is the form that is commonly practiced on a small scale within families, within churches, and other organizations. It is always going to be a voluntary sharing of resources.
The Bible teaches that the church and the family should care for the poor rather than the state.
8th Commandment: You shall not steal. This is a guarantee of private property.
10th Commandment: You shall not covet. Again, a guarantee of private property.
Acts 5: Barnabas sellls a piece of property and brought the money to the Apostles.
Ananias and Saphira decided to do the same - except they sold a property - kept some of the money back - and lied about how much they had been paid.
Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own power?’ “
There you go! An apostolic confirmation of the right of private property. Not only the means of production, but also the results of that production were in Ananias’ and Saphira’s power, not in the power or hands of the state or the church.
Proudhon , the French socialist said, “Property is theft.”
But the commandment forbidding theft teaches the right of private property and is in complete contradiction to socialist concepts.
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A review of Bruce Malina and Jerome Neyrey’s book, Portraits of Paul: An Archaeology of Ancient Personality
Highly recommended by J. P. Holding http://www.tektonics.org/books/porpaulrvw.html
| http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0664256813/ref=ase_tektonministries/104-2968028-6706341?s=books&v=glance&n=283155&tagActionCode=tektonministries
Ronald Reagan “Shining City” speech at the first CPAC conference in 1974.
“We cannot escape our destiny, nor should we try to do so. The leadership of the free world was thrust upon us two centuries ago in that little hall of Philadelphia. In the days following World War II, when the economic strength and power of America was all that stood between the world and the return to the dark ages, Pope Pius XII said, ‘The American people have a great genius for splendid and unselfish actions. Into the hands of America God has placed the destinies of an afflicted mankind.’”
“We are indeed, and we are today, the last best hope of man on earth.” bttt
"Yes, and look what China does to Christians too." (MtnClimber)
Marxism is our nation's **most** serious threat. We can survive a nuclear suit case bomb...But...Freedom will not survive if the Marxists win in the voting booth.
Last Thursday, Rush said ( in passing) that liberalism was our nation's most serious threat. I was so pleased to see him ( a major political influence) say this. I wish instead of the word "liberal" he had called them what they really are: Marxists!
By the way, schools are the Marxists most important weapon. Our government k-12 schools, universities, and colleges are completely controlled by them.
Yup, that's the Left's trump card, and it gives them the power to shut down debate simply by uttering an emotion-laden code word. One cannot even label them as the Marxists they are without immediately receiving the smear of 'McCarthyism'.
By dumbing down the population through indoctrination, the Left has successfully been able to set the paradigm for every political discussion in America. For example, the fact that anyone who publicly opposes gay marriage is called 'controversial' speaks volumes.
The Tree of Liberty, I'm afraid, is going to need a serious watering in the near future if we have any hope of defeating the Marxists and preserving our way of life.
Satan hates the Cross. Millions of Christians have been killed by Marxists — in Spain, Mexico, Russia; oh and of course in the Middle East... China...I’m just warming up.
An excellent article. The Catholic posts though seem out of place. The RCC is one of history’s oppressive regimes. The medieval RCC was a great enemy of individual liberty. Were it not for the courage of the protestant reformers, we who put the authority of the Bible over the Pope, would still be under RCC tyranny.
I have no doubt of it either.
It’s “to the wall” time for anyone that values individual freedom, or for anyone that doesn’t bow to the fascist authority of the left.
I disagree (slightly) about your assertion that “thou shalt not covet” is a protection of (others’) private property.
With 40% of our citizenry spending more per year than they earn, and with the average credit card balance of 5k per person,
there’s a whole lot of damage to families being done by covetous behavior.
AND, this is a big one, when are you happier - when you’re thankful for what you have, or when you desire something out of reach?
The primary focus of the Marxists/Communists since their conflict with American individualism began has been on the destruction of the family.
ALL “liberal” policies and worldviews are destructive to the family.
Now, need I post the Richard Rorty quote, admitting what the leftists do to “fundamentalist” students that enter their universities?
The encyclical DIVINI REDEMPTORIS is as true today as it was in 1937.
“In the beginning Communism showed itself for what it was in all its perversity; but very soon it realized that it was thus alienating the people. It has therefore changed its tactics, and strives to entice the multitudes by trickery of various forms”
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Pius11/P11DIVIN.HTM
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