Read a great political opinion piece in the
Good News Etc. April edition that asks the question,
Just how committed are we?Author Frank Kacer writes:
Over the years I've called many to task for not being engaged in the cultural battles, and in particular the political realm that's failed us at virtually every level of government. I've shown a particular concern over pastoral leadership that is more concerned about church growth and not offending than openly proclaiming righteousness and equipping their flocks to influence our society -- whether our neighborhood, cities, state, nation, or beyond.
In some sense, the opposite has occurred. Instead of us being the salty antiseptic and preservative, we're called to be for the common good -- the rotting culture has invaded our personal lives, families, and even our worship. Instead of being thoroughly equipped to share God's truths and light, in many ways we've settled for a designer faith suited to our individual, compromised tastes. Instead of fulfilling our mandate to love our neighbor, the government and a myriad number of secular organizations have co-opted our role, seeing our Christian witness as irrelevant to the decay around us.
Are there exceptions? Of course there are. But far too few compared to the number that claim the name of Christ. In some sense, the culture is a reflection of us. As our community of faith has become compromised (drug abuse, divorce, abortion, immorality, etc.) the society has just taken it further with no accountability.
Where has this slide into a weak, unengaged Christendom brought us?
The recent battle over passage of Health Care legislation shows how unrestrained and out of touch our government has become. We share responsibility for this through a long term pattern of apathy and inward, not outward focus. This fiasco has shown the incredible power and arrogance of politicians unmoved by any understanding of the need for limited government, the baseness of man's nature, and the destructiveness of fiscal irresponsibility.
The impact of total government control of health on the sanctity of life, and the treatment of the elderly and the frail will be devastating as it takes over life and death decisions from conception to death, and removes any allowance for conscience by health practitioners and distributors. The cascade of legislation we can now expect will be dizzying: amnesty of illegal aliens, overturning of the federal DOMA, silencing of conservative talk radio, direct confrontation of biblical preaching as hate speech, and on and on.
If the "Christian" community doesn't wake up, if it thinks government will leave it alone -- if it just wants to be comfortable while virtually all major media, entertainment and government power is being arrayed against it -- then the time will come, rather quickly, that it will be forced to face persecution unseen in our nation's history. As this begins to happen, how committed will you be? How much have you weighed the cost, thought through whether you'll hide or take up your cross each day and fight for righteousness and the glory of God?
Like it or not, recognize it or not, we are in a war for life itself. Our generation has seen the tipping point and it will only get worse if we ignore the warning signs. Bear in mind, the rest of this year is crucial in many ways. Christians as well as non-Christians are finally upset with the failure of government to show any restraint. Primaries and mid-term elections in the fall can send a powerful message that enough is enough. I'll ask again, how committed are we? Are we willing to do everything we can to elect those that represent our values? Are we willing to remove from government those with an ideological blindness trying to create an environment corrosive to the gospel and our fulfilling our cultural mandate? Are we willing to research candidates, encourage good one, walk precincts, fund campaigns, call friends and neighbors and encourage them to become actively involved? Are we willing to tithe our time, talents, treasures, and prayers to turn the tide in removing elitists and replacing them with men and women that respect and support our values, our freedoms and our faith?
If the last year has not brought you to the point of doing something, what will? If not this year, when?
Frank Kacer is director of the Christian Citizenship council of San Diego. He can be reached at frankkacer@hotmail.com.*******
When I read that essay, it seemed like Kacer was reading my mind!! I have been very disappointed in some fellow Christian friends and acquaintances who have sat on their rears and not spoken out against this gangster government that is robbing us blind of our wealth, our freedoms, our moral, values, and ethics, and are running up a tab of debt that will be impossible for our children and grandchildren to ever pay back!
Despite all of these facts, there are people who just choose to keep their heads in the sand. Case in point.
Many months ago, a fellow Christian friend encouraged me to join Facebook. I must have received three email invitations from her over the course of several months. I also received invitations from two other blogging friends. Finally, I decided to join and my daughter set me up. I linked my Talk Wisdom blog via Networkedblogs, and my postings appear on my home page and the pages of my friends. The following is a description of an incident that recently happened. The names have been changed for privacy purposes.
I went to my Facebook email system and attempted to invite four friends to a new Bible study on the topic of Heaven. One of the four friend links wasn't showing up and I wondered what had happened. We had been friends for several months now. I come to find out that "Terry" deleted me from her friends list! I thought that maybe some kind of error occurred, so I sent an new friend request message to her.
Meanwhile, another friend told me that she was told by "Terry" that she had deleted me because she thought that her other friends might be offended by what I post.
Oh my....how controlling can a person get?
As soon as I found this out, I rescinded my "friend request." She gave me some lame excuse about not wanting "anything political" on her page. I wrote back:
Did you know that there is an icon to the right of each post on the Newsfeed that says "hide"?
Did you know that there is an icon to the right of each post on your profile page that says "remove"?
All you need to do is run your cursor over there and the words will appear so that you can either hide or remove any "objectionable" post.
I always knew that you were a very controlling type of person, but I never dreamed that you would be THIS controlling! Free speech and all that - you know - the rights that our Constitution guarantees all of us.
Sorry, but I think that your excuse that some of my posts might "offend" your other friends is quite lame.
When I told my daughter what you did she said, "A real friend would never do that."
I think I agree.
*******
I also wrote back to my other friend "Karen" and said:
Look. I know that there are people in my husband's family who are raging liberals and probably don't like what I write. But even THEY never thought to delete me!
If she apologizes to me then I will reconsider. If she doesn't, then forget it! This incident will always be in the back of my mind as quite the insult.
What I write about at my blog are important things about what is happening in our country today. Heck! Her own brother moved to another country because of Obama's policies! What does that tell us?
I know that much of what I write at my blog doesn't interest you either. So be it! But you didn't delete me.
I think that she is a coward if she has to be so "frightened" about what her other friends may think about my postings. I would really like to know just who complained?
On the other hand, I write a LOT of good blog posts that are Christian and encouraging in nature. Therefore, she and her friends are missing out on them.
Because of the error of the Obama election, I have been reading, reporting, observing, writing and protesting (at local TEA Parties) over the past two years. We are in danger of losing many of the freedoms that most Americans have taken for granted!
I hope to God that I am wrong and that our nation will survive as the Constitutional Republic that the Founders began when the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were written.
Ben Franklin once said (to a lady who asked "what kind of government have you given us, sir?)
"A Republic - if you can keep it." Ronald Reagan once stated that if we aren't careful and diligent, we are only one generation away from losing our Republic. He also stated:
“Are you willing to spend time studying the issues, making yourself aware, and then conveying that information to family and friends? Will you resist the temptation to get a government handout for your community? Realize that the doctor’s fight against socialized medicine is your fight. We can’t socialize the doctors without socializing the patients.
Recognize that government invasion of public power is eventually an assault upon your own business. If some among you fear taking a stand because you are afraid of reprisals from customers, clients, or even government, recognize that you are just feeding the crocodile hoping he’ll eat you last.” - Ronald Reagan
If informing people about the dangers of this current terrible gangster government is something that "Terry" wants suppressed from her friends, then I REALLY feel sorry for her!
Now that "Terry" knows that she can hide any objectionable posts that she sees posted by me, she has NO EXCUSE for not adding me back to her friend list. It is the height of insult to do what she did and if she doesn't apologize and admit that she was wrong, then I have no choice but to believe that she just could care less about our friendship.
It's really ironic! "Terry" was one of the first people to email me (months before I decided to join) and invite me to join Facebook. I had accumulated about 5 invitations from people before I took the "plunge" and joined. I thought that since I was too busy blogging, I wouldn't have time to attend to the Facebook page. Then, my daughter told me that lots of people connect their blogs to their Facebook pages. That convinced me to join.
I am so sorry that you are in the middle of all of this. But it just couldn't be helped. It's not your fault and I don't blame you one bit. I blame "Terry." I know that you think that she "didn't mean anything by it," and "didn't mean to hurt me." If those are true and genuine statements, then she should take the necessary actions to repair the situation.
*******
Everyone reading this will have their own opinion about this particular incident. So be it. But my opinion isn't any less valid.
In fact, I think that sounding the alarm bells is greatly needed amongst those who would lay down and let the Marxists set up a tyranny right before our very own eyes here in America!
I am used to rejection. I have gone through it in the sales industry and while attempting to witness about the Gospel of Jesus Christ to nonbelievers. But when a friend is willing to turn a blind eye from the current government takeover of our Constitutional Republic and let radicals in power turn it into a repressed socialist country like that Commie Hugo Chavez did in Venezuela,
then I think that it is THEY who need to wake up from their stupor and do all that they can to help spread the word and work to save the nation for our children and grandchildren!
Letting this horrible regime run roughshod over our Constitution, Declaration of Independence, freedoms, liberty and inalienable rights guaranteed by God our Creator; while not doing anything within our power to turn the tide back for the sake of our country's future, is a terrible sin!There are examples in the Bible where women faced possible death for confronting kings! Did they shrink away from their responsibility?
NO!
I don't think that we should shrink away from our current responsibility to change the direction of this country from the evil track it is on today. We desperately need to
get America back to a sane, conservative morals, values, ethics, and limited government!This is no time for apathy!! We all need to become Christian culture warriors in this current war against our liberty and freedom!These clowns in Congress are supposed to serve US! WE THE PEOPLE surround THEM - NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!
November will be a huge wake up call. VOTE OUT ALL THE BUMS THAT DIDN'T LISTEN TO WE THE PEOPLE!
I continue to listen, report, work, and pray that our nation survives this national nightmare.I hope and pray that readers here will wake up and do the same!
Hat Tip:
Good News Etc. online edition
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