CYPRESSWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST
November 7, 2010
25424 Aldine-Westfield, Spring, TX,. 77373
www.blakehart.com/cypresswoodbulletin.htm
PRAYER REQUESTS:
God’s will for our congregation Various friends, relatives and co-workers
Our nation, leaders and military The spread of the good news
IT‘S A SALVATION ISSUE - 2
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18).
Over the last few decades, I have noticed that when any issue is discussed, whether national or international, few, if any, look at the religious ideas surrounding that issue. For instance, few understand Islam and the Israeli-Palestine conflict because no one, politicians, media, or government officials considers it important. Such is the case when we hear the debates on the separation of church and state in this country. It has come to the point that many citizens think that the phrase, the separation of church and state, is found in the U.S. Constitution (1).
We have become a Biblically illiterate society. People just do not know the Bible the way it was familiar decades ago. When George W. Bush was running for President in 2000, a news reporter was impressed with his down-home, quaint, Texas sayings; Mr. Bush was referring to scripture! Of course, there are those who think Christians are ignorant and easily led. But there is also a hostility to Christianity. When the Supreme Court upheld the World War I cross in the Mojave Desert, a memorial for veterans who served in that war, and placed there in the 1930s, an atheist on a radio talk show complained that the Court was wrong because it was refusing to make the separation of church and state. He was also supportive of the thieves who stole the cross a day or two after the decision.
Part of the problem today is that many are revising our history in order to push a secularist society (2). Why did the Pilgrims and Puritans come to this land? A major part was for religious liberty as opposed to the control of the state churches of Europe. Early states constitutions often reflected a belief in God. The Founding Fathers had a Biblical worldview in mind when they put the Constitution together. Many today attempt to rewrite this in that the Founders wanted a secular nation, forgetting the Biblical principles involved, then claim that most were Deists. But the definition of deists has changed over the years. Looking at Thomas Jefferson, himself a deist, during his presidency attended worship services in the Rotunda of the Capitol Building. Today one cannot even stop and pray in the same place.
One would think that to be consistent in keeping religion of the public sphere - schools, government, etc. - then all religions would be banned. But this is not the case. Muslims are being given privileges that neither Jews nor Christians have, often related to praying and holidays. A child writes “God bless America” on a drawing with an American flag, and the teacher takes it away stating that this was not allowed. The impression left by the debates about separation of church and state lead to such actions by people who either support the idea or do not know the law.
There was a debate a few years ago in Los Angeles over a little cross on the seal of Los Angeles. The seal represented the history of the city and Christianity was a part of it. Interestingly, the biggest portion of the seal was to some goddess, yet it was that little cross in one corner that brought lawsuits. Eventually the courts ordered the removal of the cross, thereby hiding or changing history.
Throughout the 20th Century, governments have attempted to lessen the influence of the Judeo-Christian ethic in various nations. The Communists of the Soviet Union closed churches, imprisoned priests and preachers and declared Russia a atheistic country. Seventy years and millions of civilian deaths in peacetimes later, communism fell, and to the surprise of Western secularists, the churches opened the doors and people flocked to them. The Sunset International Bible Institute has sent a number of graduates into Russia to proclaim the good news and to teach the Bible both in public institutions and privately.
The Chinese learned from this and now have an approved church but clamp down on unapproved churches. They want to control what is said in the churches but there are those who want religious freedom in what is known as the house churches, which are growing rapidly. The race is to see who will have the greater influences in the future.
Recently, a Comedy Channel cartoon program called South Park wanted to mock Mohammed like they have many others including Jesus. However, there is a difference in reactions to such. Christians will protest by writing letters or turning to another channel or writing sponsors. Muslims threaten death to any who would do something like that and have followed through on such threats. Comedy Channel stopped the writers of the cartoon from doing it.
Mocking the Judeo-Christian ethic happens, is somewhat expected, and as Christians, we understand the idea of turning the other cheek. We do not make threats or seek revenge; that is not to be our way. We are to take the insults and turn them to God’s glory. That doesn’t make it easy for us to watch people who want to move the ethic out of the public square (3). Just consider when a politician mentions his faith. President G.W. Bush was asked who was his favorite philosopher. He answered Jesus Christ. Some when bonkers over this answer, mocking him for his simplicity. Granted, they already had a low view of him, but that didn’t stop the criticism. Those who did so did not think that not only were they mocking the President for his belief but millions of citizens who take their faith seriously.
We are not alone in this. The Jews are facing difficulties in various areas of the world, again. Anti-Semitism is on the rise, especially in Europe. Some have been beaten and killed just because they were Jews. Melanie Phillips relates the recent terrorist attack in Mumbai, India. The information gained in the investigation stated that the one part of the attack that must not fail was the attack on the small, out of the way, Jewish house. The investigators found out that before the teacher, his wife and several others died, they were tortured (4).
Why is there such hostility to the Judeo-Christian ethic and what are the consequences? Let’s explore this a little more next week, Lord willing.
George B. Mearns
(1) This phrase comes from a Thomas Jefferson letter sent to the Danbury Baptist Church in Connecticut about a situation there.
(2) Melanie Phillips looks at a number of revisions in several categories in her important book, The World Turned Upside Down, Encounter, 2010.
(3) Richard John Neuhaus wrote about this in the 1980s in his book, The Naked Public Square. It is something that has a history to it.
(4) Phillips,