Freedom of Religion and Giving Offense

The first ten amendments of the Constitution of the United States of America are called the “The Bill of Rights”. These rights, and those enumerated in the amendments that follow, exist for ONE reason…to limit government’s power over individuals.

The First Amendment to the Constitution reads:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

It is a historical fact that this country was founded on the premise of freedom of religion. That was why the first Europeans came here. They rejected the authority of their various countries to establish state religions. That is why the first freedom enumerated in the Bill of Rights deals squarely with the subject of religion. What it says is that the government will make NO law respecting the establishment of a particular religion as a state religion.

What it has been interpreted to read is: “There will be a separation between church and state.” That statement is nowhere to be found in the Constitution. This interpretation has been extrapolated to mean that the government will not allow any religious displays in public places or on public airwaves. Anyone who attempts to honor God in a public place or ask Him to bless this nation thus violates federal law.

Anyone who advocates actually keeping the Ten Commandments is narrow minded and ignorant because concepts of Right and Wrong are culturally relative and Gods Commandments may offend someone if they actually have to see them in a public place.

To offer a prayer before a sporting, or other public, event is now to violate federal law. Because a prayer may ‘offend’ someone it is now illegal in public places.

It's OK for the football players in the NFL , who many young people look to as role models, to be convicted felons, drug users, misogynists or simply egotistical fools because those things are freedom of expression. But when a player like Tim Tebow offers a silent prayer of thanks to his Creator for his athletic ability...it's offensive!! People might actually have to think about the possiblity of they're being a God for a second of their lives!

It’s OK for a comic to use the most vile, disgusting language in their act because…it’s freedom of speech.

It’s OK to fill the airwaves and the Internet with all forms of perversion…from sex with animals to sodomy and rape to torture and murder…because that’s freedom of speech.

In America today it is OK to promote sexual perversion as an ‘alternative lifestyle’ regardless of whom it offends…because that’s freedom of expression.

It’s OK to promote sexual promiscuity, as long as one practices ‘safe sex’ regardless of whom it offends…because that’s freedom of expression.

It’s OK to advocate the wholesale murder of the unborn, because the labels of those doing so don’t recognize them as human beings. Abortion is simply a ‘viable method of birth control.’ Anyone who sees an unborn child as anything more than a mass of tissue is ignorant and unenlightened. And that ‘offends’ the more enlightened among us. (It is usually the same 'enlightened' people who are so ardently against the death penalty for murderers and other violent criminals.)

It’s OK to refer to Christians as bigots, homophobes, sexists, misogynists, racists and simple minded, ignorant fools…because that only offends Christians….and it’s freedom of speech.

It is OK for Muslims who come to this country, expecting us to accept their cultural and religious practices, to be offended at our cultural and religious practices. (We don’t want to offend those who have called us their sworn enemies after all…)

Americans are supposed to be ‘tolerant’ of anyone and anything…except God and His Commandments.

This is not only inconsistent as a matter of law, it is Evil disguised as Good!

This is NOT the America our founding fathers envisioned! This is NOT the America that our veterans fought for in the wars we've taken part in. We fought for freedom of religion...not freedom from religion. We have turned our backs on our Creator...the ONE our Declaration of Independence says gave us our rights!

It is time Jews and Christians got offended at our country revering in decadence all the while being told that our values, the Judeo-Christian values that this nation was built on, may offend someone if they actually had to see or hear them!

Something is VERY WRONG here!

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!        Isaiah 5:20

On Love

Love is the most popular subject in our music and our poetry but it’s also one of the most misunderstood concepts in the world. We’ve all heard someone say things like: “I just love my wife so much I’d kill her if she ever left me”. Even with as much as we obsess over the subject, as a society, I believe we are somewhat uncomfortable with the subject of love. We’re not quite sure how or when to express it. It is often mistaken for weakness and we don’t want to appear weak. Even in churches where love should be taught as a part of the Gospel of Christ it is often misunderstood or misrepresented.

In a Sabbatarian church I once attended, it was ‘politically incorrect’ to talk about love. That was a subject that Protestants, and other ‘touchy-feely’ types talked about. Love was too often used to dismiss God’s law and what mattered was the law. Never mind the fact that God revealed His law to us as an act of love. Like when a parent tells their young child to stay away from a busy street. It is out of love that they do so. The law of God glows with love for His children. Love flows through every line of His word. That’s something it would do well for all of us to remember. We also need to remember that love has rules. It’s not just whatever we feel.

Love, in English, means very different things depending on how it is used. Dictionaries use words like: affection, attraction, tenderness, devotion and admiration to define love.

In a more precise way, Greek uses four different words for our word love:

Agápe means unconditional love. This is the form of the word most often used in scripture.

Éros is romantic or sexual love. It is the root word for erotic.

Philia means friendship or brotherly love.

Storge means affection.

We have often heard love defined as: “an outgoing concern for others” but it is more than that. Love is the extension of our sense of self. It is the extension of our sense of “I-Me-My-Mine” to include others. What we love we consider a part of us.

God’s word tells us that:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

(I Cor.13: 4-8) NIV

These qualities define the characteristics of Love. These are the qualities that God wants us to cultivate in our lives. These are qualities we must show to love to God and other people.

Here are just a few things God’s word says about love and some commentary:

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you (Matt. 5:44)

Love is not a noun it’s a verb. Love is not just what we feel it’s what we do. It isn’t easy to love ones enemies but as Christians we are called to a higher standard of behavior. This is a directive from Christ…a commandment for His disciples.

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. (Matt. 7:12)

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? (Matt. 5:46)

This is ‘nuts and bolts’ Christianity. This is the aim of Gods Word. It’s not just for our brethren…it’s for everyone. This is how we can emulate God the Father. He loves all His children.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

What God asked of Abraham, to kill his only son Isaac, was to test Abraham’s faith in God. Well, God showed His faith in, and love for, us by sacrificing His own son. We often overlook the most obvious things in the scriptures by parsing Hebrew and Greek words and ignoring the obvious. A part of the God family stepped out of eternity into a mortal body and gave His life for us out of God’s love for us.

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. (I John 4:16)

All real love flows from God. When we open our hearts to receive it and to allow it to flow through us we allow God to live in us. This scripture says it all.

If a man says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? ( I John 4:20)

We can’t say our hearts are open to God but closed to other human beings. They are a part of us and we of them. We all draw from the well that is humanity. To love our fellow man is a part of what it is to love God.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34)

Christ loved us enough to die for us…that’s how He loved us. It was in what He did…not just what He felt.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

We shouldn’t overlook the fact that others have died for us too. American soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and police are some who have given their lives for us. Their sacrifices should never be overlooked or shortchanged. God certainly doesn’t overlook them.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:35)

We often hear churches claim one proof or another that they are the true church. This is the proof that Christ pointed to. This is what Christ said identifies His disciples.

If you love me keep my commandments. (John 14:15)

Love has rules. It has boundaries. We can’t just do whatever we feel like and call it love. God tells us here what we are to do to show Him our love for Him in no uncertain terms.

These are just a few things God tells us about love. We too often overlook the most obvious things in the scriptures in our search minute or obscure truths.

The fact is that it doesn’t matter what a church teaches officially or unofficially.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing. (I Cor. 13: 1-3)

What matters is that we open our hearts and allow God’s love to flow through us.

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but DOES nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? (James 2:16) NIV

What matters is what we do.