The Three Big Steps Toward The Collapse Of A Christian Nation

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Poole's Roost II : One Thread

Romans 1:18-32, NIV. Implied additional meaning from the original Greek contained in [brackets].

(18) The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, (19) since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

(20) For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

[Step One: materialism.]

(21) For although they knew God [to start with], they [soon] neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their foolish hearts were [became] darkened. (22) Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools (23) and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

(24) Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. (25) They exhanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator -- who is forever praised. Amen.

[Step Two: sexual immorality.]

(26) Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exhanged natural relations for unnatural ones. (27) In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

[Third and Final Step: total depravity.]

(28) Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain [even] the knowledge of God ["what do we need 'God' for? It's an outdated concept!"] , he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. (29) They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, (30) slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; (31) they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. (32) Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of[encourage, cheer on] those who practice them.

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2001

Answers

From Psalm 2, NIV.

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?

The Kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.

"Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters."

The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2001


Another relevant passage:

"At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in My sight, that it obey not My voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them." Jeremiah 18:7-10.

The Creator is in control, and He knows "the end from the beginning." Isaiah 46:10.

Check out Daniel chapter 2; the signs of the times would seem to indicate that we're now living down at the tips of the toes.

See

http://www.amazingfacts.org/mop/storacles/storacle1.asp

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001


Source above is another holy roller collection of mumbo jumbo which includes all the "issues" of the day including that wicked Rock and Roll Music that is ruining the young-uns and a few tortured diatribe against ecumenism. LI NK to more Manure. Someone ask these jokers "If the "flood" was 2200 B.C., how did the Pyramids get built before it?" and "Where did all the people come from who "worshipped" the Sun, if Noah and the Ark held the only survivors?"
But don't forget, it be De "word of G_D" so don't ask too many questions.



-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001


A trip without drugs even the students of Bob Jones would have trouble with.
Li nk to Manure
The Last Tower of Babel

An Amazing Fact:
The Empire State Building in New York City, which was completed in 1931, was known for many years as the tallest building in the world. It is 1,250 feet tall and boasts 102 stories of office space. Several structures in the United States and in Asia now surpass the Empire State Building in height, yet many of the records that were set during its construction have never been broken. For example, because the building was made of prefabricated blocks, it was completed in less than two years. In fact, one 14-floor section was erected in less than a week!

The first time the word "kingdom" is mentioned in the Bible is in connection with Babel (Genesis 10:8-10). The founder of this ancient city was Nimrod, a man whose very name means "we shall rebel." Throughout the Scriptures, Babel-which is also the Hebrew word for "Babylon"-becomes a symbol of rebellion to God.

On the other hand, the first time the word "kingdom" appears in the New Testament is referring to God's kingdom. John the Baptist declared, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 3:2.

From cover to cover in the Bible one can see a vivid contrast between these two opposing kingdoms, with the conflict reaching its culmination in the last book of the Bible. In Revelation, the Babylonian kingdom is identified as the final power that will worship the beast and war against God's people. To clearly understand these future events and this final struggle, we must first look back to the birth of Babel.

Old Babylon
"Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another, 'Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.' They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.' But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, 'Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.' So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth." Genesis 11:1-9, NKJV.

Soon after the Flood, the human race began to rapidly multiply. In those days men's lives were still measured by centuries, so many were born and few died. After only a few brief generations, thousands of descendants of Noah and his sons were swarming around the foothills of Ararat.

Evidently Nimrod and some of the patriarchs suggested that they explore the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which had once been occupied by the garden of God. As they journeyed from the East, they were attracted to the lush climate and fertile soil in the plain of Shinar. Nimrod and the leaders believed their safety, strength, and power would be in their numbers. So to prevent the people from diffusing around the world, they devised a plan to create a capital city for the planet and to centralize power in this new metropolis. Furthermore, they planned to inaugurate a new form of religion with a tower reaching to the heavens at the center of their kingdom.

Before the Flood, the patriarchs would present their sacrificial offerings to the Lord at the entrance of the Garden of Eden. But it is believed that God, in order to preserve the Garden from destruction, raptured it up to heaven before the Flood began. First of all, Revelation tells us that the tree of life which was in the midst of the Garden (Genesis 2:9) is still intact in the new Jerusalem (Revelation 2:7; 22:2). Secondly, it makes sense that if God can bring the new Jerusalem down from heaven at the end of the world, He could also have taken the Garden of Eden up to heaven at the beginning of the world. In any event, the builders of Babel decided, without consulting God, to dedicate this tower as the new place of worship and sacrifice.

Sun Worship
Keep in mind that prior to the Flood, it had never rained, and the sky would have had a different visual appearance. An even layer of moisture surrounded the planet, which polarized the rays of the sun and provided a uniform, mild temperature all around the world. This is why today we find thousands of tropical fern fossils in the freezing polar regions. Genesis 1:7 records, "And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so."

The Bible says that when the Flood came, "the windows of heaven were opened." Genesis 7:11.

The first rainbow was one of many evidences that the Flood had drastically changed the earth. For the first time in history, man could look directly into the blazing glory of the sun and feel its burning power. People recognized that the sun had helped to dry the earth after the Flood and bring back the vegetation. So instead of worshiping the God who made the sun, the builders of Babel were the first ones to consider the sun as an object of worship itself.

Today all around the world can be seen towers, pyramids, and ziggurats (step-towers) with altars dedicated to sun worship that can no doubt be traced back to Babel.

Determined Builders
As nearly as we can calculate, construction on the tower of Babel ceased about 100 years after the Flood, or approximately 2200 B.C. This date is based on Genesis 10:25, which says, "Unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided." This means that around the time Peleg was born, the union of Babel was divided and the tribes that would later grow into the nations of the world were dispersed. (The number of years between the Flood and the birth of Peleg is given in Genesis 11:10-16.)

Because righteous Noah lived for another 350 years after the Flood, and Shem for 502 years, it is safe to assume that not everyone alive at the time was in favor of the plans for a city and tower of Babel. The followers of God believed His promise that "the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh." Genesis 9:15. But the builders of Babel charged that God could not be trusted. Quite likely those who advised against the project were severely ridiculed, persecuted, and made to appear as legalistic enemies of the common good. But in spite of their objections, the plan was agreed upon and they commenced building.

The deluge had provided a new construction material. Bitumen tar, or asphalt, was in abundance as a result of the distillation of massive peat fields, forests, and other organic materials covered by sediment during the Flood. In addition, clay that could be baked into enduring bricks was also suddenly in great supply. Many hands make short work, and soon the massive tower began to rise toward the heavens. God is very patient and longsuffering, but there is a limit to His forbearance. Genesis 11:5 says, "And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded." This passage does not mean that God was unaware of what they were doing before He came down. Rather, this expression is the old Hebrew way of saying that God was ready to take action. The Lord uses the same phrase just before destroying Sodom (Genesis 18:21). God waited until the project was nearly completed, then He came down and took action.

Because of the tower's mounting height, it became necessary for the builders to transfer messages and orders for materials up and down its lofty walls with a relay system. But one day, without warning, the unbroken progress was abruptly halted. A mason called for a load of bricks but received a basket of straw instead. As the day wore on, the chaotic phenomena grew worse until the workers could no longer understand one another's speech.

"The builders were wholly unable to account for the strange misunderstandings among them, and in their rage and disappointment they reproached one another. Their confederacy ended in strife and bloodshed. Lightnings from heaven, as an evidence of God's displeasure, broke off the upper portion of the tower and cast it to the ground. Men were made to feel that there is a God who ruleth in the heavens."1

In humiliation and dismay, the people began to band together in small groups that could comprehend one another's speech. Gradually these groups migrated away from the doomed project and dispersed throughout the world. The babblings of Babel formed the parent languages of the earth, from which all other languages and dialects (now totalling more than 3,000) have developed.

The Hebrew word for Babel and Babylon is "babel" (pronounced baw- bel'), meaning confusion. It is from this word that we get the modern term "babbling." In Revelation, Babylon is a symbol for spiritual confusion. Some might be thinking, "Doesn't the Bible teach that God is not the author of confusion?" It is true that God's Spirit will never bring confusion into His worship (1 Corinthians 14:33), but there are many examples in Scripture where God has confused those who fight against Him (2 Kings 6:18; 7:6; 1 Corinthians 1:27).

The Old Tower's History
According to ancient history, there were several attempts in the next 1,400 years to repair the ruins of the tower. The last major effort was by Nebuchadnezzar II, who said that he received a command from his god Marduk to build it so that "its top might rival heaven." He called his temple tower, which stood in the sacred compound of the Marduk temple, Etemenanki, meaning "the foundation stone of heaven and earth." The ancient historian Herodotus wrote in 440 B.C. that "the tower of Babel was a furlong, or 660 feet, in length and breadth." According to the Greek historian Strabo, it rose to the same height, making it more than 200 feet taller than the great pyramid of Khufu.

The tower of Babel was likewise a pyramidal form, consisting of eight square towers, gradually decreasing in breadth. A winding ascent along the outside was so very broad as to allow horses and carriages to pass each other, and even to turn. At the apex was an altar where sacrifices were offered to the sun god.

This infamous monument to rebellion was later destroyed by the Persian king Xerxes. After Alexander the Great conquered the Persians, he too planned to rebuild the tower. In fact, most of the debris had been removed in preparation for its reconstruction when death took him.

Some have mistakenly thought that the references to Babylon in the New Testament prove that old Babylon will someday be rebuilt. In reality, all the prophecies in Revelation regarding Babylon refer not to the literal kingdom by the Euphrates river, but rather to modern or spiritual Babylon. The Lord plainly foretold that ancient Babylon would be utterly destroyed and never rebuilt. "And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there." Isaiah 13:19, 20.

It is true that under the direction of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, archeologists restored some of the ruins for tourists to view, but this in no way contradicts Isaiah's prophecy. In fact, Saddam had extensive plans to rebuild portions of the city for habitation to defy the Jewish prophecy. However, his plans had to be abandoned due to the Gulf War and the following economic sanctions, thus ratifying God's Word.

A Monument to False Religions
There are at least six ways in which the tower of Babel was a pattern for all succeeding manmade religons.
  1. The tower was a monument to salvation by works.

    The people who built the tower were not all atheists; their great-grandparents had survived the Flood just 100 years before! Their basic plan was to build a tower from earth to heaven, and they labored under the pretense of wanting to be closer to God. The devil designed that this tower should be a subtle substitute for Jesus, who is the ladder from heaven to earth (John 1:51). Every false religion has in its root the error of Babel- that man can save himself by working from earth upward. But in reality, salvation is the result of God's initiative. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." And in Ephesians 2:8, 9, the Bible declares: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

  2. The tower was a monument to human pride.

    The primary objective for the true Christian should be to bring glory to God's name. Jesus told His disciples, "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." Matthew 6:9. In contrast, the people's declared purpose for the tower was "let us make a name for ourselves." Genesis 11:4, NKJV. The very word "denomination" means to unite under a name, and we know that many church denominations were brought into existence so leaders could "make a name" for themselves. The Bible tells us, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18. Pride was where both the devil and the Babel builders fell.

  3. It was a monument to mankind's disobedience and defiance of God's will.

    Immediately after the Flood, "God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." Genesis 9:1. They had clearly been commanded to disperse throughout the world and repopulate the earth. The confederacy at Babel was founded in rebellion to God's specific command. The people believed that there was strength in numbers and resisted God's plan because it would have weakened their power. God had placed the first family in a garden, but the Babel builders, like Cain (Genesis 4:17), chose to build a city. Like many today, they did not believe that God is very particular regarding obedience.

  4. It was a monument to human achievement.

    The wisdom, technology, and techniques employed in the construction of this colossal edifice were state of the art for the day. When completed, it was hoped the majestic tower would be dazzling to behold and thus bring glory and attention to the designers and engineers. In other words, they sought to direct people's attention away from God's creation to the works of man. Even today, many are willing to overlook the false teachings and glaring inconsistencies of a religion because they are attracted to the magnificent temples, churches, and cathedrals that house them.

  5. It was a monument to disbelief in God and His word.

    God had given a clear, binding covenant and had sealed it with a rainbow, saying, "The waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh." Genesis 9:15. But the Babel builders doubted God's word. One objective in the construction of the tower was to build higher than the prior flood level and to provide a retreat in the event that God would renege on His promise and once again flood the world. Rather than trusting God to protect, provide, and preserve them, they put their trust in a tower, in Nimrod, and in city walls.

  6. It was a monument to heaven on earth.

Time and time again man has sought to create a kingdom on earth that does away with God and the need to turn from sin. By the time of Nebuchadnezzar, the city of Babylon had grown into a full-blown earthly counterfeit for God's new Jerusalem. It had great walls, a square design, hanging gardens in the center to mimic Eden's glory, a dazzling abundance of gold, and an immense river flowing through its center. Babel (and later Babylon) was mankind's feeble attempt to duplicate heaven and enjoy the new Jerusalem on earth without forsaking his sins.

In contrast, God's children "looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Hebrews 11:10.

The Last Tower of Babel
At Babel, God confused man's language so the people could not unite in their rebellion against Him. In these last days, the devil is using every means possible to once again unite humans in this rebellion. The information superhighway, high-speed travel, and instant communication are all helping to lay the foundation for this final tower to man's glory.

The Bible predicts that at the end we will see more and more natural disasters, moral decay, and economic and political turmoil. Just as men tried to save themselves from God's judgment at the tower of Babel, they will again unite at the end in an attempt to escape the final judgments from God.

Revelation speaks of this new Babylon as a threefold union that will unite to form the world's final stronghold of manmade religion. The apostle John writes: "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Revelation 16:13, 14.

These powers represent the great churches of the world, coming together to rally the nations for a common cause. Catholic, Protestant, charasmatic, and other churches will unite on major issues, but not on the truths found in the Scriptures.

For those who think this could never happen, keep in mind the following sobering facts:

  • Jesus said to His disciples (including you and me) that "the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service." John 16:2.
  • While Christ was on earth, His disciples and followers were all faithful church members, but so were the Jewish leaders who killed Him! Furthermore, it was one of His closest companions who betrayed Jesus into their hands.
  • The churches of the world are already uniting! Every day we hear of another group claiming that "doctrines are no longer important as long as we agree on a few basic things." Look at how mainline Protestant churches have grasped the hand of Catholicism in order to "fight for the common good" on issues such as abortion and crime. Yes, these issues need to be dealt with, but not at the expense of forfeiting the teachings of the Bible.

At first this threefold alliance will use pious, convincing arguments to urge all to join their movement and work together. Next, economic sanctions will be leveled against those who do not comply. "That no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." Revelation 13:17. All will have to decide whether to obey the commandments of God or the laws of men. Most will be persuaded to compromise, but even the most severe measures won't shake the faithful from their solid foundation. Eventually this religious-political power will set a date for the death penalty, "and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." Revelation 13:15.

But as in the days of Esther, when a decree was made to exterminate God's faithful people, He will once again confound their plans at the last moment and turn the tables on the wicked. Just before Jesus comes, those who have rebelled against the Lord will turn upon one another as they did at Babel, and their union will dissolve in strife. Revelation 16:19 says, "Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God."

Out of Babylon


-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Who is this Big Time Fruit Loop?

About 25 years ago, shortly after becoming a Christian, I was living like a hermit in a cave high in the remote desert mountains. One day I began to pray that God would use me as a witness for His kingdom. I had no idea how He would accomplish that feat for such an isolated recluse, but God didn't delay for a moment! Within a week a helicopter with an NBC news crew flew up to my cave. I was able to share a brief testimony on national news three times in one day!

LINK
More
Year 2000:
Mayhem, Ministry, or Both?

by Doug Batchelor

The fall of 1999 promises to reveal a kaleidoscope of human behavior. Millions of people are apprehensive regarding the Y2K, or "Millennial Bug," situation. Most people already know that because of a serious date programming problem, many computer experts are anticipating varying degrees of computer system freezes and malfunctions between Sept. 9, 1999, and Feb. 28, 2000.

Some sensational speakers predict that this will trigger a global chain reaction shutting down critical systems of power, water, and communications, leading to an accelerating vortex of panic. Some are selling bushels of books and tapes recommending the stockpiling of dried foods, water, gas, generators, and even guns and ammunition. Anticipating a bank run, others are suggesting that before Sept. 9, people should withdraw enough cash to last at least a couple of months (because the date 9/9/99 may trigger a shutdown code for some older computers.) To prepare for the possible demand, Federal Reserve System Chairman Alan Greenspan has ordered the Fed to print an additional 50 billion dollars in cash.

The approaching new millennium also brings a hypersensitivity to the origin and future of the human race. With the tremendous exponential changes of the last century, people cannot even imagine what the next decade will bring. Everyone seems more aware of the volatility of the age. The increasing number of natural disasters and financial, political, and religious instability is compounded by a culture that appears to be drifting like a ship without sail, rudder, or anchor and is in dire need of a moral compass. Jesus foretold a time when men's hearts would be failing them for fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth (Luke 21:26).



-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001


Charlie Usher,

You're starting to make a career out of distorting the truth.

The quotes from Doug Batchelor regarding Y2k clearly show that he was talking about *other* speakers who were crying Doom back then; not he himself. Quote from later in the article you linked: "Christians should guard against fanning the flames of millennial frenzy." Yet you try to make it look like he was the one crying Doom. That's pretty disingenous. Get out of the slime-bucket, why don't you.

As for him living in a cave: Doug is the son of Florida airline magnate George Batchelor, and late Hollywood film critic Ruth Batchelor. After years of living in the fast lane, booze, drugs, etc., he finally went and lived by himself in a mountain cave near Palm Springs for a while, trying to find himself, get straightened out. Stranger things have happened. Some people go live in the woods or the swamp. Others take off on solo sailboat voyages. Whatever it takes. Point is, it's not your place in life to sit in judgment on what another person does to find balance.

And Doug has found balance. The Amazing Facts site has a wealth of good Bible-based information. If you don't believe the Bible, that's your choice. But for those who do, it provides a ton of relevant, up-to-date information on how the Bible applies to present events. Especially when it comes to prophecy.

As for some of the pyramids being built prior to the Flood, what's the problem? No one claims that the Flood destroyed all trace of prior civilization.

"Where did all the people come from who 'worshipped' the Sun, if Noah and the Ark held the only survivors?" Um, they came from Noah's sons and their descendants. No great mystery there. The Tower of Babel was built after the Flood, by Nimrod and his cohorts. Nimrod was a descendant of Noah (as are we all).

People have tried to tear down and destroy the Bible for centuries. None have yet succeeded. Neither will you. That's because it's the Creator's message to mankind, and I reckon He knows how to protect His own.

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2001


Right. Just so long as its YOUR Bible, eh?

What about the Bible of the Roman Catholics?

The Bible of the Liberal Protestant that the site you defend rails against?

The Bible of the Jews aka: The Old Testament and Talmud without the New Testament?

The Bible of the Mormans?

The Bible of the Christian Scientists?

The Bible of the 7th Day Adventists or the Witnesses? OR IN FACT, the BIBLE OF ANYONE WHO DOESN'T BELIEVE IN YOUR INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE WHICH REJECTS ANYTHING **YOU** FIND IS "ERROR"?

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2001


Well, since you bring it up: the Bible that's based upon the Textus Receptus, which has the clearest lineage back to the originals, as shown by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

A good discussion can be found at your new favorite site --

http://www.a mazingfacts.org//catalog/pb/bk-fw.html

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2001


This one is better. A nasty bit of smear job vs. all the competitors for the "believers". But its only business. Whether by Rome or some minor jerk in California. This clown could give Robertson and Falwell a race for Bigot of the Month.

http://www.amazingfacts.org/catalog/pb/bk-bww.html#Secular%20Humanism

Secular Humanism

The age in which we live has norm-alized this false religion of self-worship. We even have a name for it-humanism. Thousands of years ago, God predicted this humanistic movement. It is symbolized in prophecy both as the king of the south (Daniel 11:40) and as the beast from the bottomless pit (Revelation 11:7-10). When the French Revolution fulfilled this prophecy it deified man's reason and established the foundation for the pseudo religion of secular humanism. The belief that man's reason is sufficient to answer life's most profound questions and needs, and that there is no God or moral absolutes, forms humanism's axis. This belief system has largely controlled the affairs of man from the 1790s to the 1990s. According to Revelation 11:8, it has two key char- acteristics-Egypt's atheistic unbelief in the true God, and Sodom's immorality.

Secular humanism's atheism and immorality have gained a strong position in the United States. Humanism also controls most of America's government programs, institutions of higher learning, the training of grade-school children in public schools, the homosexual movement, etc. Consequently, America is now reaping the same whirlwind of degradation that France did in the wake of its Revolution. For lack of moral fiber, the United States is unraveling at the seams.

The current epidemic of homosex-uality, adultery, crime, and other debasing actions should not surprise us. The Bible states this as the inevitable result of exalting man's reasoning above God's truth. "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, ... without natural affection, ... Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also have pleasure in them that do them." Romans 1:28-32.

Religious Humanism

Neither has the Christian church escaped the permeating influence of humanism. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), in its document "Human Sexuality and the Christian Faith" (December 1991), chal- lenges its members to evaluate prejudices against homosexuals, insisting that "what we personally find offensive is not necessarily sinful." Furthermore, it says, "We must distinguish between moral judgments regarding same-sex activity in biblical times and in our own time."

The task force formed to make this document said upon release of the 1993 edition, entitled "The Church and Human Sexuality: A Lutheran Perspective" (Oct-ober 1993), that "it recognizes that many Lutherans take literally the biblical condemnations of homosexuality ... But the task force urges Lutherans to challenge such attitudes. It argues that 'responsible biblical interpretation' strongly supports the acceptance and even blessing of same-sex unions and emphasizes what it says is the preeminent biblical command- to 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"1

The United Methodist Church has also had panels convene to determine whether homosexuality is a sin. Though the proposals to loosen church strictures on homosexuality were rejected, the 1991 panel did agree that biblical references to sexual practices should not be viewed as binding "just because they are in the Bible."2

The church which has probably de-parted furthest from God's Word on this topic is the United Church of Christ. It permits homosexuals to be ordained to ministry.3

This issue is only one among many for which churches are placing their own reasoning above God's commands. Even though they have many sincere and dedicated members, these church organ-izations are as guilty of humanism as are the secularists. They are simply following "religious humanism" instead of "secular humanism." Unfortunately, people who continue to support humanism under the guise of Christianity will be part of that group who will say to Jesus in the judgment, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" Sadly, Jesus will say to them, "Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness." They will learn too late that religious humanism is insufficient to save the soul. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 7:21.

Another area in which the Church has unashamedly adhered to humanistic principles is in the choice of Sunday as a day of worship. The Bible clearly states that the seventh-day Sabbath, Saturday, is the day upon which God's people are to gather for weekly worship and rest from their work. Interestingly, the Catholic Church states that Saturday is the true biblical Sabbath and that Sunday worship is based not upon God's Word, but upon the traditions of men. In his book Plain Talk About the Protestantism of Today, Mon-signor Segur admits Sundaykeeping "not only has no foundation in the Bible, but is in flagrant contradiction with its letter, which commands rest on the Sabbath, which is Saturday."4 Other Catholic writers concur. "The word, 'Sabbath,' means rest, and is Saturday, the seventh day of the week. Why, then, do Christians observe Sunday instead of the day mentioned in the Bible? ... the infant Church changed the day to be kept holy from Saturday to Sunday ... it rests upon the authority of the Catholic Church and not upon an explicit text in the Bible."5 "We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday."6

Of course, non-Catholics have their own reasons for keeping Sunday. But the facts of history and Scripture are stubborn things. They unquestionably testify to the accuracy of what these Catholic authors assert. The Catholic Church did change the day of worship, and the Bible doesn't authorize it. With all due respect to Sunday-keepers, churches and pastors who spin fine- sounding arguments for why the fourth commandment doesn't need to be obeyed are following faulty reasoning as flimsy as spiders' webs. All reasons for disobedience which man can amass have one thing in common. They are founded upon humanism. They place the reasoning of men above God's plain commands.

The Humanistic Little Horn

God wants us to flee from humanism. Repeatedly, He has warned us against its deadly influence and shown how it would infiltrate the church. Using the symbol of a little horn in Daniel chapter 7, God predicted the Antichrist would be human-istic. "I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, ... and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things." Daniel 7:8, 9. Notice that it is not the eyes of the Spirit that are on this little horn, but "the eyes of man." Here we see that Antichrist lacks true spiritual discernment and sees life only through human eyes.

His criterion for truth is "What do I think?" instead of "What does God command?" This is anti-Christian. Jesus taught that our will is to be held in subjection to God's will. He prayed to His Father, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt." Matthew 26:39.

Christians seek to look at things from God's vantage point (2 Corinthians 4:18). They do not base their decisions purely upon earthly considerations, but rather upon the eternal foundation of God's truth and sovereign will. Christians ask only two questions-"What is God's truth?" and "What are His promises?" Then they obey the one while claiming the other.

Because the Antichrist looks at things through humanistic eyes, he is led to some fearfully bold actions. He makes declara-tions that are counter to God's truth. "And he shall speak great words against the most High ... and think to change times and laws." Daniel 7:25. The ultimate ex-pression of his humanism is to make people think God's law has been changed.



-- Anonymous, September 27, 2001

Pleez 'splain how writing about what the Bible says on certain topics classifies one as a "bigot of the month".

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2001


Isn't tarring 2 major Protestant denominations and the homosexual community prejudice of the "I'm right and all others are wrong" sort? That is bigotry. This guy is very little different than Robertson or Falwell except that he writes in generalities and they were specific re: the WTC.

And those who support such Bigotry and Hatred bear the same blame.

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2001


Moderation questions? read the FAQ