The Democrats will get you if you don't watch out!

Perhaps in honor of Halloween and other spooky and scary stuff, Focus on the Family - that's James Dobson's group - is helping distribute a "what if" letter from the year 2012 after an Obama-Biden victory. The writer of the letter is a good Christian.

Should you want to read a story about it and read the entire 16 page letter, here is a link: http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/election08/653/the_religious_right%E2%80%99s_apocalyptic_visions_of_an_obama_presidency_%C2%A0/.

Focus grants that this is a speculative enterprise, but notes that, "This letter is not “predicting” that all of the imaginative future “events” named in this letter will happen. But it is saying that each one of these changes could happen and also that each change would be the natural outcome of (a) published legal opinions by liberal judges, (b) trends seen in states with liberal-dominated courts such as California and Massachusetts, (c) recent promises, practices and legislative initiatives of the current liberal leadership of the Democratic Party and (d) Senator Obama’s actions, voting record and public promises to the far-Left groups that won the nomination for him."

Among the predictions are the kinds of social changes that terrify conservative Christians like:
-- We are not “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Many of our freedoms have been taken away by a liberal Supreme Court and a Democratic majority in both the House and the Senate, and hardly any brave citizen dares to resist the new government policies any more.
-- The most far-reaching transformation of American society came from the Supreme Court’s stunning affirmation, in early 2010, that homosexual “marriage” was a “constitutional” right that had to be respected by all 50 states because laws barring same-sex “marriage” violated the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. Suddenly, homosexual “marriage” was the law of the land in all 50 states, and no state legislature, no state Supreme Court, no state Constitutional amendment, not even Congress, had any power to change it. The Supreme Court had ruled, and the discussion was over.
-- The Boy Scouts no longer exist as an organization. They chose to disband rather than be forced to obey the Supreme Court decision that they would have to hire homosexual scoutmasters and allow them to sleep in tents with young boys.
-- Elementary schools now include compulsory training in varieties of gender identity in Grade 1, including the goodness of homosexuality as one possible personal choice. Many parents tried to “opt out” their children from such sessions, but the courts have ruled they cannot do this, noting that education experts in the government have decided that such training is essential to children’s psychological health.
-- The Bible can no longer be freely preached over radio or television stations when the subject matter includes such “offensive” doctrines as criticizing homosexual behavior.
-- Church buildings are now considered a “public accommodation” by the Supreme Court, and churches have no freedom to refuse to allow their buildings to be used for wedding ceremonies for homosexual couples.
-- Tens of thousands of young churches suddenly had no place to meet when the Supreme Court ruled that public schools in all 50 states had to stop allowing churches to rent their facilities — even on Sundays, when school was not in session. The court said this was an unconstitutional use of government property for a religious purpose.
-- It is illegal for private citizens to own guns for selfdefense in eight states, and the number is growing with increasing Democratic control of state legislatures and governorships.
-- Parents’ freedom to teach their children at home has been severely restricted. The Supreme Court, to the delight of the National Education Association, followed the legal reasoning of a February 28, 2008, ruling in Re: Rachel L by the 2nd District Court of Appeal in California (although that ruling was later reversed). In the later case, the Supreme Court declared that home schooling was a violation of state educational requirements except in cases where the parents (a) had an education certificate from an accredited state program., (b) agreed to use state-approved textbooks in all courses, and (c) agreed not to teach their children that homosexual conduct is wrong, or that Jesus is the only way to God, since these ideas have been found to hinder students’ social adjustment and acceptance of other lifestyles and beliefs, and to run counter to the state’s interest in educating its children to be good citizens.
-- Since 2009, terrorist bombs have exploded in two large and two small U.S. cities, killing hundreds, and the entire country is fearful, for no place seems safe. President Obama in each case has vowed “to pursue and arrest and prosecute those responsible,” but no arrests have been made.
-- In mid-2010, Iran launched a nuclear bomb that exploded in the middle of Tel Aviv, destroying much of that city. They then demanded that Israel cede huge amounts of territory to the Palestinians, and after an anguished all-night Cabinet meeting, Israel’s prime minister agreed. Israel is reduced to a much smaller country, hardly able to defend itself, and its future remains uncertain. President Obama said he abhorred what Iran had done and he hoped the U.N. would unanimously condemn this crime against humanity.

Obviously, in 16 pages, there are many more doomsday scenarios detailed in the letter. The letter writer places much of the blame for what happened on evangelicals who voted for the Democrats, in particular, and on all Christians who voted for the Democratic ticket. These 'misguided' Christians foolishly hoped that Obama would make positive changes for the country. This 'Christian from 2012' regretfully asserts, Christians didn’t take time to find out who Barack Obama was when they voted for him. Why did they risk our nation’s future on him? It was a mistake that changed the course of history.

The letter paints a picture of an almost apocalyptic collapse of America based on religious failures of the liberal politicians who were elected in 2008. Could it happen? Are the predictions made by this attempt to influence likely? Do you think this effort to influence Christian voters will make a difference at the polls?

The Judeo-Christian View gets national attention.

The organization about which I complained a few blogs ago has been cited in the FundamentaList, published by American Prospect and written by Sarah Posner.

The link to the full list is at http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_fundamentalist_102208. Here is the item about the group.

More Islamofascism -- and Child Sacrifice! -- Coming to a Church or Synagogue Near You.

The incendiary propaganda DVD Obsession, produced by the Clarion Fund, a non-profit organization founded by employees of the Orthodox Jewish group Aish HaTorah, made news last month when Clarion paid to have millions of copies of the DVD inserted in Sunday newspapers in swing states around the country. Now, the DVD is being sent to 325,000 clergy through a new publication called The Judeo-Christian View.

The Judeo-Christian View, in addition to advising clergy to preach on the "dangers" of "Islamofascism," offers a free model sermon for them to use to preach against gay marriage and "child sacrifice" (late-term abortion). The video contrasts the two presidential candidates' positions on both those issues, and obviously favors McCain.

The Judeo-Christian View is run by O'Neal Dozier, a Florida pastor who claimed in 2006 that God revealed to him that Charlie Crist would become that state's governor. Later that year, Jeb Bush, then Florida's governor, removed Dozier from a Judicial Nominating Commission to which he had appointed him in 2001, and Crist tossed him from serving on his campaign's "Strengthening Florida's Families" advisory group after Dozier called Islam a "cult." When Dozier served on the judicial commission, he and other members asked prospective nominees if they were God-fearing, their views on the 2003 Supreme Court decision striking down Texas' anti-sodomy law, and how they would feel about posting the Ten Commandments in their courtroom.

"Our nation faces a fork, a divergence between the high road and the low road," reads The Judeo-Christian View letter to clergy, "and you and your congregation could very well determine the direction we take. The high road upholds America's peaceful tradition of Judeo-Christian tolerance and morality. The low road marches us toward militant secular-paganism, militant Islam, or both."

Criticizing McCain's campaign tactics.

In the 1970's, Francis Schaeffer was a conservative Christian icon. He was the first I knew about who gave an intelligent sounding critique of popular culture. Among many other books, Schaeffer wrote How Should We Then Live that has recently been reworked by more contemporary conservative Christian pundits. Working with Francis Schaeffer was his son Frank (or as he was known then, Frankie). Sometime in the last 10 years or so, Frank repudiated his Father's religious stance and converted to Orthodox Christianity.

In an op-ed piece for the Baltimore Sun, published on Oct. 10, Frank Schaeffer was scathingly critical of the tone of comments made by the McCain-Palin campaign. You can read the whole piece at www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.mccain10oct10,0,7557571.story.

One section that I would share here is the following:
John McCain, you are no fool, and you understand the depths of hatred that surround the issue of race in this country. You also know that, post- 9/11, to call someone a friend of a terrorist is a very serious matter. You also know we are a bitterly divided country on many other issues. You know that, sadly, in America, violence is always just a moment away. You know that there are plenty of crazy people out there.

Stop! Think! Your rallies are beginning to look, sound, feel and smell like lynch mobs.

Do you think the rhetoric from the McCain-Palin campaign has contributed to any sense of the divisiveness in our country? Do you think the comments from their crowds that have not been challenged by either of the candidates - though Senator McCain did correct one person at a rally - is indicative of the true mood of our country or an election year aberration? Have you seen or heard similar types of comments made at Obama-Biden rallies?

More importantly, do you think our country can ever become more unified or are we forever split into different interest groups that has no desire to work with those who disagree with them?

A Familiar Story

From an AP story dated October 4, though it has not seen a lot of attention in the American media, comes this report:

In recent weeks, self-styled "modesty patrols" have been accused of breaking into the apartment of a ... woman and beating her for allegedly consorting with men. They have torched a store that sells MP4 players, fearing devout ... would use them to download pornography.

The story also details how gangs would throw rocks at women and spit at them for wearing red clothes because that color is considered particularly provocative. And, how gangs broke into a store, scattered gasoline around and set it on fire because it sold clothes they considered immodest.

We are familiar with stories like these in Muslim countries. We almost expect them in those countries. These incidents took place in Israel, just outside of Jerusalem. The gangs were composed of Haredim - the very, very, conservative Jews.

This is in addition to other stories from Israel about Jewish settlers from the West Bank communities, which are considered illegal by the international community, setting off pipe bombs to threaten Israeli legislators who have voted to dismantle the illegal settlements.

Religious zealots of every stripe share far more characteristics - as in hatred, intolerance, and self-righteousness - than they would admit.

Sticks and stones ... I guess

Churches are not immune to having unsolicited fax messages clog up their machine. Last week, I received one such unsolicited fax and noted the "if you received this fax in error" and want to unsubscribe, do this. So, I made the request to have our fax machine removed from their calling list.

Now, there have been duplicate messages received from The Judeo-Christian View in our church fax. The Judeo-Christian View espouses a very conservative agenda in both religion and politics. They have their right to hold such a view, though I would disagree with many of their positions that I have read. My contention with them is not with me disagreeing with them, but that they keep sending me stuff I do not want.

In the latest broadside from the group who evidently considers itself the sole keeper of the one and only Judeo-Christian understanding of the world - after I have asked them TWICE to remove our number from their automated call robot - all the ministers who do not agree with their perspective is deemed something less than a person of integrity. Let me quote: "Has your Pastor/Rabbi/Father joined the courageous Signatories yet ...? Has he offered up a single prayer seeking Sen. Obama's repentance for these policies, so desperately at odds with Scripture? Has your Shepherd spoken even one clear word on these monumental matters from the pulpit? Is your Shepherd a man of God ... or just a "holy pontificator" ... a church mouse ... a WIMP?

I will not even get into the male-dominated presumption of ministry they hold. This website is agitating against the Democratic Presidential nominee for his alleged social policies AND demanding that all true Christian ministers do the same, as all TRUE Christian ministers would be glad to do.

So, there it is, folks, you are evidently reading the words of a holy pontificator, church mouse, and WIMP, since I do not engage in any political haranguing from the pulpit. I guess this also puts me among those in America who do not love our country and who are not patriotic and who do not love God, as defined by Senator McCain and Governor Palin.

I would contact this site yet again, but who knows what more they would send me. I cannot wait for the election to be over, but I fear that this type of inflammatory rhetoric from the more conservative politically and religiously ones will only continue, regardless of who wins the election. I keep thinking that it is only words, but words can sometimes lead to hurt.

Can you believe it?

A story from the religion page of The Times of London about the sad state of Christian unity caught my eye.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, recognized as the site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, is jointly controlled and maintained by six different Christian groups - Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Coptic, Syrian Orthodox and Ethiopian - as a result of an agreement under the Ottoman Empire from 1757. Through the years, there have been a number of conflicts between the Christian groups over seemingly small things, like disagreements over brooms and ladders. Interestingly, the keys to the church have been held by a Muslim family since the 12th century because the competing Christian groups do not trust each other to have them.

Now, though, there is a very serious problem facing the groups. On the roof of the Holy Sepulchre is a small monastery that has been an object of contention between the Ethiopians and the Copts since 1970. That is when the Copts left the monastery and went to the church below for prayers and the Ethiopians rushed to the roof and changed the locks to the structure. The need for repairs to the roof where the monastery is located threatens the entire structure. According to engineers who studied the structure, if repairs to the roof are not made, the monastery could crash through the roof. Unfortunately, so far, the competing Christian groups, particularly the Copts and the Ethiopians, refuse to cooperate to make certain the repairs are made.

Is this anyway to show the love and unity preached by Jesus?