Tag: "freedom"
MLK. Food for thought.
LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL
April 16, 1963
MY DEAR FELLOW CLERGYMEN:
While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities “unwise and untimely.” Seldom do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas. If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work. But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statements in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms.
View PostGet ready for the battle
We are now officially entering into the next critical series of disruptions that will shape this nation’s future. The combination of political unrest and economic turmoil that is coming in the next 12 to 36 months will be of the kind that is unprecedented in modern times. There are only two other periods in this nation’s history that are comparable. Neither were times of peace.
There is a confluence of events occurring that, depending on the magnitude of each, will determine just how rocky our future path to liberty – or increased tyranny – will be.
They are:
1) Political turmoil. The Republican establishment has officially “lost it” over Christine O’Donnell’s victory in Delaware. They tolerated Rand Paul and Sharon Angle. But O’Donnell is too much for them. So far the Republican establishment refuses to acknowledge the Tea Party (which is really only made up of true, old style conservatives and libertarians) as a constituency that they need to include in their “big tent.” That is problematic enough.
However, if they join the Democrats in marginalizing the Tea Party patriots and demonizing them, they risk the wrath of the one group of Americans who are bent on restoring limited government and liberty once again to this nation – by any means necessary. While there is no talk of open revolt at this time within the mainstream Tea Party, it is being whispered in private by more people than they care to admit. If these people do not find the Republican party willing to give them a voice, in 2012 they will form a third party. If they are ruthlessly attacked in 2012 while simultaneously growing in membership by the month, then the whispers move to action. We pray it does not move to that outcome, however right now it looks more likely by the week.
2) The economy. It is only a matter of time before the sovereign debt crisis envelopes the globe. This may happen in 6 months or 2 years, but come it will. With an economy that is in deep depression, the Federal government will feel all the more emboldened to step in and control everything. This just when the Tea Party is dedicated to get government out of everything other than what the Constitution delegates. See the problem? Bad economy, government growing more tyrannical (for the nation’s good of course), and increasing push back from freedom loving patriots. We have a volatile mix.
3) Energy crisis. Simultaneously we have a looming energy crisis. China knows it. Germany knows it (their military published a paper outlining concerns over a depleting global energy supply). The United States may know it, but refuses to deal with it. Make no mistake, wars will be fought over energy if it becomes either scarce (Peak Oil) or more expensive (geopolitical crisis – Israel/Iran war).
4) The next Great Awakening. this is probably the most significant of all. The Christian community is waking up. Slowly. More slowly than I’d like to see, however, they are. I have heard more messages of repentance, standing against tyranny, standing for God’s truth, and education of our Christian heritage, being preached in the last 6 months than at any time in my lifetime. If there is another Great Awakening, we only need to look at history to see what followed.
As the light pushes into the darkness, the darkness does not give up easily. Increasing persecution will accompany Christians who dare to speak against the pop culture and re-assert “no King but King Jesus.” The result of such proclamations in the past was nothing short of war. First the Revolutionary War, then the Southern States’ War for Independence (aka the Civil War). Along the way, Christians will make mistakes. Burning the Koran is one in particular that may serve to move the conflicts we are dealing with now from a nation vs. nation conflict to a religious one. Many would argue that the war on terror has always been a religious war. I’ll refrain from my thoughts on the justification for this war and say that while that assertion may be true, it is more manageable if it is framed as a conflict among nations. It makes the conflict much less emotional than if it is openly declared a religious war. The latter would bring very unpredictable consequences.
Americans refusing to acknowledge this set of realities and prepare for some very difficult times will be caught in a vortex of exploding reality. The current world view of most Americans, that being a U.S. dominated global community, is going to be shattered within three years, possibly much sooner. In the wake of that explosion, God’s Word will be the only guide that will take us through the resulting turmoil.
I do hold out hope that, by God’s grace, we have the only government whereby we can transition from today’s paradigm to the new one without going through the worst case scenario. However, I am also a realist. God’s judgment is overdue on this nation, and we may have to endure it in order to be purified from the horrendous national sin we have fallen into.
Give all you can to the effort to avoid the kind of conflict history shows us is around the corner. At the same time, make your final preparations to go through it. We have no guarantee, or even likelihood that it can be avoided.
View PostWorldnet Daily deserves your support.
In a world of compromises, the people at WorldNet Daily are stepping up and saying “enough.” The flap over their cancellation of Ann Coulter as a speaker at their “Take Back America” convention because of her agreeing to speak at “Homocon”, a supposed conservative homosexual convention, is exposing Ms. Coulter’s true colors as well as the character of those at WND. Joseph Farah and the rest of the WND crew have my full support.
I wonder if the people at WND realize just how significant this incident is. What they have done by uninviting Coulter to their event is send notice to all conservatives that there is a line in the sand. There is a set of values that cannot be compromised by the Tea Party movement if it is to reclaim the high ground in this nation. Mr. Farah did not just talk the talk in his book [The Tea Party Manifesto], he’s walking the walk.
WND is leading in a very profound way. This message is one Christian conservatives must see in action. Compromise, including for money and to the homosexual agenda, will not be tolerated. Ms. Coulter’s response to this tells me (and many of her followers) more about her than her columns and speeches. It is eye opening to say the least.
Additionally, WND’s response tells me more about their character than anything they have written to date. It is ironic that Coulter leveled the charge of “fake Christians” at them. It is patently untrue, and anyone who reads their Bible knows who is in the right.
One thing I do with Coulter on is that they should not have published a private email. Their purposes would have been served by simply using small quotes. If they apologized for doing so, it would remove her only legitimate complaint and further show them as men of integrity.
Watch this closely. The fallout is growing. I suspect that Coulter will not be a contributor to WND for long, by one or both of their choices. Seems an ego has met with integrity. Tough stuff, but WND has my utmost respect.
Already at a college near you.
Do you understand? They will not stop here. They have bullied, pushed, threatened and intimidated Christians as they prepare for nearly every profession. We fight back now. We don’t just stand and defend, we stand and fight. Because what starts and universities, makes it to the government schools, then is enforced on the home. It is the way of the world. Deal with it.
‘Lose Christianity or face expulsion’
Georgia student told to read ‘gay’ lit, attend ‘pride parade,’ change beliefs
Posted: July 22, 2010, 10:25 pm Eastern By Bob Unruh, © 2010 WorldNetDaily
A lawsuit against Augusta State University in Georgia alleges school officials essentially gave a graduate student in counseling the choice of giving up her Christian beliefs or being expelled from the graduate program.
School officials Mary Jane Anderson-Wiley, Paulette Schenck and Richard Deaner demanded student Jen Keeton, 24, go through a “remediation” program after she asserted homosexuality is a behavioral choice, not a “state of being” as a professor said, according to the complaint.
Also named as defendants in the case that developed in May and June are other administrators and the university system’s board of regents.
The remediation program was to include “sensitivity training” on homosexual issues, additional outside study on literature promoting homosexuality and the plan that she attend a “gay pride parade” and report on it.
Where has higher education in America gone? Find out in “Freefall of the American University”
The lawsuit, filed by attorneys working with the Alliance Defense Fund, asserted the school cannot violate the Constitution by demanding that a person’s beliefs be changed.
DC Declares War on States
Two questions from me: 1) Do you agree with Dr. Baldwin? 2) If so, do you understand what this means for the United States?
DC Declares War On States
Among the limited duties of the US Government enumerated in the federal Constitution is Article. IV. Section. 4. “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion.” However, for several decades now, the federal government in Washington, D.C., has shown great ambition and propensity to engage in activities to which it was never authorized, and to ignore those responsibilities with which it is specifically charged. The responsibility of the federal government to protect each State against invasion is a classic example of the latter.
Can anyone deny that the states on the US southern border (California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas) are being invaded by an ongoing onslaught of illegal aliens (many of whom are violent and dangerous criminals)? Somewhere between 12 and 30 million illegals now reside in the US. The entire country is feeling the effects of this invasion, but the Border States are literally under siege. And not only does the federal government do nothing to protect the states against this invasion, it actively wars against states such as Arizona when they attempt to protect themselves. Yes, I am saying it: the Washington, D.C., lawsuit against the State of Arizona’s immigration laws should be regarded as an act of war against the State of Arizona in particular, and against the states general in principle.
Please consider what Arizona and the other Border States are dealing with. According to published reports:
Should Christians Observe Memorial Day?
Just over a week ago, this nation (at least some Americans) observed Memorial Day, our nation’s tribute to those in our country who fought and died for the cause of liberty. There were speeches given. The name of God was invoked as a grantor and protector of freedom that these people died for.
Memorial Day is a tradition, put in place by man. As with all traditions, they should be examined through the lens of Scripture in order to determine if they are supported by Scripture. The central question is we ask Scripture is, should men die for the cause of freedom? Is there something in being free that enables man to live a more righteous life?
These are important questions, for it would be a waste if not an outright sin to pay tribute for someone who died for an unrighteous cause.
We begin by looking at times where bondage and freedom were at issue in biblical and post biblical history to see if we can determine any patterns. As we do this, we must remember the doctrine of God’s immutability. He is unchanging. If we see consistent patterns throughout history, we can use those to help us understand which principles from God’s word are being emphasized in similar circumstances.
One obvious place to look is at the time of the Judges. There we see several instances where Israel was taken into captivity – into bondage. Why? In general, each instance of bondage was preceded by a weakened spiritual condition of the nation. They had fallen into idol worship, were living for themselves and fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and had abandon the teachings of Scripture.
When taken into captive, were the Israelites concerned about their state? Yes of course! Why should they be though? Because they knew they needed to turn their hearts FULLY back to God in order to be released from their bondage. There were several problems however. When under the rule of ungodly kings, limitations were often placed on if and how they could worship God. Also, we see in Scripture where ungodly kings would mock God, bringing further judgment on the land they were dwelling in. (1st and 2nd Kings & 1st and 2nd Chronicles.) And finally, the wickedness of the culture under ungodly kings meant that there was a constant temptation to fall back into the same sins that caused God to allow them to be taken into bondage in the first place!
The result was they had to fight for their freedom. And fight they did. Normally, their freedom came by the sword – God required that they fight their oppressors to regain their freedom. This is no surprise, as ungodly rulers will not generally say “Oh we were wrong. Sorry, go and be warm and well fed!” More on this point later.
Now let’s look at more recent history, specifically that of our nation.
The Great Awakening in 1730’s preceded the Revolutionary War. The idea that personal freedom was a prerequisite to living a life for Christ gained a foothold among Christians. This awakened Christians to the fact that the freedom that their forefathers enjoyed in the new world was coming under threat from the Crown in England. Thus many (not all) supported the war for independence and many pastors preached a message of freedom and liberty. It was these messages that gave motivation and support to the troops to continue the fight against what was seemingly insurmountable odds. By God’s grace, they prevailed.
The Second Great Awakening in the 1800’s – 1840’s preceded the Civil War. Now I don’t wish to pick a fight with anyone, however Christians must also become aware of their history – not the watered down revisionist history taught in our public schools, but what really happened and why.The term “civil war” as applied to the war fought in the United States in the early 1860’s is a misnomer. A civil war is war fought for control of a national government. The south had no desire to control the north. They simply wanted to secede from the union because they felt the north was in control of the Federal government and the Federal government was engaged in tyranny. The “Civil War” thus was in fact a war for freedom from tyranny, just as the Revolutionary War was.
Let me make one thing clear. I am not condoning the actions of the south based on any desire they had to hold onto the practice of slavery. We must however, examine their Constitutional right for the south to secede and their motivation for attempting to leave the union.
John B. Gordon, Maj. Gen. Confederate States of America summed it up best in the book entitled Reminiscences of the Civil War, where he is quoted as saying “I apprehend that if all living Union soldiers were summoned to the witness stand, every one of them would testify that it was the preservation of the American Union and not the destruction of Southern slavery that induced him to volunteer at the call of his Country. As for the South, it is enough to say that perhaps eighty percent of her armies were neither slave-holders, nor had the remotest interest in the institution…both sides fought and suffered for liberty as bequeathed by the Fathers–the one for liberty in the union of the States, the other for liberty in the independence of the States.”
I believe that regardless of man’s motives for fighting the Civil War, God’s main purpose was indeed to bring slavery to an end, as it was a blemish on an otherwise blessed nation.
Now, we will come back to the point of this article. There is a distinction between the United States’ history of war and biblical Israeli history of war that must be made. In this nation, war has been waged primarily to maintain liberty and freedom. With biblical Israel, it was to regain their freedom after they were taken into bondage. In both circumstances, we see that God has granted favor to those who fight for freedom, when the result of victory will be to allow the people to serve Him.
Why? Because only free men can serve Christ and Christ alone.
With Israel, when God took their freedom from them, it was His way of igniting a “Great Awakening” in them. “We’ve strayed from God’s ways! Let us repent and be free to return to living according to them!” It was only when they wanted to return to God’s ways that they truly valued their freedom. With the United States, freedom was placed on the hearts of men and women to keep them from being taken into bondage and prohibited or restricted from serving Christ.
As we continue to examine Scripture, we begin to formulate some significant implications related to these observations.
Galatians 5:1 says “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
Paul is taking about the “bondage” of the Mosaic law. The previous chapter gives us the context of that statement. “Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:3-5
If Christ died to free us from the requirements (i.e. the bondage) of the Mosaic law, which is a demonstration of God’s righteousness and holiness, how much more should we not subject ourselves to the bondage of man’s laws when they are of man and contrary to our ability to serve Him?
Romans 13:1-7 is the secular/humanist state’s favorite Scripture. In fact, the way Romans 13 is preached in most churches today is heresy. The implications of Galatians 4 and 5 along with 2 Samuel 23:1-5, 2 Samuel 24: 10-14 among others set the context of Romans 13. Let’s examine those Scriptures.
Now these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel: “The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue.The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: “He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God.” 2 Samuel 23:1-5
Throughout his life, David had learned many lessons well. And of all the life lessons that David learned, God chose to highlight this as one of his last admonitions. ‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God.
This truth was important to David as was demonstrated in Chapter 24. David numbered Israel and angered God. God gave him a choice of three judgments. 1) Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? 2) Shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? or 3) Shall there be three days’ plague in your land?
Pay attention to David’s response.
“I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.” 2 Samuel 24:14.
More than anything, David wanted his people to be spared the suffering that comes from being under the rule of ungodly men.
Summary
While this is not an exhaustive examination of Scripture on the subject of freedom, it does represent God’s heart for His people to be free. It is important! Individual freedom and liberty is God’s preferred state of the Christian in order that they are unencumbered to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. It removes from God’s people the threat of punishment by ungodly men for obeying God rather than them (Acts 5:29), which by the way, we are called to do if faced with that choice.
It is right then for Christians to pay tribute to those who have fought for freedom. These men gave themselves for us. We enjoy the benefits of their death without having to suffer it ourselves, just as we benefit from the death of Christ without having to suffer the cross ourselves. What greater love can a man have?
There is a problem however today. Christianity has always been despised throughout the world by secular/humanist governments. They want to be king and rule over man. Yet anyone who would echo the words written in Committees of Correspondence in 1773 “No king but King Jesus” is a threat to their rule. Thus like all other secular/humanist governments in history, ours is beginning to draw battle lines against Christians.
It is vital that we understand the legacy of freedom in this nation, for we too are now being faced with the need to fight for it. By God’s grace, we may avoid the need to take up the sword to fight for freedom. We have the one form of government in the world that gives us that chance – a republic – even though over the past few decades it has been run more like a democracy (which is nothing more than mob rule) and is what our current president means when he arrogantly says “I won.” Because of the gift of a republic, given to us by our Founding Fathers, “we he people” have the opportunity to see a peaceful deliverance from tyranny such as Israel was granted in Egypt from the hand of Pharaoh. Or as was seen when the Berlin wall crumbled in Eastern Europe due to the heart felt prayers and petitioning of the many churches in that region.
May God grant us mercy that we may not be required to add to the number of those we pay tribute to on Memorial Day. But history is clear. That will only happen if we understand what we are facing, repent of our own national sins, pray fervently, and fight with the peaceful fight with all the tools we have available – before it is too late.
Jon Voight “letter to America”
This one is making the rounds pretty quickly. You’ve probably seen it. While I agree with much of it, Obama is certainly NOT the first president to weaken America. GW Bush did his part for sure. Also, Voight makes the all too common error of calling our nation a “democracy.” It is a republic. With that said, I give him high marks for calling Obama’s agenda out and naming him a Marxist while he ties him to Saul Alinsky. People need to learn. This will help.
Huckabee shows his stripes as a politician, coddling Clinton’s legacy and tries not to sound “extreme.” Also, pointing out that Voight’s letter was a “personal” plea (that means “don’t think I agree with all of this.”) Huckabee is unfit to lead the Republican party.
Intersting article by Gary North
Gary North makes some interesting observations regarding our current political climate.
“By the time of the election in November 2008, the two stimulus packages were history and the Federal Reserve had more than doubled the monetary base. For the first time since 1914, the Federal Reserve System was under widespread attack by a significant minority of the public.
Then came Obama’s stimulus package. We can date the rise of the Tea Party movement from that event. It has continued to grow. Recent polls indicate that at least 25% of the voters identify with the Tea Party movement or express sympathy with it.”
I am not sure where he gets his 25% number, but those I have seen quoted are in the 30% to 40% range. Either way, his point which follows is significant from a historical perspective. Furthermore, I have seen estimates that up to 60% to 70% of Independent voters sympathize with the Tea Party. Those are the important ones.
“The speed of this development is unprecedented in modern American history. No swing voting bloc this large has ever appeared in a one-year period. This is a Congressional election year. The bloc did not exist in November 2008.
This is the wildest political wild card in modern American history. There is no organizational chain of command. Ron Paul represents its main ideas, but he does not give it marching orders. No one does.”
His last comment is the Tea Party’s strength and weakness. My feel is that it will be a greater strength. If nobody is able to give the party its marching orders, that makes it much more difficult to be hijacked by the Republican establishment and run down the neo-con road.
“Incumbent politicians who are up for election this fall now see what is coming. Their electoral plans have to factor in the Tea Party voters. Even Congressmen in safe districts have to think about what will be the shape of the new Congress in January 2011.
Nancy Pelosi should be making mental plans to turn over her gavel as Speaker of the House.”
Wishful thinking maybe. It will take an act of God to move the House to Republican hands. Strong gains yes, but there are 7 months between now and the election. Watch what tricks the current administration pull out of their hats. Amnesty for illegal immigrants, and a battle with the evil bankers are just a warm up.
“When Ron Paul got 41% of the vote in the Rasmussen poll a week ago, with Obama at 42%, that sent a message to Congress. No sitting House member has ever matched a sitting President in a public opinion poll. That the member has been the lone wolf in the House on spending bills for three decades indicates a monumental shift of opinion in the public’s sentiments.”
This is quite telling. Staying power is what counts. Right now momentum is on RP’s side. If it peaks too soon, that is a problem and has been a mis-calculation of politicians since politicians have been around. It’s tempting to soak up the praise when it comes your way. The MSM would love to have RP flame out.
“Pelosi’s ramrodding operation of Obamacare was the last straw. She was adamant: the voters be damned. This was the same attitude that Congress displayed in October 2008, when it passed the Paulson-Bush bailout bill. Incumbent Republicans were swept out of office in the House in November 2008. The public got its revenge.”
The sweep by Dems in 08′ was about much more than one bill. The independents (and some moderate republicans) bought the messiah’s message of hope and change.
“This November, the public is likely to get its revenge again. The dark cloud, no larger than a man’s hand – Ron Paul’s hand – a year ago has become a thundercloud. It is heading for Washington, D.C.”
Let’s pray he is right. What continues to disturb me is that there is little mention about restoration of this nation to its Judeo/Christian roots. God’s role in this restoration process is largely absent from the patriot commentary. It is there, but often as an afterthought. Get this saying in mind:
Patriots without God will be slaughtered. Patriots with God will not be stopped.
It’s that simple.
Agenda – Grinding America Down (5 star!)
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