Idaho: City Demands Pastor Perform Same-Sex Ceremony or Go to Jail!
Posted on October 21, 2014 in Marriage, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
Earlier this month the Supreme Court declined to hear several cases involving the question of same-sex “marriage.” Appeals courts have struck down numerous state constitutional amendments defining marriage as one man and one woman which led to the appeals. With the rejection of the appeals by the Supreme Court many political analysts speculate that a “50 state solution” similar to Roe V. Wade is inevitable.
Many speculate such a solution…but not all.
In an article for The Daily Caller, David Benkof shares his belief that the inaction of the Supreme Court could signal a future victory for traditional marriage supporters. He wrote:
“All of this presupposes a Court that can turn sharply rightward, and I believe it could. Under the scenario I speculated about in the Daily Caller back in January, a Republican Senate elected next month could block any Obama Supreme Court nominee. Then, if there’s a Republican president and Senate in 2016, they could theoretically appoint several new conservative justices. Right now, there are only two young liberals on the court – Sotomayor and Kagan. So a 5-4, 6-3, or even 7-2 traditional-marriage decision by the end of the decade is not out of the question.”
I like the optimism in this scenario – and the likelihood – but will remain cautiously optimistic until such a scenario becomes more probable.
In the meantime the effects of lower court rulings and both the action and inaction of the Supreme Court to date is wreaking havoc in the lives of people across the country. Continue reading…
Can The Church Simply Change Teaching on Sexuality and Marriage?
Posted on October 20, 2014 in Marriage, Sexuality, Theology by Nathan Cherry
Some say Christians, and the church, are out of touch and “behind the times” regarding sexuality and marriage. They want us to “get with the program” and accept homosexual behavior and marriage redefinition.
While some have acquiesced to the demands of those seeking to redefine marriage by voicing their acceptance for homosexual behavior and marriage redefinition, that is no longer good enough. The demand now is that Christians and churches support, affirm, and cheerfully endorse such behavior. The idea of tolerance, once a pillar of the LGBT movement, has been demolished, replaced by verbal affirmation and celebration.
These demands are being made by people who believe it’s no big deal for the church to simply change centuries of doctrinal convictions. Furthermore, they would have us reject the plain text teaching of the Bible in favor of their culturally imposed position. Is such change even possible?
The answer is a resounding no! Not because Christians are hateful, or because we are bigots, discriminatory, or any of the other names used to describe us; but because we desire to be faithful to the teaching of Scripture above all else. For this reason we have no other position than the one clearly given by God in the Bible: marriage is the union of one man and one woman for one lifetime. Continue reading…
Pastor Appreciation Month! Do We Really Need It?
Posted on October 17, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
You may not have known that October is “Pastor Appreciation Month,” but that’s only because it wasn’t in the church bulletin or on the website. Even if it was announced from the pulpit last week in the service I am guessing you forgot by the time you walked out the door. Hey, no biggie.
All joking aside, this month is an opportunity to show your pastor that you truly appreciate him, his ministry, and his family. We have days to show our appreciation to teachers, public workers, and administrative professionals so I heartily endorse a month to show our spiritual shepherds that we appreciate their life of ministry.
You might be wondering why we need such a day. I mean, after all, doesn’t the pastor just work on Sunday’s? (And only for a couple of hours!) Why, if I had a job where I got to spend all day reading the Bible, studying, praying, and preaching life would be great. I’ll wait a minute while you get your head out of the sand before I go on.
Here’s the truth about being a pastor: it’s one of the toughest lives anyone has ever been called to. You spend years in school “preparing” but soon realize your college and seminary training is entirely inadequate. But it’s too late by the time you realize you need degrees in ministry, theology, counseling, psychology, education, leadership, business, finance, taxes, graphic design, IT, and anything related to kids if you are going to be successful.
On top of it all you have a “church” full of people that without ever going to seminary know how to do things better than you…all the time. Though you’ve spent years, decades perhaps, studying, there’s always that one guy that disagrees with every lesson or picks a single word to criticize. The deacons know better how to run the church. The treasurer has his own budget and refuses to share. The “hospitality committee” is composed of the meanest people in the church. The ushers take up the offering at the same time each week no matter what anyone says. And somehow the pastor is expected to “lead.” Continue reading…
SHOCK! Government Demands Copy of Pastors Sermons!
Posted on October 16, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
For some time people like myself has been warning that the government was becoming increasingly intrusive on the religious freedoms of churches. Stories from the last few years alone are enough to make any sane persons head spin. From zoning law restrictions to taxes, the government has been seeking to get more than a foot in the door of America’s churches.
I have warned on more than one occasion that before long the government would try to silence America’s pastors – either through regulation, IRS intimidation, or both. It seemed a no brainer to me that the end game was to pretend to value freedom of religion while seeking to monitor and regulate exactly what speech is used.
It seems that day has come far sooner than anyone expected.
The city of Houston has issued subpoenas to a group of pastors for their sermons dealing with homosexuality, gender identity, or any mention of Mayor Annise Parker; who happens to be a lesbian.
That sentence should send chills down your spine as you realize that a government agency has just ordered pastors to submit sermons so they can be scrutinized for speech content. In other words, the city of Houston wants to make sure these pastors are using acceptable speech in their sermons. Continue reading…
In Light of the Supreme Court Decision Let’s Celebrate Endangering Health and Harming Kids
Posted on October 15, 2014 in Public Policy, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
In light of the Supreme Court’s decision to reject appeals from five states concerning the issue of marriage, thereby effectively legalizing same-sex “marriage” in those five states, I found a couple of other articles interesting.
Shouting just below the clamor of those rejoicing at the Supreme Court’s decision, and the advancement of same-sex “marriage” in general, is the common sense warning signs of the dangers of this lifestyle. First are the physical/health dangers inherent within homosexuality.
According to a recent “Morbidity and Mortality” report by the Centers for Disease Control, while gay men make up just 2% of America’s population, they account for nearly two-thirds of all HIV cases. A recent article states:
“Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) make up 2 percent of the U.S. population but are the group most definitively affected by HIV, with 63 percent of those newly infected by HIV representing this group. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s weekly ‘Morbidity and Mortality’ report shows that among persons newly infected with HIV in 2010, 63 percent were men who have sex with other men. Among Americans living with HIV, 52 percent were MSM – and a significant number of men with HIV are not receiving treatment.” Continue reading…
Christian Swingers Say God Would Be Okay With Their Lifestyle
Posted on October 14, 2014 in Marriage, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
I
don’t even know where to begin with this one. Sometimes you come across something so profoundly…stupid, that it’s hard to even get a grasp on it. Such is the case with the story of Dean and Christy, self-titled “Christian swingers.”
Dean and Christy met online and hit it off. After being married for a little while they began swinging as a way to spread God’s Word. Now, if that sounds like an odd statement it’s because you have some moral footings and Biblical knowledge that help you realize sinning in order to spread God’s Word is a contradiction.
But according to Dean, being a sinner is the best way to tell other sinners about God. In the video, posted below, he says:
“If I were a priest going to a swingers club, would you listen to me? You got a better chance listening to me spreading the word of God being another swinger, it’s still a sin, it’s just, how are you using it?”
Oh, I got ya Dean, as long as I am sinning for the right reason it’s okay. So I can be a drug dealer as long as I share Christ with all the clients whose lives I’m ruining. And when they hit rock bottom and lose their family, house, and health, I can smile and remind them that “Jesus loves you.” Is that how it works Dean?
And I can support women working in strip clubs and prostituting themselves as long as they promise to share Jesus with every handsy guy leaving a dollar in their G-string, right? After all, the men who go into those clubs and buy sex from hookers are really in need of a Savior. Who better to share Jesus with them than the girls they have come to lust after? Continue reading…
Attorney General Says Rape of Teen Girls Don’t Need to be Reported By Abortion Clinics
Posted on October 13, 2014 in Life, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
Hey mom and dad, let’s chat. Suppose for a moment your 15-year-old daughter was sexually abused, raped, and became pregnant. Without your knowledge her rapist took her to a Planned Parenthood clinic or other abortion facility to have an abortion. Your daughter wanted to keep the baby because she is pro-life, but her rapist doesn’t want to “deal with it,” and wants the baby killed. So this grown man threatens your daughter and makes her go to the clinic to have an abortion. The clinic asks your daughter about being pregnant and she reveals that she was raped by the man in the waiting room. The clinic shrugs their shoulders and performs the abortion without notifying you, or the police. Both walk out free.
Is that okay with you mom and dad?
I have a feeling that any loving parent would be furious at the above scenario and seek criminal charges against the abortion clinic for such negligent actions. After all, how can it not be a crime to not report a crime? Especially when that crime is against a minor.
Despite the common sense that makes it obvious that such potential crimes and actual crimes ought to be reported, the Virginia Attorney General has decided that such is not the case. He released an opinion stating: Continue reading…
Roundup: Supreme Court Takes One Step Closer to Legalizing Same-Sex “Marriage”
Posted on October 10, 2014 in Marriage by Nathan Cherry
The Supreme Court has rejected appeals form five states, Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin, regarding the issue of marriage. This, effectively, legalizes same-sex “marriage” in those states. Some believe the issue of marriage is destined for a ruling from the Supreme Court and this appeals rejection could signal how the court will rule. Up to this point the court has stopped short of legalizing same-sex “marriage” for all 50 states, but this appeals rejection opens up speculation on what the court will do in the future.
The following articles are a roundup of notable voices commenting on the appeals rejection by the Supreme Court.
The Blaze: Supreme Court Rejects Appeals From Five States Looking to Ban Gay Marriage
“The court’s order immediately ends delays on marriage in those states. Couples in six other states – Colorado, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming – should be able to get married in short order. Those states would be bound by the same appellate rulings that were put on hold pending the Supreme Court’s review. That would make same-sex marriage legal in 30 states and the District of Columbia.” Continue reading…
Am I The Only One Confused By “Atheist Churches”?
Posted on October 9, 2014 in Religious Freedom, Theology by Nathan Cherry
I’ve always considered atheism to be the rejection of anything remotely religious. I thought atheists were people who didn’t want to go to church, didn’t want to study anything, and didn’t want to be told how to live their lives or what to believe. Imagine my confusion when I learned not long ago of the growing popularity of “atheist churches.”
It’s almost an odd thing to even say. What could possibly motivate atheists to organize into something resembling a religious congregation and then call themselves a “church”?
For that matter, if atheists don’t believe in God and have no intention of worshipping Him, praying to Him, or studying Him, what is the purpose of their “church”?
The Atheist Church movement was started by two comedians in the UK in January of 2013. Presently they have nearly a hundred congregations worldwide.
According to the church itself their purpose is to live better and help other people:
“The Sunday Assembly is a godless congregation that celebrate life. Our motto: live better, help often, wonder more…Our mission: to help everyone find and fulfill their full potential. Our vision: a godless congregation in every town, city and village that wants one.”
The atheist church goes on to say that they intend to “provide non-believers with the opportunity to experience church community without buying into God and other related elements that secularists overwhelmingly reject.” Continue reading…
What Happens When Sex is the Crown Jewel of a Society?
Posted on October 8, 2014 in Marriage, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
Let’s be clear (and honest) about one thing. The primary motivating factor for most of what happens in our society is sex.
You don’t have to agree with me; but good luck refuting that statement. Just consider how advertising would be different if sex wasn’t a factor. How would product marketing be different if sex wasn’t an issue? How would the music industry be different? How would fashion and movies be different?
If sex wasn’t an issue at all it’s very safe to say our society would be vastly different. But because sex is the primary motivating factor in much of what takes place sex is also the goal, or end result for much of what happens. This makes sex a very dangerous weapon in the hands of anyone seeking to recreate the social or political landscape in America.
A recent article at The Week discussed this issue and the implications of sex as the primary difference between traditionalist religious people from others. The question was asked, if sex is removed from the picture, “what are we talking about?” The answer was given:
“The answer is: nothing. We are talking — and fighting, and slinging mud, and spewing bile — about nothing but sex. And in particular, about two competing, largely incompatible visions of the proper place of sex in a good human life.” Continue reading…