On Tim Tebow, Revival and the Rapture

Introduction

Professing Christians are raving over 24 year old Denver Bronco quarterback Tim Tebow’s public confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This craze serves as a distraction from the reality that America has been officially declared to be a Nazi-like dictatorship with the POTUS signing the traitorous National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) while world war between global nuclear powers brews in the Strait of Hormuz. (sources:  http://www.debka.com/article/21648/ ; http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28652; http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28441)

Tebow has become famous for “Tebowing” or falling to one knee in prayer like retired MLB pitcher Orel Hershsisher did years ago.  Tebow’s completion of 10 passes for 316 yards to average 31.6 years per completion is being taken by some as a sign that the rapture of the church will occur on January 28, 2012.  You can check that nonsense out at the following link:  http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message1753843/pg1.

Tim Tebow is also being sold as America’s hope for spiritual revival. Kelly O’Connell of Canada Free Press offers the following comments in his January 15, 2012 article titled “Will Tim Tebow spark an American Revival? found at http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/43910 

“Yet, the real Tebow story gripping America is not his athletic prowess, but instead his apparent humility and Christian witness which appears to have no parallel in modern America.

After receiving a few emails promoting Tebow’s faith, I decided to do a little research on his life. It wasn’t hard to confirm that he boldly proclaims Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Setting aside all debate over how a holy God might feel about his children playing NFL football in his name; it also wasn’t hard to find out that Tebow is not a poster boy for true spiritual revival in the body of Christ.

Catalyst for spiritual revival and moral reformation?

First, as an unproven NFL rookie in 2010, Tebow reported late to the Denver Bronco training camp. Tebow was putting his desire for more money ahead of the training needs of the Bronco team over something to the ungodly tune of $12 million over 5 years.  I can remember a day in professional sports when “hold-outs” were considered to be like selfish brats or, worse yet, like outlaws. My, my, my how we have fallen! (source: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2010/07/espn-tim-tebow-seeking-more-money-from-broncos-as-team-begins-workouts-without-him/1)

When we filter this financial decision through the lens of Colossians 3:1-6 found below; as well as other verses regarding selfishness, greed, love of money, covetousness and worldliness, it’s obvious that this young man isn’t ready to be a  true catalyst for spiritual revival. The ”looking out for #1″ attitude he displayed in holding out for more money is typical of what is really wrong with America today.   

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

Secondly, I didn’t have to search much further to find that he has become the poster boy for Jockey underwear. http://www.onlygators.com/07/27/2010/tim-tebow-signs-endorsement-deal-with-jockey/.

If Tebow is sincere in his faith; and I do hope and pray that he is, I don’t think that anyone could honestly believe that the Holy Spirit of God is leading Tim to show off  the temple of God in underwear. Tebow may think it’s normal to be like Michael Jordan, the NBA icon who modeled Hanes underwear; but do you really think that Jesus Christ wants this chick magnet to strut around in underwear in God’s name tempting woman of all ages to lust. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, I certainly agree that the body of Christ is in critical need of moral reformation and spiritual revival. At this point in history, however, Tim Tebow is part of the problem rather than part of the solution.

Tebow may be winsome, bold and sincere. His unwise decisions regarding NFL contract negotiations and Jockey underwear modeling show that he isn’t yet sufficiently dead to himself,  or to worldly antichristian values,  to be useful to God as an instrument of moral reformation and spiritual revival. Instead, he now serves as a potential stumbling block to the body of Christ; another in a long list of popular Christian icons who help babes in Christ feel it’s normal or even cool to say they believe in Jesus Christ. When trouble or persecution comes because of their faith, these babes fall away because their faith is rooted in the icon rather than the word of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ron Paul: U.S. should be Israel’s friend, not her master.

	Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul during a campaign stop at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011.
	Photo by: AP

 

When I think about the 2012 election I sometimes feel like it’s a waste of time to care since elite controllers have the power to place the POTUS in power.

 

On the other hand, however, I realize it remains my God given responsibility to defend our Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic even if the election is rigged by evil.  

 

After a brief listen to the unwise spirit flowing from the traitorous mouths of  the 2012 candidates for the POTUS, Ron Paul rises above them all in my mind as the only true pro-human life Republican candidate. 

 

Dr. Paul alone has the wisdom to honor and uphold our Constitution and Bill of Rights. I believe his voting record gives us reason to believe that he will continue to say “no” to the foolish trend of sacrificing liberty and freedom to a predatory, beastly,  federal government. He understands that U.S. military power should be used to protect our borders and individual Constitutional rights. He understands that it’s not our place to use our military to force other nations to integrate their economies with the rule set of the global economic system. He understands the ungodly capital and human costs resulting from the permanent war economy of the force triangle: the Federal Reserve System International Banking;  the International Oil-Defense-Security Corporations;  and the U.S. Department of Defense. 

 

The interview below with Dr. Paul gives a from the horses mouth listen to his unique Israel friendly views.

(Source:  at  http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/west-of-eden/ron-paul-tells-haaretz-i-am-not-an-anti-semite-1.404208)

 

Here is the full text of the interview:

Q. What was your reaction to your exclusion from the function held by the Republican Jewish Coalition, to which all the rest of the candidates were invited?

Paul: Well, it was a bit surprising and disappointing. I believe that Israel is one of our most important friends in the world. And the views that I hold have many adherents in Israel today. Two of the tenets of a true Zionist are “self-determination” and “self-reliance.” I do not believe we should be Israel’s master but, rather, her friend. We should not be dictating her policies and announcing her negotiating positions before talks with her neighbors have even begun.

Q. Were you disappointed with the lack of collegiality of the other candidates, who did not insist that you be invited as well?

Paul: No. I did not ask or expect them to boycott the event or insist to the organizers that I be invited.

Q. The RJC characterized your views on Israel as “misguided and extreme”. Why do you think they view your views in that way?

Paul: I do not know, as I am the one candidate who would respect Israel’s sovereignty and not try to dictate to her about how she should deal with her neighbors. I supported Israel’s right to attack the Iraqi nuclear reactor in the 1980s, and I opposed President Obama’s attempt to dictate Israel’s borders this year.

Q. Do you think that the American debate on Israel is stifled?

Paul: There is no question that the problems of the Middle East have been intractable and may take new solutions and ideas. These ideas should all be openly discussed. I believe that my opinions have been distorted by those who want to continue America’s current role as world policeman, which we don’t have the money or manpower to sustain.
My philosophy, like that of the Founding Fathers, is that we should use our resources to protect our nation. Our policies of intervention and manipulation in Iran and Iraq and other places have led to unintended consequences and have not made Israel safer. Many in the Jewish community share my opinion, and it’s vital for both nations that we continue to have an open dialogue.

Q. In a 2007 clip that is on YouTube, you say, “Israel should be treated like everybody else”. Is that still your position, or do you believe that Israel and the United States have a “special relationship”?

Q. Well, we do have some unique arrangements. We trade intelligence in areas when it serves our mutual interest, for instance. But I believe we have gone too far, to Israel’s detriment. Instead of being her friend, we have dominated her foreign policy.

Q. In that same clip, you also say that the motivation of al-Qaida for the 9/11 attacks was American support for Israel. Do you still believe that?

Paul: I think most people in the Middle East and probably in Israel would agree that this was a major factor. That in itself does not make our policies right or wrong. Our policies need to be discussed on their own merits, but as a matter of course, yes, our support of Israel has made us enemies.
Other U.S. policies, such as our stationing of troops in Saudi Arabia and our support for repressive regimes in the region, also play a role in hostilities to the U.S. Those in the Arab world who object to the U.S.’ support for dictatorships and to our military presence there often see Israel as the agent of the U.S. Thus, not only do Israel’s relations with the U.S. cause some negative feelings toward America, but they further Arab hostility toward Israel, which is one reason why Israel would be better off without U.S. aid.

Q. In the Fox News presidential debate you expressed understanding and even sympathy for the Iran having nuclear weapons. But Israelis view an Iranian nuclear capability as an existential threat to their country. Do you disagree? Do you not believe Iranian leaders who say that Israel should be “wiped off the map”?

Paul: I am against the spread of nuclear weapons. But I do understand why other nations want them and why they don’t accept the nuclear monopoly as it now stands. You cannot change an opinion you don’t understand. I understand it and would try to change it.
However, there’s a key fact that it seems is being overlooked when my positions are discussed. I believe I’m the only candidate who would allow Israel to take immediate action to defend herself without having to get our approval. Israel should be free to take whatever steps she deems necessary to protect her national security and sovereignty.

Q. Do you support completely cutting all foreign aid, including the aid to Israel?

Paul: Yes, I am personally against all foreign aid. We give $3 billion to Israel and $12 billion to her avowed enemies. How does that help Israel? And in return, we act like her master and demand veto power over her foreign policy.
If I were President, such aid would not end until the Congress agreed and voted for it to end, because I would be President as the U.S. Constitution defines it. I am not running for dictator.
But I believe that federal foreign aid is absurd. We’re broke! We are like a man who used to be rich and is in the habit of paying for everybody’s meals and announces at a lavish dinner that he will pay the bill, only to then turn to the fellow sitting nearby and say, “Can I use your credit card? I will pay you back.” It is ridiculous for us to be borrowing money from China and giving it to Pakistan.
I have described foreign aid as taking money from poor people in rich countries and giving it to rich people in poor countries. I know that many in other nations are hurting, but I also know that the American people are a generous people. While we should end the unconstitutional federal foreign aid program, I would encourage Americans to continue to voluntarily contribute to the needs of other nations.

Q. In the past, you have been accused by various groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, of accepting the support of racist and anti-Semitic elements and of not doing anything to distance yourself from them. What is your reaction to this accusation?

Paul: I have always made it clear, and will continue to do so, that my message is based on the rights of all people to be treated equally. Any type of racism or anti-Semitism is incompatible with my philosophy. Ludwig von Mises, the great economist whose writing helped inspire my political career, was a Jew who was forced to leave his native Austria to escape the Nazis. Mises wrote about the folly of seeing people as part of groups rather than as individuals. Therefore, for me to advance anti-Semitism in any way would be a betrayal of my own intellectual heritage.

Recommended Reading List for Improved Understanding of the World System

 

I heard a caller ask the non-violent, non-rascist, Constitution honoring,  evil hating, truth and liberty loving, scholarly, patriotric ranting, writer, producer, broadcaster, film-maker, manager, entrepeneur,  family loving Alex Jones the other day for his recommended reading list. 

This call prompted me to put together the below list from books found in my personal library.

The vast majority of the books listed below are those that I have freely received through internet book clubs or that I have found in local thrift stores for next to nothing over the past 7 years.

Before I read many of these well researched and historically documented books,  I knew I was being greatly deceived by mainstream sources. In fact, I can remember having conversations about 10 years ago with a professing Christian ”friend”;  someone who will  no longer talk to me,  about what we called a mysterious “great deception” we both felt overshadowed the truth about America. Randy and I both knew that there was a mysterious secret we didn’t understand. Our problem was that we didn’t know where to go in order to find out the truth about our nation.

A couple of years later I began an in-depth exegetical study of the prophecy concerning Babylon the Great found in the Revelation 17-18 in order to see if America was Babylon the Great. In the process, in addition to internet research of government policy documents, I began finding many of the books found on my recommended reading list. I emailed Randy about these things, however, I’ve never heard from him since I gained this new understanding. My guess is that this truth is simply too hot for him to handle. His reaction is more typical of some family members and pastors I’ve encountered through the years in this battle against dark forces.

I hope the below list is a help to you in your quest for socio-political light and truth. The knowledge contained in these books have helped me recognize and counter the delusional lies we each face each day. These lies are part of the spiritual battle that we can be victorious overcomers in if our minds are controlled by truth instead of  waves of deception.

Recommended Reading List for Improved Understanding of the World System

1. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (John Perkins)
2. The Secret History of the American Empire (John Perkins)
3. 9/11 The big lie (Thierry Meyssan)
4. The War on Freedom (Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed)
5. The New Pearl Harbor (David Ray Griffin)
6. The Global War on Terror (Michel Chossudovsky)
7. The Pentagon’s New Map (Thomas P.M. Barnett)
8. The Pentagon’s New Map: Blueprint For Action (Thomas P.M. Barnett)
9. The Invisible Government (David Wise & Thomas B. Ross)
10. Superclass (David Rothkopf)
11. Running the World (David Rothkopf)
12. World Without Borders (Lester R. Brown)
13. America in JeruSALEm (Anat First and Eli Avraham)
14. Spreading the American Dream (Emily S. Rosenberg)
15. A Century of War (William Engdahl)
16. Rogue State (William Blum)
17. Tragedy & Hope: A History of the World in our Time (Carroll Quigley)
18. The Grand Chessboard (Zbigniew Brzezinski)
19. The Warmongers (Gary Katz)
20. War is A Force That Gives Us Meaning (Chris Hedges)
21. None Dare Call It Conspiracy (Gary Allen)
22. The Rockefeller File ((Gary Allen)
23. The Shadows of Power (James Perloff)
24. Report From Iron Mountain On The Possibility and Desirability of Peace (Special Study Group)
25. Proofs of a Conspiracy (John Robison)
26. The Zionist Factor (Ivor Benson)
27. America’s Secret Establishment (Anthony Sutton)
28. The Rise of the Fourth Reich (Jim Marrs)
29. Rule by Secrecy (Jim Marrs)
30. The Conspirator’s Hierarchy: The Story of the Committee of 300 (Dr. John Coleman)
31. The Bilderberg Group (Daniel Estulin)
32. Behold A Pale Horse (William Cooper)
33. The Best Enemy Money Can Buy (Anthony Sutton)
34. Wall Street and the Rise of Hitler (Anthony Sutton)
35. IBM and the Holocaust (Edwin Black)
36. Hitler’s Willing Executioners (Daniel Jonah Goldhagen)
37. Trading With The Enemy: The Nazi-American Money Plot 1933-1949 (Charles Higham)
38. The Crime and Punishment of I. G. Farben (Joseph Borkin)
39. Unholy Alliance: A History of Nazi Involvement With the Occult (Peter Levenda)
40. Brainwash: The Secret History of Mind Control (Dominic Streatfeild)
41. The Secret Destiny of America (Manly P. Hall)
42. The Destiny of the Nations (Alice A. Bailey)
43. 1984 (George Orwell)
44. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
45. The Family (Jeff Sharlett)
46. En Route To Global Occupation (Gary H. Kah)
47. Brotherhood of Darkness (Dr. Stan Monteith)
48. A Foreign Policy of Freedom (Ron Paul)
49. Christianity and War (Lawrence Vance)
50. The Revelation to John (The Apostle John)

 

Commentary on Mark Hitchcock’s rejection of the view that America is “Babylon the Great”

 Introduction

The Late Great United States (2009) by Pastor Mark Hitchcock, PHD is a certified conservative evangelical pre-tribulation rapture prophecy authority’s response to some of today’s most commonly asked questions concerning America such as:

• Is America mentioned in prophecy?
• Could the Antichrist come from America?
• Why do “they” hate America?
• What is the secret of America’s greatness?

What are his answers to these questions?

In short, Pastor Hitchcock believes that America’s support of Israel is both the secret of her greatness and the reason why “they” hate America. He doesn’t think that the role of the United States is specifically addressed in the Bible, however, if it was, he feels that she has the best chance of being found listed among the “young lions” of Tarshish  of Ezekiel 38:13. He believes that it’s unlikely that the Antichrist could be an American.  

Although various things Pastor Hitchcock believes such as America’s support of Israel is both the secret of her greatness and the reason why “they” hate us can ultimately be proven false, this article will only address his responses to the question as to whether or not America could be “Babylon the Great”.  

Is America mentioned in prophecy?

Pastor Mark Hitchcock relies upon logical fallacy instead of thorough research and biblical exegesis in dismissing the possibility that America is Babylon the Great.

Dr. Hitchcock assumes Babylon is Satan’s capital city on earth because Babylon was the capital city of Nimrod; the first world ruler, and the capital city of the first four Gentile world empires to rule over Jerusalem. Because of Babylon’s past role as the capital city of world rulers, he circularly reasons that Babylon will be resurrected to become Antichrist’s capital city. He employs Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2; 18:10; 18:21 as proof texts supporting this faulty logic. He then concludes that America can’t be Babylon the Great because God will destroy Antichrist’s capital city Babylon at the end of the seven-year Tribulation period. He believes there is no indication in the text that “Babylon” is to be taken symbolically or figuratively so it must refer to Babylon, Iraq.

The following paragraphs discuss the errors in this teaching and destroy the foundational arguments Pastor Hitchcock uses to justify his belief that Babylon the Great refers to Babylon, Iraq.   

Revelation 17:12-18 explains that 10 kings will destroy the great city Babylon the Great BEFORE they present their kingdom to the beast. This prophecy proves that the unification of the fourth and final global kingdom of Daniel 7:19 to be led by Antichrist occurs after that great city “Babylon the Great” of Revelation 17:5 is destroyed; not before as Mark Hitchcock asserts. 

It is true that Revelation 16:19 foretells of “great Babylon” receiving the wrath of God. “Great Babylon”, however, describes a different kingdom than “Babylon the Great” of Revelation 17:12-18. How can we know that great Babylon is a different entity than Babylon the Great?

Revelation 16:10-13 shows that both the beast kingdom and the false prophet are in power when “great Babylon” of Revelation 16:19 receives God’s wrath. On the other hand, according to Revelation 17:12-18, “Babylon the Great” was destroyed before the kingdom was given to the beast. “Great Babylon” of Revelation 16 refers to the fourth and final global beast kingdom of Daniel 7:19. This global Babylon is unified under Antichrist after the sovereign “city“or nation-state “Babylon the Great” is destroyed.

Great Babylon of Revelation 16:19, the final global kingdom of Daniel 7:19, is also referred to as the “beast out of the sea kingdom” in Revelation 13:1-10.  This global Babylon receives the wrath of God when the Lord Jesus Christ returns at Armageddon to destroy this beast kingdom according to prophecies like Revelation 16:10-21; Revelation 19:11-21; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Zechariah 14; Joel 3 and others.

The fact that “great Babylon” of Revelation 16:19 and “Babylon the Great” of Revelation 17:5 are different entities. Because of this Babylon must be interpreted figuratively or symbolically; not literally as Pastor Hitchcock believes.

Pastor Hitchcock fails to see that Daniel 11:45 indicates that the final capital city of Antichrist where the global tyranny of Antichrist will come to its end will be located “between the seas in the glorious holy mountain”. This is a description of beautiful Mount Zion in Jerusalem, Israel.

 Although it’s possible that Antichrist will establish temporary headquarters in Babylon before moving his palace to Jerusalem; Mount Zion is certainly a far cry from war torn, radioactive depleted uranium particle laden Babylon, Iraq isn’t it? 

 Conclusion

The preceding paragraphs have demolished arguments used by Mark Hitchcock to dismiss the possibility that America is Babylon the Great.  

In dismissing this possibility, however, one closes their eyes and ears to what God has to say in Revelation 17-18 about the present character of the U.S. and our relationship to her.  This blindness affects the ability of a person to discern the moral character of U.S. public policy and to pray effectively for our nation and those in positions of government service.  

Understanding that God is addressing us in Revelation 17-18 as “Babylon the Great” helps us receive the truth that the United States government is effectively ruled by an elite group running our largest international corporations. It becomes easier to believe that these people cycle through a revolving door between government policy making positions, Wall Street financial firms, Defense/Security firms and other influential corporate sectors controlling media, elections, politicians, and military. (Perkins, 2007)

It explains why Democratic President Barack H. Obama continued warmongering like Republican George W. Bush did. It helps us understand that since the days of Andrew Jackson financial powers have owned the U.S. government and U.S. Presidents have become gangsters for large international corporations, Wall Street and international bankers. It believable that wealthy elites have shaped U.S. policies and reaped great profit from the wars they have supported because these elite dollars fuel American foreign policy. (Rothkopf, 2008)

It’s not so surprising that America administers globalization as its military policeman by keeping integrated Core nations connected to the global economy and using her force to spread globalization to partially integrated Seam and disconnected non-integrated Gap states. (Barnett, 2005) 

Revelation 17:5 says Babylon the Great is the mother of harlots and abominations. This idolatrous, whorish nation-state serves to force the nations of the world to integrate their sovereign economies with a predatory global economic system. This idolatrous, antichristian system will eventually demand the life of all who refuse to identify or mark themselves as an integrated member of it. (Revelation 13:15-18)

In 2009 when The Late Great United States was first released, Pastor Hitchcock overlooked that the United States was serving as the mother of Iraq in bringing that nation into the global economic system in accordance with The Security Agreement (SOFA). 

 The U.S. invaded Iraq when it was considered to be outside the greater core of nations already integrated within the rule set of the global capitalistic system.

According to The Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA) now serving as a foundation for a long-term, bilateral U.S.-Iraqi relationship, the U.S. will continue to act as the mother of Iraq nurturing its full integration into the rule set of the global economic system.

The United States Department of Agriculture, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of the Interior, Department of Justice and Department of Transportation, Department of the Treasury, United States Agency of International Development are actively partnering with the Iraqi government to protect U.S. interests in Iraq and the Middle East, support Iraqi sovereignty and help fully integrate Iraq into the global economy. (U.S. Department of State, 2011)

The massive U.S. Embassy in Iraq pictured below stands as proof of the commitment that U.S. government agencies have made to support Iraq’s development in education, energy, trade, health, culture, law enforcement, and judicial cooperation.

With the incorrect biblical thinking underlying Mark Hitchcock’s belief about Babylon the Great exposed, it follows that Mark Hitchcock and his followers need to undertake a truly independent, Holy Spirit taught study solving the mystery, Babylon the Great. Such work is essential in light of the current desire of the United States to force Middle Eastern countries to integrate with globalization’s Core. This idolatrous, covetous interest in Middle Eastern oil and the luxurious wealth and power its control brings us threatens to lead us into a disastrous World War III type scenario. It further provokes a Holy God to anger against these fallen United States for our murderous violence. It moves us ever closer to that fatal hour foretold in Revelation 17-18 when the U.S. will reap the violence she’s sown forging an antichristian New World Order on behalf of the wealthy elite controllers of the United States of America.  

Bibliography:

Barnett, T. P. (2005). What The World Needs Now. In T. P. Barnett, The Pentagon’s New Map Blueprint For Action: A Future Worth Creating (pp. 1-69). New York: G.P.Putnam’s Sons.

Perkins, J. (2007). Prologue. In J. Perkins, The Secret History of the American Empire (pp. 1-9). New York: Peguin Group.

Rothkopf, D. (2008). Globalists vs. Nationalists. In D. Rothkopf, SUPERCLASS: The Global Power Elite and the World They Are Making (pp. 145-189). New York: FSG.

U.S. Department of State. (2011, December 23). U.S.-Iraqi Relations. Retrieved December 23, 2011, from Embassy of the United States Baghdad Iraq: http://iraq.usembassy.gov/american-iraqi.html

Why I disagree with the Mayor of NYC

Dr. Michael Youssef has written at http://www.michaelyoussef.com/michaels-blogs/why-i-agree-with-the-mayor-of-new-york.html that he agrees “with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg regarding his decision to bar “clergy” from participating in the tenth anniversary memorial of the September 11th attacks”.

While correctly recognizing that many Americans are prone to get involved in the idolatry of mixed religion, the following article explains why he’s wrong to thank “Mayor Bloomberg for sparing the faithful Christians from seeing and watching a syncretistic fest on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy”.

The Old Testament tells us that the true prophet Elijah wasn’t intimidated into silence by pluralistic, religious idolatry. When evil King Ahab gathered the prophets of Israel together, Elijah didn’t back out of praying amongst them because he was in the company of false prophets. In fact, Elijah boldly challenged evil King Ahab to bring the liars on. He then proceeded to use the opportunity to expose them as false prophets and glorify the one true living God. (1 Kings 18)

The Apostle Paul also didn’t shy away from an opportunity to publicly expose false religion in action and call it’s practioners to repentance and faith in the one true God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Acts 17)

Any true spokesman of God should do the same today in the face of godless state power. Government is established by God to serve him by punishing evildoers. It has no place terrifying those that want to do good. It is the job of the church to teach this truth from Romans 13.

Self-serving, conspiring pawns of the military-industrial complex and the international banking elite dishonor Constitutional law and despise truth, justice, freedom and righteousness. They seek to free the world of the restriction of the truth of the word of God. (Psalm 2)

No true mouthpiece of the Lord Jesus Christ should be thankful that corrupt public servants like Bloomberg have treacherously tried to silence the voice of the Lord in a country that has legally constituted individual rights to free speech and free exercise of religion.

Sadly, even in the wake of tyrannical acts like that of Mayor Bloomberg, many professing Christians still cling to the naïve and foolish belief that 911 based wars are about protecting our freedom and bringing freedom to foreign lands. This thinking is absurd in light of the fact that 501-c3 state churches are silenced on political and public policy issues and public schools illegally prohibit the free exercise of the Christian faith. Even now, the Mayor of NYC is forbidding the free exercise of religion on 9/11/2011 and Dr. Youssef and his disciples are strangely thankful about his evil.

The Lord God doesn’t want us to thank him for evil. He wants us to stand and pray against evil and the plans of evil men so that that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty. (1 Timothy 2:1-3) Dr. Youssef’s unique and unbiblical thoughts on this issue do have consequences, therefore they matter. They may help him fleece the flock; however, they won’t help anyone quench the tyranny rising against truth and freedom in our nation.

With a generation or more of government controlled pastors behind us now, it’s no wonder that most professing Christians in America still think that the illogical, unscientific official 911 conspiracy theory is true. Again this belief is absurd when we consider one simple fact that a third building which wasn’t hit by an airplane on 9/11/2001, 47 story WTC Building 7, also collapsed in demolition style vertically onto its own footprint at or near free fall rate like plane struck WTC Building’s 1 and 2 did.( http://www.ae911truth.org/)

In light of our increasing loss of personal Constitutional liberties since “911” and continuing limited religious freedom, it’s obvious that the multiple murderous wars since “911” aren’t about the U.S. military spreading peace and freedom. No, as military strategist Thomas P.M. Barnett has told us in books like The Pentagon’s New Map, our military action is about forcing nations to integrate economically with the rule set of the global economic system.

If we are to love as Jesus Christ has commanded us to, any prayer to him on 911 needs to begin with cries of repentance for our believing the lies of the beastly establishment and supporting its murderous wars.

The Budget Control aka Dictator of Debt Act of 2011

The Budget Control Act of 2011 passed Senate vote 76-24 on the day of infamy 8-2-2011.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/senate-passes-debt-deal-76-24_581936.html)

The 74 page text can be read at the following link: http://rules.house.gov/Media/file/PDF_112_1/Floor_Text/DEBT_016_xml.pdf

The Act brazenly begins by erasing the legal accountability of its application to the U.S. Constitution.

“If any provision of this Act, or any application of such provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act and the application of this Act to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected.” (see page 2)

The corporate press is telling us that the spending cuts are spread out over ten years. By this Act, however, 76 Senators have established outrageously high discretionary spending limits in excess of over $1 quadrillion dollars each year from 2012-2021 at a time when inflation is rising and the value of the dollar shrinking. Discretionary spending limits are spending caps or spending ceilings placed over the amount of spending flowing from budget authority provided in annual appropriation acts. (see pages 6-16) 

The Act almost completely ignores the root of our national debt problem; which isn’t the lack of a debt ceiling, but the spiraling debt itself. (http://www.infowars.com/the-debt-ceiling-deal-from-hell/)

The following circle graph displays a breakdown of the proposed 2011 federal discretionary budget. The discretionary budget is the part of the federal budget proposed by the POTUS and approved by Congress.

http://nationalpriorities.org/en/resources/federal-budget-101/charts/discretionary-spending/discretionary-budget-fy2011/

The current proposed budget for appropriated discretionary programs is as follows:

Fiscal year 2012: $1,340,000,000,000 over 1 quadrillion dollars!

Fiscal year 2013: $1,243,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2014: $1,220,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2015: $1,220,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2016: $1,237,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2017: $1,258,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2018: $1,289,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2019: $1,314,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2020: $1,346,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2021: $1,367,000,000,000

(source: page 176 Table S-4 Proposed Budget by Category @ http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2012/assets/tables.pdf)

The Act establishes the following limits on discretionary spending. (see pages 14-16)

Fiscal year 2012: $1,043,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2013: $1,047,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2014: $1,066,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2015: $1,086,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2016: $1,107,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2017: $1,131,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2018: $1,156,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2019: $1,182,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2020: $1,208,000,000,000

Fiscal year 2021: $1,234,000,000,000

According to the above figures, the spending limits proposed in the Act increase from between $20 trillion and $26 rillion each year from 2012 to 2021. This is about a 2% average annual increase over the next decade on the $1 quadrillion plus annual spending limit.

The proposed discretionary spending budget of the Act represents only about a 1% to 2% annual decrease in spending over the next decade.

The official inflation rate is 3.6%. (http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/historical-inflation-rates/) 

3.6% is above the 3.24% annual average inflation rate realized since 1914. (http://inflationdata.com/inflation/images/charts/Articles/Decade_inflation_chart.htm) 

Even if the federal government could discipline it’s beastly self to adhere to the proposed discretionary spending limits, this spending decrease would not even offset the current or historic cost of inflation! In addition to that there’s simply something foundationally wrong with an ungodly monstrosity demanding over 1 QUADRILLION dollars annually to feed itself and consumes  58% of that Quadrillion+ pouring out it’s violent wrath around the globe upon those that refuse to integrate with it’s financial schemes.   

Knowing that the actual inflation rate is now over 10% and rising, this Act sure isn’t the real deal! (http://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data/inflation-charts 

Consider that the word discretionary means exercised at one’s own discretion. Discretion means having the quality of discernment or good judgment. In this act, 76 members of the U.S. Senate gave POTUS the freedom to spend quadrillions according to his own “good judgment”. Practically speaking, the ”Budget Control Act of 2011” is more realistically a “Dictatorship of Debt Act” because of the ludicrous discretionary spending power that has been effectively handed to- or is it taken by- ONE…ONE MAN…ONE OFFICE…ONE DICTATOR!

The ungodly, lofty, discretionary spending power granted to the POTUS is just part of this treacherous legislation. This illegal Act is literally changing the historic interaction of the House, Senate and Executive branches of American Government in executing the will of the people in what is supposed to be a Constitutional Republic. The Act effectively nullifies the legal authority of our Constitution to preserve our individual rights and freedoms as citizens of this once free nation.

It establishes a soon to be appointed temporary joint select committee of Congress to be known as the ‘‘Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction’’. (see page 57)

This joint committee is supposed to terminate on January 31, 2012. (see page 62)

We’ll have to wait and see, however, if and when the committee does terminate. It would be fair to say, based upon the compulsive lying of the POTUS,  that it’s more than likely that the Act is another step forward in a rapidly moving planned consolidation of federal power.

This is how the appointment of the committee is to occur according to the Act.

The majority leader of the Senate (Nevada Democrat Harry Reid http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reid) will appoint 3 members from among Members of the Senate. (see page 56)

The minority leader of the Senate (KY Republican Mitch McConnell http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitch_McConnell) will appoint 3 members from among Members of the Senate. (see page 57)

The Speaker of the House of Representatives (Ohio Republican John Boehner http://www.speaker.gov/Bio/) will appoint 3 members from among Members of the House of Representatives. (see page 57)

The minority leader of the House of Representatives (California Democrat Nancy Pelosi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Pelosi) will appoint 3 members from among Members of the House of Representatives. (see page 57)

The goal of the 12 appointed member “Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction’’ shall be to reduce the deficit by at least $1,500,000,000,000 (1.5 quadrillion) over the period of fiscal years 2012 to 2021. (see page 53)

There shall be 2 Co-Chairs of the joint committee. The majority leader of the Senate, Harry Reid, will appoint one Co-Chair from among the members of the joint committee. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, will appoint the second Co-Chair from among the members of the joint committee. (see page 57) The Co-Chairs, Reid & Boehner acting jointly, will hire the staff director of the joint committee. (see page 58)

House & Senate sub-committees will be given the chance to propose deficit reducing legislation over the remaining months of 2011. (see pages 53-56) The 12 appointed members of the “Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction’’ will only approve legislation which it approves by majority vote. (see page 55)

Whether or not proposed legislation is approved will be up to the hearts and minds of 12 traitorous individuals and their staff director. These people will be ultimately working under the seeing eye and veto power of the same dictator POTUS who was cruel enough to threaten to withhold the Social Security checks of our elderly if he didn’t get his way in this plot!

Deficit reducing legislation can impact any area of American life! Programs for the elderly like Social Security face potential cuts; even as the cost of living rises significantly each year. Cost reduction committees will be working under the oversight of the staff director and the POTUS. In the coming weeks, government staged false flag “terrorist” attacks could result in these committees being charged with financially rationalizing Orwellian capital projects. These projects would be rolled out promising huge reductions in spending in exchange for the liberty and freedom of American citizens! Even without any new false flag “terrorist” attacks in the coming months, this Act could become a huge shot in the arm leading to an upsurge in the implementation of “mark of the beast” type biometric control programs. These programs would be used to reduce operating and other costs associated with homeland security, health care, banking, shopping, transportation, education and others areas. The costs associated with the rising unemployment resulting from the increased automation associated with these biometric projects would be understated.

Without fair consideration to the conscientious morals, ethics, and Constitutional freedoms of American citizens, it could soon be open season for this select group, under its staff director and the POTUS dictator, to legislate any controls that their biased, fraudulent research “proves” will reduce spending. The controlled press will call those that speak against controversial controls “terrorist” threats to American interests and national security.

                    ‘They have acted like terrorists,’ Biden said, according to several sources in the room. | AP Photo Close

One might argue that ex-President George W. Bush’s Presidential Directive 51 gave the POTUS dictatorial power making it possible for the POTUS to declare a National Emergency at will. I wouldn’t have advocated this, however, PDD 51 could have been used to overstep Congress, increase the debt ceiling limit, and issue the necessary Federal Reserve Notes to avert the fabricated crisis. If this is true, why didn’t the POTUS simply do this? In my opinion, it’s because this Act is about more power to the POTUS to rapidly impose more freedom sucking controls upon American life. It’s about increased taxing, inflation and spending designed by the handlers to weaken the power of Americans to stand against the dictatorial power of the POTUS and global government. 

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul astutely commented as follows concerning the fruit of this Act:

“America will not default on her debt today. In fact there was never any doubt that she would pay her bills,” he said. “We will default in a more insidious way. America will default by increasingly paying its bills in money that’s worth less and less every day.” http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-08-02-debt-deal-senate_n.htm

We would be wise to shun the propaganda that the controlled press and 501-c3 state church pulpits and their pathetic parrots will be spewing out in order to convince us that this is Act and its fruit will be good for the security, peace and prosperity of America the Great. Let there be no doubt that this Act is one more incremental step toward the impoverishment, enslavement and destruction of this nation. My understanding of this Act solidifies my belief that God is imposing an incremental judgment upon us while patiently waiting for us to awaken and turn away from our violence, murders, sexual immorality, demonic religion, covetousness, idolatry, pride, self-glorifying luxurious living, deceit, fraud and moral corruption of the world. God have mercy on America!

Is Texas Governor Rick Perry Playing the “Christian Right” Card In Initiating “The Response”?

Jesus Christ said as it is written in Matthew 7:15 and Matthew 24:11:
 
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
 
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
 
1988 Al Gore campaign chairman and 2007 Bilderberg Group attendee Texas Governor Rick Perry is being revealed as one of the many false prophets Jesus Christ warned about.

It appears that potential 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Perry may be playing the ”Christianity Right” card in an apparent effort to win the support of gullible religious conservatives like fellow Global Government agent George W. Bush did.
 
For a brief political overview of Mr. Perry, please read the articles at the following links:
 
http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/14-reasons-why-rick-perry-would-be-a-really-really-bad-president
 
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/President/2011/0610/Texas-Gov.-Rick-Perry-for-president-Why-he-could-have-a-hard-time
 
Rick Perry has been recently quoted saying he is “called to the ministry”.
 
 ”At twenty-seven years old, I knew that I’d been called to the ministry. I’ve just always been really stunned by how big a pulpit I was gonna have! I still am. I truly believe with all my heart that God has put me in this place at this time to do His will.”
 
http://lit4ever.org/revivalforum/index.php?PHPSESSID=1674ace64a16ed28b35251ae39c83c10&topic=22259.msg36172;topicseen#new

Strategists recognize that the “Christian Right” longs for “revival” and freedom from the shackles of submission to their higher power, leftist President “Obama”. Judging from Governor Perry’s recent public display of religion coinciding with the 2012 Presidential election campaign, it appears that the Texan Governor’s political handlers may have birthed this “revival” event. The event is being called “The Response”.

“The Response” is being marketed to the masses as a solemn national day of prayer and fasting. The one day religious event is destined to arouse the patriotic and religious emotions of the “religious right” and spread the name of Perry throughout the nation’s many conservative 501-c3 state religious organizations.
 
The event is being led and endorsed by a very broad base of individuals and groups.
 
The list of leaders can be viewed here:
 
http://theresponseusa.com/leadership.php
 
The list of endorsers can be seen here:
 
 http://theresponseusa.com/endorsers.php
 
Governor Rick Perry is being touted as the initiator of the Houston, Texas based non-denominational event planned for August 6th, 2011 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. Perry has invited all US governors as well as many other national Christian and political leaders. People of all ages, races, backgrounds and Christian denominations will be in attendance to proclaim Jesus as Savior and pray for America.
 
As initiator, Perry has released a video invitation to ”The Response”. In the video, the governor encourages people to pray and fast “like Jesus did” for the nation’s problems, to ask for forgiveness, and to “make plans to be part of something even bigger than Texas.” 
 
http://www.texastribune.org/texas-people/rick-perry/video-perry-invites-public-to-the-response/ 

Governor Perry’s appeal  regarding “The Response” can be seen at the link http://theresponseusa.com/ 

“Christian Righty” Sarah Palin showed her lack of wise discernment and unfaithfulness to conservative Constitutional principles in backing Perry for re-election as Governor of Texas in 2010.

http://www.rickperry.org/palin-endorses-perry

It shouldn’t be surprising if we see these birds of a feather flock together on the 2012 Republican Presidential campaign ticket. The controlled press has been seeding minds with that possibility since Palin falsely endorsed Perry as a “true conservative” in 2009.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/02/palin-perry-201.html

May we not be blinded by the religious rhetoric of any U.S. Presidential ticket in the 2012 election.

Tornados and Tribulation

 

 

Introduction

My family and I were finishing up a birthday meal at a Raleigh, NC restaurant on April 16^th when the manager came to our table in order to inform us that the tornado pictured above was on the ground near the restaurant. We were kindly told that we might be asked to move to a more secure room within the building if the massive, whirling cloud approached our building.

The ticking of the thin red hand of time seemed to slow incredibly; passing seconds seemed like minutes. I prayed silently as my wife comforted our weeping daughter. We were thankful to God that the violent cloud quickly by-passed our place in time. In avoiding our locale, however, the twister had proceeded to execute its wrath upon the lives of others to varying degrees.  How mysteriously such storms selectively destroy life and property.

The mind of Christ knows that cataclysmic weather events like the April 16^th NC Tornado Outbreak are divinely appointed times. Knowing how God executes such events exceeds our limited human capacity to understand the incomparable power of such a mighty and holy God. Our minds can only vainly speculate the reason why and how such things happen as they do.

The truth is that God alone understands the mysterious truth of such tragic situations. Self-righteousness and foolish pride might look at a devastated storm site and surmise that its residents were the worst of sinners. Religious arrogance might presume that it escaped unscathed because it believes the false paradigm that obedience always merits divine protection.

Jesus taught that it’s incorrect to believe that the tragic destruction of human lives is always the result of the worst of human sin. (Luke 13:1-5)

Unbelief will blame God amidst unexplainable tragedy and accuse him of heartless destruction. The redemptive heart of God lies hidden to the faithless heart when tribulation strikes. Faith will trust God’s goodness and purifying, redeeming love through life’s storms. Like Job, the righteous won’t sin and foolishly blame God for affliction, adversity and tribulation when they are tested by tribulation. (Job 1-2:10) Wisdom teaches that God comforts his own through tribulation so that they can grow to comfort others in the future and tribulation builds patience in the character of God’s people. (Romans 5; 2 Corinthians 1:4)

Lessons Learned

What I know for sure about the NC storms is that God is busy building patient and comforting character into the life of his people in NC through the events of 4/16/2011 so that they can help comfort others in future days of tragedy.

I also recognize that God’s people;  his church, wasn’t removed from the state of NC prior to the time 12 super cell thunderstorms birthed 28 tornadoes in 33 counties, killing 24 people, injuring over 130 people. Twenty one businesses and 439 homes were destroyed. Ninety two businesses and 6,189 houses encountered significant damage. Hundreds of millions of dollars in damage have been realized. http://www.wral.com/weather/story/9485394/

 

These storms impacted the lives of both believers and unbelievers. Just as death selectively comes to both the saved and the unsaved through physical accident, murderous killing, the collateral damage of war, physical disease or illness; cataclysmic natural destruction selectively arrives affecting everyone near its path to varying degrees.

There are those who logically presuppose that the rapture of the church must occur before the wrath of God is poured out upon the earth. They fail to realize that the wrath of God that proof texts such as 1 Thessalonians 1:10 speak of could be the wrath of God directed at the disobedient, wicked, unsaved antichristian at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I’m by no means saying that an experience like going through an outbreak of tornados can be used to define theological doctrine. I will assert, however, that experiences like this can be used to illustrate biblical truth. I understand that this outbreak of tornados; which even included some golf ball size and larger hail, doesn’t compare with the extreme circumstances that the Day of the Lord  judgments of Revelation 6-16 consist of.

 

In my opinion, however, days like April 16^th, 2011 illustrate that God’s people can be left behind to endure extremely tragic and dangerous cataclysmic events. I believe days like 4/16/2011 teach God’s people that they aren’t exempt from having to endure fearful and tragic events. They could even become part of the collateral damage associated with such times and even the Day of the Lord.

In other words, any tragic loss and difficulty a member of the body of Christ endures doesn’t have to be directly intended to impact them, however, they were allowed to experience “collateral damage” because their omniscient God foreknew that experiencing the tribulation would help them become more like Jesus Christ. I believe that our perspective on what God will and will not allow his people to go through in this life is way too small because Americans have become far too soft. 

For my family on April 16^th, 2011, the effect of the storms upon us was the emotional pressure of being sandwiched between multiple tornados while prayerfully waiting upon God to protect us through the hour of distress that was selectively destroying things full circle around us.

My tornado birthday clearly punctuated my biblically based belief that God’s people are dead wrong to expect that God will not leave them on his earth through the cataclysmic natural destructions comprising the day of the Lord. 

http://www.escapebabylonsdemons.com/uploads/Will_The_Church_Be_On_The_Earth_During_The_Great_Tribulation_2011_edit.pdf

It further convinced me that the only wrath that God promises to keep us out of is the destruction of the wicked at his return and the final judgment of the lost. 

Finally, it punctuated the moral truth to me that God alone can justify “collateral damage” and “humanitarian killing”! Neo-conservative professing Christians hear me out on this if you have ears to hear!

Unlike God who is accountable to no man, the U.S. military is accountable to American taxpayers being forced to fund their killing and to God who knows the whole truth about the lies used to justify murderous kinetic military action.

Who are proud Americans to presume that we are morally superior to other nations to such a degree that we can justify killing some lives in order to save many more lives? I’m not talking about the moral acceptability of capital punishment; the legal execution of a person who killed someone else under the knowledge of the law and its lethal consequences. I’m talking about killing people through military action who aren’t even resisting or fighting against the American Empire! I’m talking about killing non-combatant women, children and people satisfied to outside the American dream; people that desire the democracy that we are allegedly giving them; human beings wanting to live peaceful lives free from the economic rule set of the America/Babylon the Great.

Conclusion

God’s storm damage doesn’t require his explanation! Those that know him understand that nobody deserves his mercy. We know that everyone deserve God’s wrath. Isn’t God’s salvation a free and unmerited gift of his grace to those that trust the death, burial and resurrection of Christ on their behalf?

Unlike the powerful armed forces of the United States of America, when God mows NC with force, he does so in righteousness and truth. He executes his force with complete knowledge of the past, present and future of each life that is impacted by his power.  

Knowing that God is always just and merciful we can be sure that whatever collateral storm damage like that which occurred in NC on 4/16/2011 is perfectly and righteously justifiable to him. The same can never be true of collateral damage resulting from kinetic U.S. military action.

Tragedies such as those that occurred on 4/16/2011 often appear unfair from our skewed earthly vantage point, however, who is man to argue with the power and wisdom of God?

 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. (Nahum 1:3)

 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. (Revelation 15-4)

 

Past Time To Break Silence

Some thoughts on this Martin Luther King Day 2011…

Things haven’t really changed much since Dr. King was assassinated as the below excerpt from his 1967 speech reveals. As a child I didn’t pray much, however, I thank God today that one  prayer I  remember praying many times as a kid was answered to my liking: “please end the Vietnam War…please don’t let me get drafted to go there”.  

My heart aches that the world is increasingly victimized by the American Empire while  American Christians ignorantly stoke the fires of violence through blind patriotism and stubborn, foolish,  human pride. It’s past time that the “bible believing church”  awaken morally and break her silence about America’s  illegal, immoral, deceitful, un-Constitutional whorish occupation of foreign lands on behalf of Lucifer’s multi-faceted web. This is a web consisting of  the international bankers, the oil corporatocracy, the military-industrial complex and occult secret societies and God only knows what else. Tell me why is murderous collateral damage, genocide and ruination of foreign lands not as much of a concern to God’s people as abortion? Irregardless of what our opinion on Dr. King might be, I can’t help but wonder what might have been if the church had been as courageously truthful about America’s selfish interests as MLK was.  If we had awaken on these issues I have a feeling that Christian persecution would have already come to America through the deceived and calloused hearts of  the many “Judas Iscariots”  that occupy our pastorates and pews.  

If you haven’t already done so, I recommend that you read  a couple of  books by John Perkins about the American Empire:  The Secret History of the American Empire and Confessions of An Economic Hit Man. I’m currently finishing up  The Secret History of the American Empire so this speech by Dr. King is especially meaningful to me because Perkins makes real today what King saw in general terms over 40 years ago.  There are other great books I could recommend on the subject, however, these are easy reads and offer a first hand account of how the American Empire operates in its leadership role in the international order. 

Excerpt from a speech delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on April 4, 1967, at a meeting of Clergy and Laity Concerned at Riverside Church in New York City .

Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence

In 1957 a sensitive American official overseas said that it seemed to him that our nation was on the wrong side of a world revolution. During the past ten years we have seen emerge a pattern of suppression which now has justified the presence of U.S. military “advisors” in Venezuela. This need to maintain social stability for our investments accounts for the counter-revolutionary action of American forces in Guatemala. It tells why American helicopters are being used against guerrillas in Colombia and why American napalm and green beret forces have already been active against rebels in Peru. It is with such activity in mind that the words of the late John F. Kennedy come back to haunt us. Five years ago he said, “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.”

Increasingly, by choice or by accident, this is the role our nation has taken — the role of those who make peaceful revolution impossible by refusing to give up the privileges and the pleasures that come from the immense profits of overseas investment.

I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a “thing-oriented” society to a “person-oriented” society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.

A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our past and present policies. n the one hand we are called to play the good Samaritan on life’s roadside; but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life’s highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring. A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth. With righteous indignation, it will look across the seas and see individual capitalists of the West investing huge sums of money in Asia, Africa and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries, and say: “This is not just.” It will look at our alliance with the landed gentry of Latin America and say: “This is not just.” The Western arrogance of feeling that it has everything to teach others and nothing to learn from them is not just. A true revolution of values will lay hands on the world order and say of war: “This way of settling differences is not just.” This business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation’s homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into veins of people normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.

America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values. There is nothing, except a tragic death wish, to prevent us from reordering our priorities, so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war. 

 

America’s Scary, Odd Love Affair with McJesus

This Christmas season I’ve been thinking some about the more obvious differences between Jesus of Nazareth and a schizophrenic mainstream American Jesus I’ll refer to here as McJesus. I’d like to share some thoughts with you on this subject on this Christmas Day 2010.  

McJesus is generally characterized as a happy, tamed, soft spoken and almost effeminate man wanting an almost romantic type loving relationship with everyone. The general feeling about him is that he needs a relationship with us as much or more than we need one with him. The humanity that his divinity donned on our behalf 2000+ years ago usually lacks strong, masculine, holy emotion.

There is, however,  a second side to this Jeckyll & Hyde type McJesus.  A friend has called this the Terminator side. An illogical dichotomy exists between the way McJesus reacts to the policies and actions of foreign and domestic heads of state and their citizenry. Inside the United States, his gracious tolerance is unmoved by abusive authority, evil corruption and intellectual and spiritual error. Outside the U.S.,  however, McJesus acts like the Terminator. His powerful wrath is often poured out like wine in endless wars upon dictators and those he identifies as evil doers. The evil doers are generally those that are independent and courageous enough to resist his alleged interest in their land and its resources.

In America his soft side is known to promise his children an escape from great tribulation.  Outside U.S. borders, however, his people suffer and die because they won’t submit to the dictates of false religion and or evil governments. In spite of this fact, this other Jesus is still considered by many professing American Christians to be such a gentleman that he would never think of allowing his people to experience anything awful like great tribulation. Many believe McJesus is like Joe Average Dad who only wants his children to have it better than he had it. As one of the world’s largest McJesus franchise owners puts it; God wants your best life for you now.

McJesus offers an enterprising, state compromising, 501-c3 IRS headed church a smart, domesticated, marketable, entertaining, broadly inclusive, indulgent, unhealthy, unholy, world friendly, deadly, soft-core alternative to the simple, uncomfortable, unpopular, prayerful, narrowly exclusive, disciplined, nourishing, holy, unworldly, living, hard-core truth. He is void of the incomparable shockingly selfless and awesomely pure love and holy power characterizing the one true living God and Christ.

McJesus offers an enterprising, state compromising, 501-c3 IRS headed church a smart, domesticated, marketable, entertaining, broadly inclusive, indulgent, unhealthy, unholy, world friendly, deadly, soft-core alternative to the simple, uncomfortable, unpopular, prayerful, narrowly exclusive, disciplined, nourishing, holy, unworldly, living, hard-core truth. He is void of the incomparable shockingly selfless and awesomely pure love and holy power characterizing the one true living God and Christ.

McJesus can be inclusive and tolerant on moral and theological issues. On the other hand, he can be exclusive and intolerant when dealing with economic and political issues. He doesn’t claim to be the one true God. He doesn’t dogmatically insist that faith in his perfect life, bloody sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection is the only way to get heaven and that only lying children of the devil teach otherwise. (John 10; John 14:1-6)

Counterfeit McJesus isn’t the powerful and courageous wood worker with the inner strength to go without eating for 40 days and stand firm against the best overtures the supernatural occult power of the devil could bring against him. (Matthew 4:1-11) He isn’t that rugged, weathered, seasoned holy carpenter that fisherman so respected and trusted that they would instantaneously drop their means of livelihood at his request and agree to follow him without an employment contract. (Matthew 4:18-22)

He isn’t the Jesus with the compassionate courage to get close enough to the deprived, dangerous, drunken, and demon possessed to help and heal them. (Matthew 4:23-25)

McJesus wouldn’t destroy people’s financial and material hopes and dreams by reminding them that these things aren’t permanent and what really matters are the things that are invisible and eternal in nature. (Matthew 6:19-34)

This strange Christ isn’t the same one who aroused the anger of evil and religious and government authorities with fitting name calling and frank condemnations of their hypocritical character and actions. (Matthew 23) He isn’t the Jesus who brashly warned worldly systems that a holy God will one day destroy their kingdoms in judgment upon their evil deeds. (Matthew 21:33-22:14; Matthew 23:34-24:1-2; Matthew 25:31-46; Matthew 26:62-66) He would never angrily upset capitalistic endeavor for the sake of truth and righteousness as the true Savior would. (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48; John 2:13-22) He would never decimate a local economy built upon products he doesn’t approve of as Jesus did. (Matthew 8:28-34; Luke 8:26-37)

Unlike the biblical Jesus, McJesus doesn’t promise his followers that the world system will persecute and hate them. (John 15:20; John17:14-17) McJesus wants his fans to be friends of the world system and live like kings; unlike the homeless King of Kings.  (Matthew 8:20) This counterfeit Christ won’t demand that people give up what God hates and promise them pain if they ignore his desires. (Matthew 4:17; Luke 13:1-9; Revelation 2:18-23; Revelation 3:14-22)

McJesus doesn’t insult people’s self-images by asking them to deny who they really are deep inside like the real  Jesus did. (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23) He’s quite unlike the biblical Messiah whose closest followers taught that anyone who indulged in sexual relations with someone of the same sex had a reprobate mind and would incur the wrath of God unless they repented of their sin. (Romans 1:18-32)

The future of the Jesus franchises and McJesus in America rests on an eroding foundation of a depreciating dollar, massively multiplying debt, ignored Constitution, and a divided church that is unfaithfully united with a deceitfully treacherous Federal Government.

What will become of McJesus, his franchises, and his followers if  God finally decides to correct us through dramatic actions beyond our ability to manage apart from true fellowship with God and his people?

The Alpha and Omega knows who will overcome future trials and those whose faith will be overcome by suffering. I pray that he doesn’t lead us into tribulation but delivers us from evil. Nevertheless, I pray that if it should be his will to deplete our financial resources; placing everyone in previously unimaginably trying  positions, that we will understand the depth of our erroneous thinking and turn in united repentance to the true and living Messiah that we might serve him in spirit and truth together as we never have before.