Month: June 2014
How Should Christians Think About Education?
Posted on June 11, 2014 in Home School, Theology by Derick Dickens
What is a great education? Some people may envision an Ivy League degree or an “A” student who belongs to the honor society. But as Christians, education is more than memorizing facts and being able to answer mathematical equations. These are all good, and they do makeup part of the educational process, but they are not education; education is more substantial.
Part of the problem is that there is a diminishing definition of education. Today, people have relegated education to a diploma and reading, writing, and arithmetic, but this minimalist view of education is destroying the soul of true education, replacing it with a cookie cutter approach, test focused studies, and ideals that fail to educate.
There are many distinct offerings for education that is often missed, but today we will explore three.
Education is Theological and Spiritual
If a Cake Maker Can Be Forced to Violate His Convictions – What About a Graphic Designer?
Posted on June 10, 2014 in Marriage, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
The word I want you to see is creative. At the heart of this case is the right of every American to exercise – or refuse to exercise – his or her first amendment free speech rights. At the core of this case is the fact that the government is seeking to force an American citizen to violate his both his free speech and religious freedom rights. The government is telling Jack Phillips that he must use his creative abilities to create a cake a piece of art – a form of speech – that celebrates same-sex “marriage” and violates his religious convictions.
The reason this is critical and intricately linked to the article about the graphic designer is that if a cake maker can be forced to violate his religious convictions and use his creative talents to celebrate sin. And if a photographer can be forced to violate her religious convictions and use her creative talents to celebrate sin. How long before the government tells graphic designers that they must violate their religious convictions and use their creative talents to celebrate sin?
How the Church is Failing Millennials on the Homosexual Issue
Posted on June 9, 2014 in Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
I was just talking Sunday night with some folks in my church about how the church is failing our younger generations on the issue of homosexuality. To my surprise, they agreed with me. We all agreed that the popular church strategies of either ignoring the issue or of being soft and not fully addressing the issue is not helping; and is doing more harm than any intended good.
There is a number of ways that I believe the church is failing on this issue. As I told my friends I was discussing with after church Sunday night, the world believes Christians are in one of two camps: the Westboro Baptist camp, or the we’re-all-God’s-children camp.
In other words, people think Christians either hate all homosexuals and want to see harm come to them; a la Westboro Baptist. Or that we believe we’re all God’s children (a heretical lie) and that God made people gay.
Either of these two positions is false and problematic. But there is one particular reason why I believe the church is failing millennials on this very critical issue.
Disturbing Video: Undercover Videos of Planned Parenthood Show Depth of Corruption
Posted on June 6, 2014 in Life by Nathan Cherry
Live Action – the pro life organization led by Lila Rose – has released a new campaign aimed at defunding Planned Parenthood. The new comprehensive campaign is called, “Lies, Corruption, and Scandal: Six Years of Exposing Planned Parenthood.”
As part of the campaign a packet was delivered to ever U.S. congressman and senator with a report detailing Planned Parenthood’s expansive malfeasance.
Live Action has also set up a website for the campaign PlannedParenthoodExposed.com, launching a petition drive, and releasing a video that gives a six minute synopsis of Live Action’s six years of undercover investigations of the United States’ largest abortion merchant.
Those findings include:
What!? Things Abortion Advocates Say
Posted on June 5, 2014 in Life by Nathan Cherry
A recent article at LifeNews.com captures the words of abortion advocates. These aren’t made up, these are real supporters of abortion speaking. The things they say are downright scary, angering, and absurd. See if you agree.
Have you ever wondered what Planned Parenthood’s real agenda is? Have you ever considered the real goals behind abortion? Have you ever thought about what abortion really is, according to the people who do it every today?
Wonder no longer. Instead, consider – really ponder – these eight scary statements said by abortion activists. The people who said these things aren’t random humans pulled from an aisle in a grocery store; they’re people who are deeply involved with abortion. They know the truth; they know the facts; they know how tragic and cruel abortion is to real, living human beings.
So listen up.
1) “I don’t know that [when life begins] is really relevant to the, relevant to the conversation.” ~ Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood
Help Wanted: Where is a Christian Supposed to Work?
Posted on June 5, 2014 in Marriage, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
It appears to me that those seeking to redefine marriage, and those that oppose faith, are creating a hostile work environment for Christians. The choice is clear: choose between your job and your faith.
There seems to be an effort to force Christians into silent support for what the Bible calls sin. If society cannot pressure us into willingly supporting homosexuality and other immoralities, it will threaten us with the loss of our livelihood. You will either conform and support or you will lose your job. The choice might be better stated as: choose between silent condoning of sin and your faith.
Planned Parenthood Sends “Pastoral Letter” Lying About Biblical Position on Abortion
Posted on June 4, 2014 in Life by Nathan Cherry
Planned Parenthood must be feeling desperate. So desperate that they have sent a “pastoral letter” to their patients sharing their version of the Bible which includes no mention of abortion and approval for the murderous procedure. The letter is posted below so you can rad it in it’s entirety. But believe me when I tell you that there is nothing “pastoral” or biblical about this letter.
Very quickly let me point out the glaring problems. First it says that abortion is not mentioned in Scripture. That’s true, abortion by name is not mentioned, just like smoking pot, sniffing cocaine, and many other modern terms. However, the Bible is very clear that murder is wrong – you can find it in those 10 commandments. From beginning to end the Bible makes clear that murder in any form is wrong, that is undeniable. Since abortion is clearly the murder of an innocent child, it is very easy to understand that the Bible condemns abortion as murder.
The Death Penalty: Is It Right for Christians to Support Killing Murderers?
Posted on June 4, 2014 in Life, Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
To be honest I would be almost apathetic to the discussion were it not for what I believe is a clear Biblical mandate in favor of the death penalty. As much as possible I seek to base my life, my worldview, on the Bible and what it teaches. At times this means adhering to views that are not culturally popular (one man one woman marriage) and defending positions that are hotly debated (abortion is murder).
The same can be said for the death penalty. While some Christians – though they are admittedly few – believe any form of violence against a human being is wrong, most understand the clear biblical teaching in support of the death penalty.
WV Senate President Kessler Tells Gov. Tomblin to Call Special Session to Address 20 Week Abortion Ban
Posted on June 3, 2014 in Life by Nathan Cherry
According to Alliance Alert: West Virginia Senate President Jeff Kessler (D) today added more pressure to the call for a special session to address the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, the bill that Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D) vetoed at the end of the regular session in March.
Appearing today on MetroNews “Talkline,” Kessler said, “We have a pro-life majority in leadership and I think we can get this issue addressed and put it behind us and move on to other topics that also need to be addressed.”
Gov. Tomblin has said he would again veto the bill, arguing it is unconstitutional. House Speaker Tim Miley again brought up cost. “I don’t believe West Virginia taxpayers will understand why lawmakers would be so eager to quickly return to Charleston at great expense to attempt to pass legislation destined for a long legal battle and a very uncertain future,” he said.
Kessler rebutted both contentions in his appearance on Talkline. Had he thought the law was unconstitutional, Kessler said he wouldn’t have voted for it in the first place.
“Kessler argued the bill already has overwhelming support among legislators and just needs another chance to pass,” according to reporter Shauna Johnson of West Virginia Metro News. Kessler said, “We are going to have a pain capable bill. That’s a given.”