QUESTIONS (YOU MIGHT NOT BE ASKING) AND ANSWERS (YOU MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH)

May 28, 2014

 

Here are some questions I have been asked to discuss several times recently.  Here are the answers in written form:

 

Q:  CAN A CHRISTIAN BE A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY?

A:  Of course.  Many are.  I would rephrase the question:  Should a Christian be a Democrat?

 

Q:  CAN A CHRISTIAN BE A MEMBER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY?

A:  Of course.  Many are.  I would rephrase the question:  Should a Christian be a Republican?

 

Q:  AM I DISENCHANTED WITH BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES?

A:  That is an understatement.  On a national level the Democratic Party has taken positions on moral issues such as abortion and gay marriage which I believe are anti-Biblical.  On a national level the Republican Party waffles about on these and other issues and is, in my opinion, useless.

 

The solutions to the problems that we face as a country are not going to be resolved politically. In a system like ours, politics is ultimately driven by votes not values.  That means, all too often, political matters are settled with compromises and deals.  Pragmatically, from a power and control point of view that may work just fine.  But from a Christian point of view, it stinks.  Compromise and deal making get budgets passed and highways built.  Compromise and deal making also get unborn babies killed and gambling legalized. We must not forget that our battle, as Paul reminds us, is not against “flesh and blood.” (Eph 6:12).  We are in a battle that is very much about values and belief systems.  You don’t win that battle politically.  You win it spiritually.  You can’t just change people’s votes, you must change their hearts.  Political parties’ values morph over time (look at the two major parties now and fifty years ago).  Biblical values are transcendent and unchanging.  The baptistery will change this country a lot more than the voting booth.

 

Q:  WHAT ABOUT AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS?

A:  To me, there is a Biblical principle which I believe is very apropos here but has been neglected or ignored in the discussion of this highly emotional issue.  The principle underlies Biblical teaching on a number of matters.  For example, I believe it is the basis upon which “thou shalt not steal” (Ex 20:15) and “thou shalt not commit adultery” (Ex 20:14) are both founded.  Expressed simply, it is the principle that each human being has the right to possess exclusively that which he/she would call his/her own – be that money, property, family, etc.  To take that which is another’s is morally wrong.  Thus, based on this principle, the Law condemns my taking another man’s watch or his wife  (Biblical teaching on marriage is deeply rooted in the fact that my mate is my mate – not someone else’s.  I have exclusive rights to her.  Another man is to leave well enough alone).  In fact, this is such an important matter that the tenth commandment (Ex 20:17) tells me not to even allow myself to covet that which is the possession of another.

I believe this principle to be very germane to a discussion of amnesty for those who have entered this country illegally.   Prov 15:25; 22:28; 23:10 all emphasize the importance of respecting property markers and not moving them to take advantage of the weak or powerless.  Those boundary markers represent the personal property of individuals and to tamper with them is stealing.  Collectively, nations have always had boundary markers.  Crossing those borders without permission has severe ramifications for the violator.  It must be so.  A clear delineation of property lines is critical to an ordered life.  If those lines can be crossed without consequence, then ownership of property becomes meaningless and only chaos can result.  

Illegal aliens are here illegally.  This recognizes, in contradistinction, that many foreigners have entered this country legally.  They have secured visas and whatever documentation necessary for them to remain here. The difference is very important.  There is a world of separation between an individual who enters a home in the middle of the night without the owner’s permission, and a guest presenting an invitation who is attending a party at the same address.  One is a trespasser and possible thief, the other a guest.

While I have very mixed feelings about how we should respond to the plight of illegal aliens in this country, I am convinced we should not, must not, forget they are here illegally.  We need to show mercy.  We must reflect agape to all.  At the same time, we also need to make it clear that one must not, cannot, seize or enter another’s property without securing the right to do so. It is illegal.  It is sin.  While our heart may well be touched by the plight of a thief or his family, he is, nevertheless, a thief.  If thievery goes unpunished, especially if it begins to appear to be rewarded, we open a door to a plethora of consequences, many of which we are already facing.

I have no idea as to the solution to this mess – and a mess it is.  But I do know that ignoring this Biblical principle concerning ownership of property has cost us dearly and will continue to cost us until it is enforced.  Closing our borders is not mean-spirited or bigoted, on multiple levels it is necessary to our survival.

 

Dan Rouse

To illustrate the truth of yesterday's blog

May 13, 2014

This is an addendum to the blog yesterday:

This story is taken from yesterday's Miami Herald.  I made reference to this incident in my blog.  It really drives home how quickly and viciously anyone will be treated who steps outside the politically correct attitude toward gay sexuality.

 

The Dolphins swiftly and publicly reprimanded Don Jones late Sunday for his Twitter remarks critical of Michael Sam, fining him and barring him from team activities until he undergoes sensitivity training.

In a statement released by the team, Jones apologized for tweeting “omg” and “horrible” after seeing Sam sharing a celebratory kiss with his partner on national TV Saturday evening. Sam had just been drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round, becoming the first openly gay player selected by an NFL team.

“I want to apologize to Michael Sam for the inappropriate comments that I made last night on social media,” said Jones, a backup defensive back. “I take full responsibility for them, and I regret that these tweets took away from his draft moment.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/12/4112117/dolphins-fine-suspend-safety-don.html#storylink=cpy

SAYING GOODBYE TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH

 May 12, 2014 

As the Constitution of the United States and its associated Bill of Rights continues to be gutted by a government that chooses to no longer be restrained by its tenets, I am appalled, amazed, broken-hearted, and frankly a little frightened at the dissolution of protections I believed that document provided.  The first amendment is being trampled upon with abandon.  Somehow freedom of religion has been morphed and twisted into freedom from religion.  Freedom of speech is now freedom to speak what has been deemed politically correct.  You are no longer free to express any opinion or conviction that might offend anyone (except Christians).  Period.  If you do, you may well forfeit your job or your business.  The Progressive crowd can’t (yet) put you in chains, but they have the governmental clout and permission to make your life miserable.

 

Lest there be some who say I exaggerate, allow me to cite three recent examples.

Example one:

Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers.  He has become the poster boy for what happens when you make remarks that are racially insensitive and inflammatory.  Mr. Sterling made blatantly racist remarks in a private conversation with a female acquaintance.  These remarks were recorded and made public.  The result?  The eighty year old has been banned for life from the NBA.  The league claims the legal right to force him to sell his team.  It has hit him with a 2.5 million dollar fine.  He has been vilified and denigrated and turned into a monster.

Donald Sterling is unquestionably an insensitive, bigoted idiot.  He made racially charged, insensitive remarks IN A PRIVATE CONVERSATION made public. Since when did privately held convictions and private conversations become the basis for publicly executing someone?  Because he embarrassed the NBA do they have the right to strip him of ownership of his team?  We’re heading down a road here that has some very scary implications.  Mr. Sterling did not buy racist ads.  He did not support racist organizations (unless you consider the NAACP as such).  He had done nothing publicly to promote racism.  IN A PRIVATE CONVERSATION he said some things most people find objectionable.

So are we now officially promoting the complete dissolution of the line between private and public?  Can I no longer voice privately held convictions to anyone without the knowledge that those convictions can literally be used against me in a court of law to strip me of my business?  Are we, as a country, really ready to go there?  Again, I’m not defending what Sterling said.  I am defending the man’s right to say even stupid, objectionable things in private. Why?  Because there are some moral convictions I hold in this increasingly libertine society that are deemed objectionable by the PC crowd.  And if they can successfully destroy Sterling’s life, they may try it with mine as well. You had better be very aware of what you say and to whom you say it.  The PC police may be standing at the door.

Example number two:

David and Jason Benham were about to premiere a show on HGTV called “Flip It Forward.”  The show’s focus would be on the twin brothers transforming a fixer-upper into a livable, marketable home for a deserving family.  The show was abruptly cancelled last week by HGTV.  The reason?  In the past, the brothers had supported anti-LGBT efforts.  They are known to hold a Biblical stance against the practice of homosexuality.  Therefore, the LGBT lobby brought pressure against the network to cancel the show.

Understand, they are not accused of anything other than holding a non-PC stance on homosexuality.  They have not been accused of discrimination of any kind in their work, nor of actively producing or supporting some sort of hate speech (other than living out their privately held convictions).  Yet, their show, which has a clearly charitable, humanitarian thrust, will not go forward.  They are being severely punished merely for what they believe.

Example number three:

Michael Sam, co-defensive player of the year in the Southeastern Conference, was just taken as the 249^th overall pick in the NFL draft by the Saint Louis Rams.  Sam’s prior “coming out” as a homosexual to his Missouri Tiger teammates had been celebrated by the PC crowd with feature stories on his courage and fortitude.  Upon notification of his being drafted, several news outlets couldn’t wait to share footage and photos of him sharing a kiss with his male lover.  The White House posted a statement from the President congratulating him.  Articles were penned and news reports filed celebrating what a landmark moment this was in the history of the National Football League.

In reaction to Michael Sam being drafted, and the accompanying coverage, Don Jones, a second year player for the Miami Dolphins, committed what may have been an unforgivable sin to the PC crowd.  He tweeted “OMG” and “horrible.”  As soon as Dennis Hickey, general manager for the Dolphins, was made aware of what his young player had tweeted, he immediately made it public that he and the Dolphin’s organization were “disappointed by those comments.”  He also made it clear that the team plans to “sit down” with Don Jones and “handle it (the Twitter) appropriately.”  Clearly, no longer does a player in the NFL have the right to express distaste or disgust for two men exchanging a kiss. Homosexual PDAs are now officially fine; an honest objection to such a display is, however, subject to condemnation and reeducation.

"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up."

-- by Martin Niemöller, prominent German anti-Nazi theologian and Lutheran minister

As Christians, it’s time we quit kidding ourselves.  We’re in a war.  The militant gays have come out of the closet, and they are very set on shoving as many of us Christians as they can into that closet.  They want to shut us in and shut us up.  The evil one and his minions are playing for keeps.  They don’t seem particularly interested in taking prisoners.  If we want to continue to enjoy the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution we’re going to have to fight for them.  That means speaking up and speaking out.  We have to let the media and networks know we’re not happy with their bias.  In particular it means paying attention to the people we send to Congress to represent us.  If the moral reprobates who presently hold sway are allowed to continue their attack on Christianity without resistance, I truly believe the days of the freedoms of religion and speech we have enjoyed in this country are numbered.  I would encourage you to pray for the leaders of this country (1 Timothy 2:1,2).  But I would also encourage you to do everything you can to hold answerable those in government and media with a clear agenda to destroy us.  If we don’t, as it was with Niemoller, they’ll soon be coming for us.

Dan Rouse