Don’t Rock The Woke Boat, Simple Simon Says

The condition of the country and world today, as it is not as we wish it to were, would normally be a great time for evangelizing. That seems like the way it always worked. We called them awakenings, revivals, or God moments.

People do need hope, faith that there is something bigger than the potpourri of devastation we see around us while the country disintegrates from that shiny city on a hill. All is not lost, God is still on His throne and nothing these people do will change that. He is in the capital Pronoun business. That is the message all right.

So if ever there was an appropriate time and need for a message, this would seem to be it. Except for one thing. Where are the people to spread it? I don’t mean just a few or handful of evangelicals telling the great salvation story. Don’t get me wrong, God can work in a few and look what disciples did once they got the hang of it.

But when I look at what many mainline churches are doing, I shake my head. No, this is not a critique of churches……. or is it? I’m not really sure, but the more I see the more I see at least some churches as part of the problem. That hurts me. It bothers me and it makes me feel uncomfortable about some fellow Christians and about the future. No, I don’t want to complain too much here. Wouldn’t be prudent, you know, or productive.

Then maybe that is what is needed? I mean every quadrant of society takes criticism from different sides these days. It is open season on the right folks or groups. Should churches be exempt from criticism? I know people probably don’t want to hear it. After all, churches are supposed to be part of the solution, and they often are, not the problem.

But the same age-old story you would get if you really broaden the scope to look at everything objectively (without inherent biases which seems harder and harder), then you cannot ignore the one stunning thing staring you in the face that does not go away.

That is, as bad as times are for culture and the rest in civil society, it screams to what is responsible for it. You have to admit if churches were doing a better job, then how could things be this bad? That would seem impossible if churches were very effective. So you must draw the conclusion that part of the blame is on the churches. Yes it is people themselves but the church is an organ of God that should stand up for and be doing something. No, this is not about church building for me. It is about being effective.

See if we all must take some of the blame for the way society is — or the country by extension — then churches cannot escape their share of blame either. I believe people are responsible for allowing much of this to happen. We can claim to be victims of it all but we allow it, even if we do not condone it outright. But churches are in that mix, too.

I know, it is an issue/story many people don’t want to hear, aren’t interested in, or don’t care about. I get that. But who can stand up for churches to defend them from blame? I don’t know who can make that case? Maybe I am doing the easy thing by throwing some criticism their way — rather than attempting to defend them.

Sure churches have missions and they do a lot of good. But that is not what I am talking about. When do we start, as people, taking responsibility for the society we live in? And where is the effort to change and fix it? Maybe this is all a cultural indictment and not about the individual. We like to hide behind the individual responsibility thing. But if things are the way they are, what does that say about us all as individuals?

I don’t mean this as a rant, just being serious because we know there are serious consequences to it all. We know that much. Just look at the way Democrats downplay or parse abortion. (most of those politicians) They claim they are personally not for abortions themselves, but they completely endorse having as many as society can provide, even demanding our government pay for it. Abortions on every corner, without limits. Does it make sense? There is a layer of excusing themselves in all that .

Like oh, I don’t personally rob banks or assault people but I will not stand in the way of anyone who does. “It’s their thing.” I don’t light fires, riot and burn down buildings when I am mad at government but I will not condemn the “love summer” of riots, political violence and crime. ‘It’s sometimes necessary.‘ So they stood there and watched cities burn and said nothing about it. They donated to the no bail or arrest cause for those that did it. ‘No, I don’t believe in it but I don’t believe in accountability for it either.’

Only a few classic examples. Where are the churches in all this? Or where are the churches when innocent people are being spied on or targeted for their religious and political beliefs, or for who they voted for? When forced to take a gov’t shot or pill or  else lose their job?  Oh, that’s where they would claim “but separation of church and state.” So we are to stand by to allow this weaponization against people of faith and do nothing?

It is a selective thing to churches as it is to the rest of society. They choose their fights when it is for ‘poor immigrants’ or downtrodden. When it is for standing up for illegals flooding the country through open borders, they are right there with their compassion buckets. But when it is our own citizens being discriminated against or attacked for their faith, they are silent. Show me a left-wing issue like climate change and they are on it.

How is it they can break barriers of a phony “separation” when they feel like it and it’s welcomed by society, too? But if churches stand up for people’s personal belief and faith, that is not acceptable to defend. We have become very accustomed where those lines are,  where they intersect and contradict each other. We accept it. What can we do about it?

So those ‘good’ folks can have charities, organizations, marches and fundraisers to help illegal aliens who broke the country’s laws to get here; but when it comes to those here that need help in hard times, they fall through the cracks. People who are not intentionally and knowingly breaking the law do not make the priority cut. Sorry, just not enough compassion in our tanks for that; but show some more love for illegals. Get with it.

Do you think churches deserve some of the blame for the way things are going? I’m really curious. I don’t see anyone who has made a great defense for the status quo. Am I being a little too hard on blaming Christians and churches? Maybe. But aren’t we supposed to be the salt, not the wine-chaser for everything the world concocts?

Could it be that some of these churches are doing this selective advocacy (I’ll call it) for a reason? Maybe it’s  to keep the finger of blame from pointing at them, by pandering to the world and the woke in one stroke? Just a question. That’s all and I fear that is enough.

 

In Critical Defense:

Someone may say I just want to politicize churches in general, because that’s what liberals always do and say. No, churches have already politicized themselves more than anyone cares to admit. It’s been done. They also follow the lead of some corporations.

And I never said all churches but I don’t have a number. True, some aren’t in that camp.

But for other mainline ones, they advocate political issues much the way some corporations have. So they gladly take positions on gun control, climate change, critical race theory, revising history, BLM, abortion, biological debates, border control, illegal immigration, LGBTQ advocacy, demonstrations, civil disobedience resistance, on crime, police and bail defunding issues, social justice activism, even some union policies.

They also incentivize illegal immigration through their advocacy.
Why does that almost feel sort of like Luther with a list of Theses?

That is to say basically all the hot button issues or controversial ones you commonly hear about. Green and environmental as well, And many of those in official capacities, in missions or raising money. They participate in marches, protests and sometimes have political leaders speak on them. All those are highly politicized issues. So yeah, they’ve become political. But no one points out those contradictions. Strange about that.

(So keep the pews warm… and I’ll leave a light on for you).

Right Ring | Bullright | 2022

Christian Controversy on COVID-19

Christians are at the center of Coronavirus controversy for holding services defying gathering orders and social distancing policies.

In Arkansas, many cases were connected back to the same church service. Now the pastor issues a  strong warning to others to take this virus seriously.

In Louisiana, a pastor of Life Tabernacle church outside Baton Rouge has continued to have large gatherings even busing in people from other areas. He’s had multiple weekly services with nearly a thousand attending.

In Florida, a pastor has been arrested for holding services despite being told by authorities to stop, He held two services this past Sunday.

“I know that they’re trying to beat me up, you know, having the church operational, but we are not a non-essential service,” he told the congregation.

“Not only the right of free speech but the right to peaceful assembly and to practice what we believe,” he added. “Suddenly we are demonized because we believe God heals, that the Lord sets people free, and they make us out to be some sort of kooks.” (UPI)

While in NY, a Bishop’s wife has died of COVID-19 and 3 area pastors have tested positive for the virus. Two of them are hospitalized. Some congregations were reluctant to close doors. Clergy have issued strict cancellation orders.

I’ve read internet newsletters of pastors taking a stand of resistance against cancelling their services. Some of them are based on political and religious liberty stands.

Last week I posted the Ron Paul column on the the liberty aspects of the shutdown and bans, teasing the hoax theory. I see a libertarian strain to much of it — although some liberal-leaning churches were also reluctant to follow cancelling directives.

Here’s the thing: the traditional libertarian view was always for personal freedom as long as you are not hurting others. This freedom stand seems to fly in the face of that.

I listened to a libertarian-framed sermon on the internet arguing the resistance theme of following any orders. The pastor seemed to get cheers for taking a stand of defiance.

So  my personal view is we should comply with the directives. The state or federal government is not asking churches to do anything they are not asking of others on numbers of gatherings.(Weddings etc)

Maybe I am missing some salient point why these churches want to risk the health of others in the community? It does not only affect their members but countless others. Why endanger and put all those people at risk?

Right Ring | Bullright

Barry, Hillary downplay Sri Lanka victims

The dynamic duo of revision are back at it. Almost synchronized

Hillary: “On this holy weekend for many faiths, we must stand united against hatred and violence. I’m praying for everyone affected by today’s horrific attacks on Easter worshippers and travelers in Sri Lanka.” – 1:17 PM – Apr 21, 2019

Obama: “The attacks on tourists and Easter worshippers in Sri Lanka are an attack on humanity. On a day devoted to love, redemption, and renewal, we pray for the victims and stand with the people of Sri Lanka.” — 10:02 AM – Apr 21, 2019

Surprise, they call it the exact same thing. We are not Easter People. We are Christians.

The Bible explains they were first called Christians at Antioch. Apparently Hillary now wants to rewrite the Bible, it seems Benghazi wasn’t enough for her.

But for a pair of subversive deniers that did what they did on Benghazi, should it surprise anyone that they want to downplay Christians as victims? You could not get either of them to do or say anything about Christian persecution. Barry loves saying Mooslims.

Everything morphed into some mealy-mouthed dangerous world or humanity thing.

Just try to name one group of people who have been at war with civilization and humanity, who do not accept anyone’s life as legitimately justified but theirs? It’s a difficult question. A people who hate everyone else and think it is their job to cause war and chaos everywhere in the name of their religious faith. (and I don’t mean Democrats)

It’s even worse than that. Since his remarks, the proud Barry worshipers carry and defend his statement using whatever means they can, like always. But the truth is he just couldn’t single out Christians as the dominant victims. He couldn’t do it.

For the secretary of evil, Hillary, by next week she could just say “oh, what difference at this point does it make anyway who they were?”

It’s only a vivid reminder of the nightmare those eight years were. And next, maybe Obama could talk about the Crusades again, being brutal or the intolerance of Christians. Then he will use the pronoun Christians.

He never has a problem referring to Muslims when they are victims. He doesn’t call them Ramadan worshipers. He could hardly call Jews “Sabbath observers.”

But for us Christians, we are labeled Easter People as “Easter Worshipers.” So they were attacked for their faith but Obama cannot even mention that faith by proper name. Then he also has a toxic opposition to saying “Radical Islamic Terrorists” He just can’t do it.

Right Ring | Bullright

Time for a Truth Bomb for Pelosi

This is inconvenient, for a lady who claims to be a stalwart Catholic, familiar with Catholic doctrine, who also often finds herself out of step with traditional teachings on life or other cultural issues.

But in this episode, in San Fran Nan’s zeal to attack the Republicans’ alternative plan to Obamacare that passed the house, and her rush to defend Obamacare — Affordable Healthcare Act — she really muddies the water on religion and politics.

Pelosi made her remarks at her press conference shortly after the passing of the latest Obamacare alternative in the House. But it was a repeated lie she had already used against the former Republican bill, which was pulled and did not get passed.

She rattles off a list of organizations opposed to the Republican plan (many of which originally supported Obamacare) She then lists churches or faith-based institutions along with the United Methodist Church.

First let’s start with the previous bill, on 3/09/17, at her press conference, Pelosi said:

So again, on three fronts, of course, the Affordable Care Act and all that it means to families is very important. The United Methodist Church, in their statement, said people will die because of efforts like this to roll back health care. AARP, the American Medical Association, the hospital association, nurses and physicians, patients, insurers, and consumer groups all oppose the GOP bill.

Again, last week on 5/4/17 Pelosi says: (at an open press conference)

“Sister Simone Campbell said, ‘this is not the faithful way forward and must be rejected.’ The Catholic Health Association wrote, ‘we strongly encourage the full house to reject this replacement bill.’ And the United Methodist Church said, ‘opposing Trumpcare, this is what they said, people will die because of efforts like this to roll back health care.’

Lutheran services of America said, ‘Trumpcare will jeopardize the health care and long-term service and support of millions of Americans.’ The Episcopal Church said, ‘Trumpcare falls woefully short of our spiritual calling to care for the least of these, as well as the noble values upon which our great nation was founded.’ End of quote. And all that was said before the Republicans decided to destroy the protections of Americans with pre-existing conditions. — [Pelosi- press conference on 5/4/17]

Below is apparently the UMC statement from the article Pelosi was referring to:
Note the author says she is the General Secretary [excerpt]

Health Care is a Basic Human Right

The General Secretary’s statement on Congressional Efforts to rollback health care

by Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe on March 07, 2017

“We must not allow our leaders to take away affordable and accessible health care from the communities who need it to live and live abundantly.

This bill has been promoted as a “fix” to the health care system in the United States but will do nothing to improve access and affordability. Instead, it will harm many in the congregations and communities in which we live and serve. People will die because of efforts like this to roll back health care.”

That is basically marked as the General Secretary’s personal statement. How could it be conferred as the statement from the national conference board of the UMC? It s one member’s personal position, though it is posted on the GBCS.org website.

It was one member of the UMC church, as influential as she may be. It does not speak for the entire church itself, as Pelosi suggested. No, she insisted on two separate occasions that it was a statement on behalf of the United Methodist Church.

Dr. Henry-Crowe stated in conclusion: (note the pronoun I)

“I will be calling my members of Congress to urge them to vote no on the bill, and I encourage United Methodists in the United States to join me in advocating for a health care system that leaves no person behind.”

She encourages other members to take that action……on behalf of herself, as the Secretary. But she does not speak for the entire church. Again, she has it posted on the GBCS website. Henry-Crowe, not a medical doctor, also offers no proof for the claim that “people will die”.

Another UM news outlet disected Pelosi’s dilemma: [excerpt]
Good News – Walter Fenton- [*GBCS is General Board & Church Society]

“We were confident no such [“people wiill die”] statement existed. The UM Church, thankfully, does not make a habit of pontificating on every bill that comes before Congress. Only the General Conference, which meets every four years, can pronounce authoritatively for the UM Church. What we suspected was that Rep. Pelosi had read something a UM bishop or the General Secretary of GBCS had said about the bill. And sure enough, Henry-Crowe had recently opined, “People will die because of efforts like this to roll back health care.” Pelosi gladly took Henry-Crowe’s personal prognostication that “people will die,” as the UM Church’s official word on the bill. It is not.

Henry-Crowe, who holds two degrees in theological studies, and for 22 years served as the dean of the chapel and religious life at Emory University before her role at GBCS, offered no evidence to support her hyperbolic claim. Her remark is particularly interesting in light of a recent column by New York Times columnist Ross Douthat. To be sure, like Henry-Crowe, Douthat is not a health care expert. But unlike her, he actually references reputable studies that find claims about how many lives this or that insurance plan will save to be overblown. As Douthat notes, since the expansion of Medicaid under the ACA, Americans have not become healthier or experienced lower mortality rates (they’re actually higher in some of the states and counties where Medicaid was expanded).

It is hard to understand why, in a church with rank-and-file members from across the political spectrum, GBCS has felt compelled to march almost uniformly to the left on most issues. And it often seems incapable of even acknowledging people of good faith and good will might find alternative prescriptions to be reasonable, responsible, and compassionate. GBCS has a propensity to close off options and stifle conversation before it gets started. So if you don’t stand with Henry-Crowe and GBCS on the recent bill before Congress, you’re evidently comfortable with a plan that will allow “people [to] die. (read full article here) ”

Listen to two more excerpts in the same article which make the point:

“GBCS [General Board] seems to have no dialogue partners in a church that desperately needs them.”

“This is odd and even unhelpful coming from an organization appointed to serve and represent the whole church, not just its left wing.”

“Progressives often style themselves as community organizers for social justice, but you seldom get the impression that GBCS folks are actually out organizing among the grassroots. Instead, they are more often found provoking laity and pastors with progressive pronouncements issued from their Capitol Hill offices in Washington D.C.”

“In the future, we hope Henry-Crowe can find the good in other proposals and refrain from conversation stoppers like, “people will die.”

So, in the end, Pelosi was duped or lied. Though she should have at least looked at the statement — it is not a UMC dicta. Maybe other Methodists were even hoodwinked by Pelosi’s careless public assertion about a specious commentary, coming from one member who happens to be a Secretary.

Though if Pelosi is going to go out and make a proclamation representing an entire organization, or church, she should have confirmed it first.

It’s also interesting in light of President Trump’s executive order over the Johnson Amendment. For years, there have been threats to churches about taking part in politics, yet, as the author above states, some members freely associate the church with left-wing politics on current issues. That political activism is celebrated, just as this was by Pelosi, as a formal church position on progressive, liberal political issues. That is no problem at all.

Funny how whenever it is abortion or other cultural, traditional issues then people claim it is over the line, off bounds for the church. There are plenty of examples.

When churches or clergy sign a petition to Congress to investigate aid to Israel, no problem with that lobbying. But there is never any dialogue, criticism of left wing positions the UMC adopts…. even taking advocacy positions on sanctuary cities or sanctuary status for UM churches — I’ll call them Sanctuary Sanctuaries. No harm or foul in that.

Ref: http://goodnewsmag.org/2017/04/people-will-die-2/
http://www.democraticleader.gov/newsroom/3917/
http://umc-gbcs.org/faith-in-action/health-care-is-a-basic-human-right
http://www.democraticleader.gov/newsroom/5417-6/

Know who your friends, enemies are

One of the campaign issues Trump sounded a bullhorn on, at least to evangelicals, pastors and churches, was getting rid of the Johnson Amendment.

That is the one burdening pastors and pulpits under political restrictions to the first amendment, by using 501 status as a lever against them. Holding them hostage you might say. Also placing restrictions on churches. Well, seemed popular didn’t it?

But over the years, so many have become programmed and indoctrinated to this policy. Like a lot of liberal theology, it becomes normalized. No excuses, plenty of complacency.

That’s where it is comes time to know who are your friends and who are your enemies, And so often the latter are closer than you think.

Hundreds of religious groups call on Congress to keep Johnson Amendment

Harry Farley Journalist 05 April 2017 | Christian Today

Nearly 100 religious groups are urging Congress to keep the ‘Johnson Amendment’ which limits churches’ political activities.

President Donald Trump has vowed to repeal the law which blocks ministers from endorsing political candidates from the pulpit or religious organizations from donating to either party. Many Republicans back him and argue the amendment infringes on religious groups’ free speech.

But 99 different groups have written to oppose the move.

‘The charitable sector, particularly houses of worship, should not become another cog in a political machine or another loophole in campaign finance laws,’ they write.

The strongly worded backlash comes from across the religious spectrum from The Episcopal Church and Baptist groups to Catholic, Jewish, Islamic and Hindu movements.

‘Current law serves as a valuable safeguard for the integrity of our charitable sector and campaign finance system,’ [they] say in a letter to top members of Congress.

……./

Continue reading at Christian Today

Here they come, in the name of ‘protection.’

Or basically all your liberalized arms of churches. We know how to interpret that. Many are the proud who call for boycott, divest, and gov’t sanction actions toward Israel.

Funny, they never seem restrained at all in pushing the progressive political line in churches. That, of course, was never really restricted. We see no applied restrictions on black or leftist churches. They don’t have to worry.

Though even speaking about abortion and protecting life has been deemed political, and too taboo for prime-time pulpits. Except if you want to protect baby killing that’s okay.

So now they reveal who they are. Take note. They will stand and defy the action we want. Just as the sanctuary cities stand in defiance to the law and will of the people. Or should I say much like the activist Sanctuary Churches? Get the idea? Or let them preach Climatology from pulpits. That is celebrated. Does that not illustrate the blatant hypocrisy of what they are lecturing us about?

Proverbs 27:6
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

RightRing | Bullright

Churches take their protest message to DC

Church members and clergy made good on their pledge this week by holding civil disobedience protests in DC and at the WH. At least a hundred pro-illegal protestors were arrested on Thursday and Friday.

Over 100 Faith Leaders, Immigrant Activists Arrested At White House For Protesting Deportations

The Huffington Post | By Antonia Blumberg

More than 100 faith leaders and immigration activists participated in a demonstration and were arrested at the White House on Thursday to protest the daily deportations of undocumented immigrations.

The demonstration opened with a prayer service and press conference at 12pm in Lafayette Park followed by a protest along the White House fence to call attention to what a Church World Service (CWS) statement referred to as President Obama’s “inhumane immigration enforcement policies.” After refusing to leave White House sidewalk, the activists were arrested and charged with blocking passage, according to CWS’s statement.

Citing frequently referenced estimates, CWS’s statement said that the U.S. deports 1,100 undocumented immigrants every day when the government should focus on expanding resources for immigrant families — and especially for the tens of thousands of unaccompanied children apprehended at the border every year.

Rabbi Kimelman-Block, who was arrested for civil disobedience at an October rally for immigration reform, led the prayer and invoked the Jewish community’s immigrant past to enforce his message:

We were once demonized. We were called “undesirable.” Laws were passed to keep us and people like us out. Immigration is a fight that our ancestors fought. It is a fight our grandparents and our parents fought. And it is our fight today.

Prominent faith leaders Bishop Minerva Carcaño of the United Methodist Church, Rev. John L. McCullough, CEO and President of Church World Service, Sister Eileen Campbell, Vice President of Sisters of Mercy, Rev. Linda Jaramillo of the United Church of Christ and Rev. Kathleen McTigue, Director of the Unitarian Universalist College of Social Justice, led the action and risked arrest for their civil disobedience.

“We have come to Washington, DC to tell to President Obama and Congress that kicking out suffering immigrant families and unaccompanied children is not the answer. Immediately stopping the deportations and extending due process to children escaping the violence of drug cartels, gangs and poverty is the just way to respond,” Bishop Carcaño said.

More HuffPo

So churches head to Washington to protest the deportation of illegals.

Unclear though is their purpose. Normally a protest is against what is being done. In this case what Obama is doing, has done, or about to do caused this massive inflow of illegals. And his executive order on Dream was key in instigating the crisis.

Now they protest in favor of halting deportations, which Obama is de facto doing. So what are they asking? Simply for Obama to do more executive action, and respond to his self-made crisis by doing even more.

RightRing | Bullright

Churches: coming attractions

I’ve already mentioned the churches’ activism on other current matters. So what’s next on the social-activism calendar for the churches?

The word call is out in churches for a rally the last day of July to the first day of August, July 31st- August 1st. It’s labeled a civil disobedience rally at the White House, in cooperation with churches, Christian groups, and others. “Civil disobedience” rally — cue the civil rights theme and sloganeering.

Some may question my reason for mentioning it? Well, because it deserves to be, ahead of time. This is not backroom stuff, it is in the public and they are proud of it. If it is one thing they take pride in it is their social “activism”.

What is their purpose? Simply, take a message to Washington, namely to the White House — i.e. President Obama. The message: stop deportation of illegals. The usual participants are involved, asking people to “Join Picketing In D.C. On Immigration“.

Using Congress as the excuse:

“…the lack of action by Congress, President Obama can and should grant administrative relief from deportation and expand deferred action for additional undocumented persons.”

Now there can be no doubt that this one is by members and activists – clergy et al. It’s focused right at the White House, specifically Executive action. It doesn’t seem to matter that lack of action on the border is what has caused this. Now this is the action they are calling for. So there you have it, another issue to organize their activism around.

RightRing | Bullright

Churches stand with extremist politics over Israel

To all you churches, clergy and hierarchy, et al: are you proud of yourselves now? (you know who you are) Are you satisfied with the fruits of your efforts over the past few years? You are reaping the harvest you have sown and participated in.

You have not fooled us all in your political maneuvers. It’s time to ante up and face your actions. You have defended so-called Palestinians in their war against Israel. You have petitioned our government and Congress to stop and audit aid to Israel.

You called on UN to take actions against Israel, and complained publicly about human rights abuses. Despite Israel’s respectful protest, you organized and participated in boycotts — aka BDS movement. You have divested your organizations of stocks in Israeli contractors and independent companies that do business with Israel.

(NYT) The Christian leaders’ letter acknowledged that both Israelis and Palestinians had suffered, and that both sides bore responsibility. But it called for an investigation into only Israel’s activities.

The Jewish leaders said such an approach was a double standard. The Palestinian Authority also receives foreign aid from the United States and has also been accused of rights violations, they said.

“Where’s the letter to Congress about Syria, which is massacring its own people?” said Rabbi Steven Wernick, the chief executive of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. “When Israel is the only one that is called to account, that’s when it becomes problematic.”

All this in an orchestrated attempt to hurt both Israel and those it does business with. If that is not enough, you allied yourselves with some of the most extreme political elements of the radical Left, both here and internationally.

The Jewish leaders were shocked not just by the content of the letter, but also by the fact that the Christian leaders had not given them any warning. Both sides have been participating for eight years in a Christian-Jewish Round Table designed to heal wounds over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It was Monday’s meeting that the Jewish leaders canceled.

You publicly pursued this agenda while representing thousands, if not millions, of people under your leaderships. You justified this under the guise of social justice, and Christian principles. You even introduced the ideas supporting and celebrating these actions in your regional conferences. All that brings us up to date with present circumstances.

Now Israel has been under attack for weeks of daily rocket fire. In one recent barrage, there were 40 rockets in 20 minutes in one area. That is two rockets per minute or one every 30 seconds. As a response to the rockets, Israeli citizens are under constant air raid alarms and warnings.

Then came justified defensive responses from Israel on the Gaza and so-called Palestinian sources. 1000+ rockets were fired upon Israel before this action. They waited ten days before going in on the ground to stop these attacks. Yet at least twice during Hamas-led Palestinian offenses — armed by Iran — our US government and President have contacted Israel calling for restraint. Obama pleaded to minimize damage on structure and lives. That while the Hamas/Palestinian objective is always the destruction of innocent lives, and maximizing the damage.

So these churches, clergy and leaders, as well as the other organizations that allied themselves against Israel for months and years, have culpability in this outcome. To many people, indeed Christians, this was predictable. You allied yourselves with those calling for Israel’s destruction and listed as terrorists by our government and others.

You may argue it was not the churches directly but activists within tied to them. Except that they operated in positions of leadership while gloatingly participating in activism and appeared to represent their members.

Now it has come to harvest, and the results of those efforts are clear to those who have eyes to see. The churches have blood on their own hands for further fueling conditions through advocacy and de facto sanctions of Israel. Nonetheless, you have chosen sides. The present circumstances place blame on your hands.

How long can you continue in this bias direction? I hope your collective conscience and financial portfolios are satisfied. These are the results. You have blame on your hands

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” – (Mark 4:9)

See Update

RightRing | Bullright

Leadership failures…and that giant sucking sound

Not what you might think, but the disconnect of leaders 1)to listen 2) to be held accountable to the people 3) their lack of respect for the people.

I showed the leadership disconnect in churches, among clergy and leaders, now its time to connect the dots. The same condition is rotting politics from inside out in the cesspool we call Washington. The similarities are amazing.

Time and again the leaders(for lack of other term) have been out on these margins like space aliens. They make decisions or take positions contrary to the people. We saw it with ObamaCare, we saw it with Benghazi or trade and release of detainees. We see it with border failures and Obama’s executive pen on immigration.

Then we’re told that the “people will like it when they see it”. We still don’t like ObamaCare and don’t like the amnesty they’re cooking up. People didn’t like the porkufest deals to ram ObamaCare through or the whole process they used, or that big-spending spinathon attached to it. And people didn’t like the results any better.

What Americans actually do care about is not on politicians radar. They have operated like Obama playing golf in a crisis, oblivious to the people. When we say rein in spending, Washington says expand spending. Remember Biden said, “we have to spend more to keep from going bankrupt”.

So they are elected and then take a vow to their self-interest and self-preservation. Buying votes trumps listening to voters. But you sort of come to expect as much in Washington. Now that it is business as usual, people just accept it. Aside from all the scandals the administration is engrossed in.

Then they believe they will force their agenda on the people. See the similarities? It’s the same thing in many churches. We’ll tell you what your opinion on this or that ought to be. And if you still don’t agree, too bad, we’ll do it anyway. Pols also have the power of the media in their favor, so you will just get inundated. It’s their way or the highway.

They kindly point out that we are just a divided society now, and that’s where the problem is. The real division is between the people and the politicians. Dream Act anyone? Amnesty? Pipelines or EPA regulations? If you don’t like what they do, they say they will fix the problems — the same ones who created the mess and the same ill will they used doing it.

Leftist politicians are fond of claiming to speak for Americans, things like: “what Americans want” or “what American’s care about”. The same dynamic applies in churches: bishops or de facto leaders claiming to speak for the whole, in name, when it does not align with the people’s priorities.

It all speaks loudly about a giant problem, ignoring the will of people, by an elite “we know better” government and leaders. Both parties participate. We’ve come to expect their business as usual, even as we condemn their “business as usual” model.

RightRing | Bullright

Christian churches burn as Egypt protests continue

More demonstrations grip Egypt and with it is more violence. Much of it by Muslim Brotherhood protesting – an odd use of the term for what they do – and some by government trying to put down the revolt.

Something is missing in connecting the dots. At the time of violence and unrest, Christian churches are being attacked. Churches were burned across Egypt.

Egypt has some explaining to do

“‘Horrible’: Christian churches throughout Egypt stormed, torched”

By Sarah Sirgany and Laura Smith-Spark, CNN – Thu August 15, 2013

Kafr Hakim, Egypt (CNN) — For 67 years, the Virgin Mary Church has been a peaceful refuge for Shenouda El Sayeh, much like the Giza province village of Hafr Hakim where it rests and where he has lived all those years.

But, as he swept its floors on Thursday, it was painfully obvious things had changed.

The night before, a mob — chanting against Coptic Christians such as El Sayeh and calling for Egypt to become an “Islamic state” — had torched and looted the Virgin Mary Church.

“I didn’t expect this to happen,” El Sayeh said.

He’s not alone. Christians all around Egypt are cleaning up in the aftermath of a spate of attacks, which not coincidentally came on the county’s deadliest day since the 2011 revolution that overthrew longtime President Hosni Mubarak. [/..]

More http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/15/world/meast/egypt-church-attacks/

Now what does not make sense is the Muslim Brotherhood are in protest against the government and military. So they go burn Christian churches. Muslim Brotherhood is in revolution and vowing to fight till death. So the natural thing to do is go light churches on fire and terrorize Christians?

What is their rationale? This just proves the way it is with Islamist Muslims. So in a revolution for control of the country, the immediate reaction is to burn Christians and churches out. No, not all Muslims but it doesn’t have to be all.

Of course, this would make perfect sense only to the Muslims. They are also burning Christian books and bookstores. Where is the logic? Apparently logic is not required. The only explanation is they are Muslims and Islamists. This is the Muslim Brotherhood called moderate by US officials. So this is moderation?

**Here is a compiling list of Christians and churches etc. attacked just since August 14th.

But this is not a new problem

According to our administration, there are moderate elements in Hezbollah. So Obama and his administration are dedicated to working with those moderate elements in a terrorist organization. Brennan publicly expressed that position over a year ago. Then Clapper.

The Jerusalem Post reported last July:

If there are “moderate elements,” in Hezbollah, from the perspective of the Obama administration, Hezbollah’s Sunni jihadist counterpart – the Muslim Brotherhood – is downright friendly.

On February 10, 2011, Obama’s Director of National Intelligence James Clapper made this position clear in testimony before the House Select Committee on Intelligence. Clapper’s testimony was given the day before then Egyptian president and longtime US ally Hosni Mubarak was forced to resign from office. Mubarak’s coerced resignation was owed largely to the Obama administration’s decision to end US support for his regime and openly demand his immediate abdication of power. As Israel warned, Mubarak’s ouster paved the way for the Muslim Brotherhood’s ascendance to power in Egypt.

In his testimony Clapper said, “The term ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ is an umbrella term for a variety of movements. In the case of Egypt, a very heterogeneous group, largely secular which has eschewed violence and has decried al-Qaida as a perversion of Islam. They have pursued social ends, betterment of the political order in Egypt, etc.”

And twelve months later, this friendly, largely secular, and workable heterogeneous organization of Muslim Brotherhood is burning out Christian churches, bookstores, and interests. I’m just having a Clapper moment. My Casablanca face says “I’m shocked”.

Sohag — St. George Church

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(list churches etc. attacked)

 

 

(photo credit)