Comparing the current economic situation in the United States to the Great Depression is a little short-sighted. The situation is potentially much worse.
A little short-sighted
November 21, 2008
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Posted by Chip
The silver lining… hopefully
November 11, 2008I am a staunch supporter of individual liberty and free markets. And, because I support these things, I was quite opposed to the election of Barack Obama. Still am. His ideas are socialist at best and Marxist at worst. He appears to me to be a totalitarian just looking for his avenue to total power. And, I think, if he is allowed to implement just a portion of his ideas he will do irreparable harm to the United States. However, I see in the election of Obama a potential silver lining for which I have been praying for a long time — that the Church in America may finally repent of the idolatry we’ve engaged in for years.
That’s harsh, I know. But I know what I’m talking about. I once was the vilest offender.
As a long-time member of a group commonly called “right-wing evangelicals” I once worshipped the state — although I didn’t recognize it at the time. However, God has since opened my eyes to my idolatry.
I began paying attention to politics during the waning days of Jimmy Carter’s administration. I became a huge fan of President Ronald Reagan. During his eight years in office I developed my entire identity around being an American. It was who I was. My faith in Christ was secondary — just a portion of what it meant to be an American. All of my goals centered around becoming an officer in the U.S. Navy. Service to my country was going to be my life. I pursued this goal until the election of Bill Clinton.
All of a sudden the complexion of my country changed. A man with whom I had profound disagreements was running the government of the United States. My faith was shaken — because my faith was in the United States. If the United States could change so profoundly so quickly then my faith was grossly misplaced. I began searching for the appropriate object of my faith. Something that would not change. Something immutable. Something that would always be completely worthy of my worship.
God.
Imagine that.
Of course, after Clinton’s two terms in office, George W. Bush was elected president and many “right-wing evangelicals” were once again able to have faith in the government. I was not among them. I recognized, for the first time, the idolatry I had practiced for so long — swearing loyalty to the state, mistaking nationalism for patriotism, allowing myself to be manipulated by the state, and embracing an earthly empire over God’s Kingdom.
Now that Obama has been elected, conservative Christians are pointing to the attitude many liberals exhibit toward him and call it idol worship. And they are right. He is being characterized as a messiah and openly compared to Christ.
Conservative leaders are drawing attention to the frightening similarities between Obama’s goals for America and the Soviet Union or Hitler’s Germany. And they have a point. Many of his plans look exactly like Nazism and Marxism. It appears he is trying to do in America what we all thought couldn’t happen.
Sadly, Obama is only building his new civil religion on the foundation laid by conservatives. For too long conservatives have idolized the government and placed blind trust in the state. Obama is just taking the next step.
The silver lining is the hope that Christians all across America will recognize that faith in the government is a misplaced faith — regardless of who occupies the White House.
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Posted by Chip
Where is your heart?
November 5, 2008I am convinced many Americans (Christians included) view the government as their savior. Today, the day after Barack Obama was elected as president of the United States, many people are elated, convinced Obama is on the verge of bringing utopia to America. Others are quite concerned he is about to destroy everything America was founded to be. I’d like to offer a fresh perspective for my brothers and sisters in Christ.
The Founders Ministries blog featured a small quiz yesterday. I’d like to post it here.
- True/False: The day after the election Jesus will still be King.
- True/False: The day after the election our responsibilities as Christians will not have changed one iota.
- True/False: The day after the election the greatest agent for social change in America will still be winning the hearts and minds of men and women through the gospel, not legislation.
True/False: The day after the election my primary citizenship will still be in this order - (1) the Kingdom of God, (2) America, not vice-versa.- True/False: The day after the election the tomb will still be empty.
- True/False: The day after the election the cross, not the government, will still be our salvation.
- True/False: The day after the election our children will still be more concerned with whether or not we spend time with them than with who is President.
- True/False: The day after the election my neighbor will still be my neighbor, and loving him/her will still be the second greatest commandment. (Do you know the first?)
- True/False: The day after the election the only way to see abortion ultimately overturned will still be winning men and women to a high view of life through the gospel of Christ.
- True/False: The day after the election the only way to see gay marriage ultimately defeated will still be winning men and women to a biblical view of marriage through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- True/False: The day after the election, my retirement will still not match my treasure in Heaven.
- True/False: The day after the election “Jesus Is Lord” will still be the greatest truth in the Universe.
- True/False: The day after the election we will still know that God is in control.
And, if that was not enough to redirect your attention, perhaps this post at Pyromaniacs about the real “election day” will.
I think too many people are poised for real disappointment in the election of Obama and too many people are in the midst of disappointment because of the election of Obama — and for the exact same reason. They both have invested too much faith in government. I am reminded of a passage from Matthew…
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
If today seems like either the salvation of the world or the end of it you may want to consider whether or not you’ve misplaced your treasure — and your heart.
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Posted by Chip
Faith in democracy?
November 3, 2008The 2008 presidential campaign has been one of the longest campaigns in American history, starting almost a full two years ago. As the election has grown closer, rhetoric has gotten more pointed and patience for opposing views has grown thin. This election has been characterized as “the most important election in a generation,” or “the most important election in American history.”
People who call themselves Christians have been vigously “praying for the election.”
Certainly, as believers, we should bring our concerns before our Lord. But what do we mean when we say we are “praying for the election.” I fear too many of us are asking God to insure the success of our goals. There are believers who support the Republican candidate, John McCain, who are asking God to grant him a victory. There are believers who support the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, who are asking God to grant him a victory. This is a symptom of a much deeper problem in the Church.
Our faith is grossly misplaced. We consider this election to be “the most important election in a generation” because we have placed our faith firmly in the government. We are looking to the state for answers when we should be looking to Scripture. We have decided for ourselves how things ought to be and our prayers are for God to approve that which we’ve already determined is right.
We have elevated democracy to the point it has become another idol. Which is really ironic because our founding fathers held democracy in complete contempt. They considered it mob rule. Yet we have been told not voting is unpatriotic. There are those who have even suggested voting for anyone other than the two “major party” candidates is unpatriotic because they are the only two who have a chance to win. David Heleniak, in a recent article at Mises.org entitled “Mock the Vote,” debunks this whole notion. He puts this election in proper perspective.
As for those of us who claim to be Christians, I think there are far too few of us who pray according to the model Jesus, Himself, gave us.
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”
We don’t honestly pray for God’s will to be done. Maybe because we assume our will and God’s will are the same. Or, maybe, because we fear God’s will and ours are not the same.
Bumper sticker of the day:
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Posted by Chip
The march to socialism
October 27, 2008In a recent article at worldnetdaily.com, Joseph Farah pointed out America is marching headlong into socialism. He followed that article up with a second article entitled “What’s wrong with socialism?” The second article was necessary, he contends, because too many young Americans are just plain ignorant of the horrid nature of socialism and keep sending him e-mails asking him that very question.
I contend this march began years ago with FDR (and, it should be noted, his socialist policies are directly responsible for a recession becoming “The Great Depression”). But anyone who has been paying attention lately can see this trend accelerating. Just a quick glance through the headlines turns up any number of stories illustrating this point:
- Our government is on the verge of enforcing censorship. Not only is this grossly unconstitutional, but the silencing of dissent is the mark of totalitarian states. Then again, the constitution ceased to be the standard by which our government operates years ago. Of course those in power in our federal government don’t call it “censorship.” Oh no, they hide their intent in friendly terms like, “The Fairness Doctrine.”
- Our government engages in intimidation. Anyone who dares to express a view contrary to official state doctrine will be humiliated — as an example to others.
- The elimination of private property is actually being considered. Argentina recently “nationalized” all private retirement accounts. That means the government of Argentina stole millions from it’s citizens. The Democrats in the United States are actually considering similar measures. Again, they won’t call it the seizure of private assets. They will call it the “rescue” of American investment.
American politicians have long sought to increase government power. But, in years past they’ve at least had to work very hard to fool voters into thinking they were not. This election year there are candidates who don’t even bother to hide their Marxist ideology. And millions of Americans support them anyway.
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Posted by Chip
Dropping all pretense
October 23, 2008Americans have long engaged is state worship. But until recently this civil religion has been cleverly disguised. It has been couched in subtle terminology so as to make it possible for us to fool ourselves into thinking we’re not really worshipping idols. Of course, God is not fooled — but we feel better.
Consider the words we use with regard to some of our monuments. The Lincoln Memorial has an inscription which reads, “In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever.” A temple is a place of worship. Lincoln’s statue, indeed his entire memorial, is reminiscent of Greek temples. And he is worshipped in this country.
Go to just about any veterans’ cemetery. There will almost always be a sign somewhere declaring the ground to be sacred. Holy. Yet scripture tells us God alone is holy.
We swear our loyalty to a man-made, inanimate object every time we say the pledge of allegiance. But we call this “patriotism” rather than idolatry.
Taken individually these examples may be defended as something other than state worship. Together they have created a culture that has conditioned us to view the state as something greater than it is. As something to be revered — even worshipped. As a result we no longer know the difference between actual patriotism and gross nationalism.
The 2008 election, however, has taken this idolatry to a new level. All pretense has been dropped. There are people openly comparing the Democrat candidate for president, Barack Obama, with the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Just take a look at this website. Scroll through the articles. Read them. Watch the videos. Consider how much faith — yes faith — one must invest in a president for these kinds of things to be said.
The mask has come off. We are a nation of idol worshippers.
May God use this election to show us all where we are guilty of idolatry.
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Posted by Chip
The Revolution: A Manifesto — A Review
September 3, 2008
Ron Paul’s book, The Revolution: A Manifesto, is the most refreshing exercise in political thought in a long, long time. Ron Paul, as you may recall, is the congressman from Texas who ran for the Republican nomination for president eventually won by John McCain. His message of liberty resonated with so many people that his campaign set records in campaign contributions and grassroots support. After McCain won the GOP nomination, Congressman Paul founded the Campaign for Liberty as a means of keeping the fight for limited government going. The ideology that so energized millions of Americans is summarized quite well in The Revolution: A Manifesto — and it’s all based on a single idea: rejecting false choices.
From the very first sentence Paul shows how our political options are extremely limited by two parties that are strikingly similar — they are both advocates of a large, powerful centralized government. He then begins to tear down the false premises on which our political system is based.
“Should we launch preemptive wars against this country or that one? Should every American neighborhood live under this social policy or that one? Should a third of our income be taken away by an income tax or a national sales tax?”
Paul demonstrates that both parties mutually agree upon the false premises from which these kinds of questions originate. No one in “mainstream” politics allows for the possibility that we shouldn’t wage preemptive war at all. They don’t accept that neighborhoods should make their own decisions apart from Federal mandates. And they reject the notion that citizens ought not have their income confiscated at all.
“And so every four years we are treated to the same tired, predictable routine: two candidates with few disagreements on fundamentals pretend that they represent dramatically different philosophies of government,” Paul observes.
This book sets out to expose and reject the false choices we’ve been led to believe are the only legitimate choices. Paul does this by first reintroducing us to the foreign policy of the Founding Fathers and to the Constitution. We learn that individual liberty was a foundational principle in America. We learn the government is only authorized to act with the consent of the citizenry. We learn that citizens’ rights are the result of an endowment from God and are not issued by the state.
Yet, over the course of many years we’ve come to accept that we are somehow the property of the state — at least in part. We don’t object to the state claiming to be entitled to a portion of what we earn. We don’t object when governors, senators and presidents enact law and regulations against our interests without Constitutional authority. We don’t even object to the idea that the state has a “right” to force citizens into service against their will — a concept we used to call slavery.
Ron Paul takes these lessons and applies them our economy, to civil liberties and to personal freedom. It is eye opening. We often lament that our country has fallen from the ideals intended by the Founding Fathers. Paul’s book demonstrates just how far.
But despite all the bad news, the book is extremely optimistic. John Adams, no small participant in the American Revolution, once observed, “What do we mean by the revolution? The War? That was no part of the revolution. That was only an effect and a consequence of the revolution. The revolution was in the minds of the people. And this was effected from 1760 to 1775 in the course of 15 years before a drop of blood was drawn at Lexington.”
In his book Ron Paul makes a new plea for the minds of the people. Don’t continue to think you are making a difference when you accept the false choices presented to you from Washington. It is an illusion. Reject the false premises. Ask the right questions. Demand liberty.
Ron Paul shows a new revolution is possible — one American at a time.
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Posted by Chip
Glorious distraction
August 27, 2008With the Democrat Convention in full swing and the Republican Convention scheduled to start soon many Americans are being swept up in the climax of the political season. Christians are no exception — and that’s a shame.
Again, let me say I do not believe Christians should completely withdraw from the political process. However, politics — even in normal times — is a tempting distraction for Christians. It’s almost irresistible during election time. I call it a distraction because a Christian’s primary focus should always be God, His will, and His glory.
It’s a shame because we allow ourselves to avert our eyes from the eternal purposes of our Lord for the sake of the apparent, yet fleeting, glamour of politics.
Of course there are those who disagree. Janet Parshall, a radio talk-show host, seems to think it is a sin for a Christian not to vote for one of the two “major-party” candidates.
“Scripture says if you know what’s right and you don’t do it, that’s called sin,” she said in an article at worldnetdaily.com. According to the article, it was Parshall’s conclusion that, “it is critical that Christians vote this November for whichever of the two major presidential candidates seems most likely to advance their values.”
My question to her is: Who ever said voting for either of the “major-party” candidates was “right,” according to Scripture? Suppose neither of these men represent my values? Suppose I find both of them highly objectionable? Am I to vote for the “lesser of two evils?” Because remember, the lesser of two evils is still evil.
Voting ones conscience may mean voting for a “major-party” candidate. It may mean voting for a “minor-party” candidate. It may even mean not voting for president at all — as it would be a violation of your conscience for any of the candidates to occupy the oval office with your support.
The worst part of the distraction is the misplacement of faith. All this fervor over the election is due to having one’s faith placed firmly in the government. That is not where the faith of any Christian should lie. Regardless of which candidate moves into the White House next January God will still be on His throne. God will still be sovereign. And it will still be the calling of every Christian to serve God rather than mammon.
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Posted by Chip
The Church trivialized
August 11, 2008
A new television program in the United Kingdom plans to take 13 non-Christian volunteers and have them attempt to “live by the teachings of the Bible for three weeks.” Their progress will be monitored by four pastors from various denominational backgrounds — Anglican, Catholic, Evangelical, and Pentecostal.
The report in worldnetdaily.com said, “Whether people can be made into Christians by a three-week crash course in discipleship, however, remains a matter of debate.”
No it doesn’t.
The answer is, “No, they can’t.” To be made into a Christian one must first be born again. The notion that “living by the teachings of the Bible” is a means of becoming a Christian was dispelled by Christ Jesus, Himself.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” — Matthew 23: 27-28
Jesus was explaining to these Jews that all of their good works are nothing more than window dressing. It serves only to fool the casual observer. But God is no casual observer. He sees the heart. And regeneration of the heart is the necessary first step in becoming a Christian. It is something only God can accomplish. Scripture makes this point over and over again…
- “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” — John 6:44
- “And he said, ‘This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.’” — John 6:65
- “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” — 1 Corinthians 2:14
- “As it is written, ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.” — Romans 3: 10-11
The title of this new game show is “Make me a Christian.” To treat salvation as a game show is an affront to God. It is an affront to biblical Christianity. It is despicable. But it’s not surprising.
We can’t expect a world full of lost and dying sinners to behave in any fashion other than that of lost and dying sinners. But what is horribly sad is for anyone who claims to be a Christian to advocate such nonsense.
Make me a Christian?
There is no man-made device, scheme, plan or show capable of making anyone a Christian. The reconciliation between fallen man and Holy God is so remarkably difficult only God, Himself, is capable of doing it.
May God forgive us.
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Posted by Chip
The Church under assault
August 6, 2008
When the New Testament Church started, it was seen as a threat by the governing officials in Rome. These new “Christians” did not give proper honor or respect (read “unconditional loyalty”) to the empire. All states — be they ancient Rome or the modern nation states — are completely irrational in the protection of their own power. Anyone who does not express what the state deems as “appropriate” loyalty is immediately suspect. This is why the early church was persecuted. Those first Christians did not regard Caesar as Lord — that title was reserved solely for Christ Jesus. The mere fact that these Christians regarded anyone or anything as higher than Caesar was a real problem for Rome.
They were dealt with.
Fast forward to the 21st century. Today, many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being “dealt with” by states who view them as threats. In China house churches are being “cleaned up.” Christians are forced to promise not to meet during the Olympics so they do not embarrass China. Or they can go to prison — their choice.
In Saudi Arabia Christians are simply being deported.
In both cases we need to lift our brethren to God in prayer. They struggle with persecution most of us have never had to face. On the other hand, the church in America faces a threat much more subtle than those in China and Saudi Arabia. One, I believe, that is far more serious. Jim Fedako explains.
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Posted by Chip
