December 1997 News Archives
Distributed via e-mail by Christian News & Views.. These articles may be used in any manner to the glory of God, and as an aid in the discernment of the times December 1997 [Andy Neckar, PO Box J, Hico, TX 76457]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. Zambia Aids Activists Say Christians Hampering Efforts.
2. Virtual Persecution?
3. Can Man Presume WWJD
4. Unsure of Forgiveness: Unsure of Salvation
5. New Sex Education Video Kit.
6. Evangelical Pollster Says Many Roman Catholics Are Christian.
7. Drunk Entitled To Sick Pay.
8. Evangelical Pollster Says Many Mormons Are Christian
9. ABC/Disney’s "Ellen" Attacks Baptist Christians on 11/19/97 Episode
10.Ellen on Public Broadcasting System (PBS)
11. Ecumenicism at Expense of the Gospel
12. Dr. James Dobson Endorses Agnostic Book
13. Bible Answer Man Compromises on "Brownsville Revival"
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ZAMBIA AIDS ACTIVISTS SAY CHRISTIANS HAMPERING EFFORTS
On Friday an AIDS activist group said that Christians are encouraging the spread of the disease by opposing condom distribution programs because they promote promiscuity.
Mpundu Mwanza, spokesman for the condom distributing group, the Society for Family Health. Said that "People who discourage the use of condoms are doing society a disfavor. They say it is better to encourage people to abstain from sex, but people will have sex anyway" She added, "Society must accept people will have sex despite the existence of AIDS, and encourage them to minimize the risk." The Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia, funded partially by the government and partially by international organizations, said its efforts to encourage family planning and fight AIDS were being undermined by segments of the Christian community.
Christian churches have experienced a renewed influence in Zambian society since President Frederick Chiluba amended the country's constitution last year to officially declare Zambia a Christian nation. (Excerpts taken from C.W.N.-Dec 15 1997)
[Editor] As time progresses Christians will be accused of all manner of worldly evils. The world will not accept as fact that God says the wages of sin is death. Those without Christ are in double jeopardy. (Rev.21:8)
The only GOOD NEWS I have to report this New Years Eve is that the apostate events occurring in the world and the churches are "proof positive" that Jesus is coming soon. AMEN?
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------A Free Methodist Church in Fairmont, W.Va., got an idea of what it's like to be a persecuted church. With the cooperation of the local sheriff's office, pastor Wayne Stone staged his own arrest on a recent Sunday morning, and authorities closed the church. That night the congregation met as if in secret, according to Christian Daily News. Church leaders were pleased that the church continued meeting and that the community responded quickly with letters and telephone calls to the sheriff. Later, the rest of the community was told about the experiment and church members were asked to submit an article to the local paper describing their experience. (Religion Today)
[Editor] Does this really give a person insight on religious persecution? Can the "church" gain discernment by staging a "virtual crucifixion"? How about staging a "virtual hell" to induce non-believers to Christ" True believers do not have to fantasize though. "Realistic persecution" is coming soon enough if Jesus tarries.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------More than 10 million wristbands have been sold with the initials W.W.J.D. -- and the ubiquitous trend shows no signs of ebbing. The letters stand for "What Would Jesus Do?" and the wristbands are intended to remind the wearer to consider Jesus' teachings before making important decisions -- and to respond to others who ask about the Christian faith. While many young people take their message seriously, others consider the bracelets to be a fashion fad with no spiritual meaning.
The wristbands, produced by Lesco Corporation of Michigan, are sold for $2 each at 4,000 Christians bookstores around the country. Other W.W.J.D. products being marketed include a youth-group curriculum, a journal for students, a devotional Bible, a Bible cover, a devotional that describes various situations and suggests what Jesus would do, a CD, and mugs.
The idea for the bracelets came from the Christian novel In His Steps, written by Charles M. Sheldon in 1896 and translated into many languages. A group of students at a church in Holland, Mich., studied the book and suggested the bracelets. (Religion Today 12/10/97)
[Editor} A religious fad is "all" this is. How can man suggest what Jesus would do in various situations. The Bible tells us what He did in specific situations, but man cannot speculate what He would do in a presumed situation.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Unsure of Forgiveness: Unsure of Salvation
Recent Gallup Survey Shows People Worried About Not Being Forgiven By God.
George H. Gallup Jr., chairman of the George H. Gallup International Institute in Princeton, N.J. in an interview with Religion News Service says in a newly released Gallup survey that many Americans long for spiritual support as they reach the end of their lives, but few say they would choose clergy to provide it, a newly released Gallup survey shows.36 percent said a member of the clergy would be the most comforting person to them at life's end, while eighty-one percent of respondents chose family and 61 percent chose close friends.
Gallup, in an interview with Religion News Service, said it is "not terribly surprising" people would chose family and friends.
"Nevertheless, I think the point remains that clergy are pretty low on the list," he added. Gallup said he attributes the responses about clergy to a trend in American society of people separating their spiritual development from an organized religious congregation."There's been a lot of decoupling the faith and church," he said. "The majority of Americans believe that it's possible to be a good Christian or Jew without going to church or synagogue."
The survey also found 56 percent of those polled were worried about a lack of medical technology to save their lives, not reconciling with other people and not being forgiven by God.
"People are just as worried about spiritual matters as they are medical technology," Gallup said. (excerpts from Dec. 6, 1997 Religion News Service)[Editor] I do not believe one can be a "good" Christian without obedience to God. How is that possible? God commands Christians to fellowship with each other. (Heb 10:25) We should do this to provoke one another unto love and to good works: (Heb 10:24) For some this will be harder than others, as sound churches (gathering places) are in some cases hard to find.
The reason the survey shows that the majority of people are worried about a lack of medical technology to save their lives, is because they are unsure if they will live again after death. The most common reason for people to be worried about not being forgiven by God is because they aren’t.. The majority of people in Christian churches have not believed the gospel of Christ. Maybe some of it, but not all of it.
The True Believer (Christian) has assurance of salvation, therefore forgiveness by God. To know this all one has to do is read His Word (Bible) and "believe all of it".
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A senior official in the National Council of Churches has enthusiastically endorsed a new Planned Parenthood sex education video kit, Talking About Sex. The parents' guide defends abortion as "one of the safest operations available," and it asserts that "most women report feeling relieved after an abortion." While noting that "some religions condemn homosexuality," the parent's guide states that "the bottom line is that homosexual love relationships can be as fulfilling as heterosexual love relationships." It advises that children ages 10-14 should be educated about "diverse family structures," including "gay or lesbian parents."
Dr. Joe Leonard, an American Baptist minister and associate director of the NCC's Ministries in Christian Education, exclaims about the kit, "Hurray! Here is an engaging resource for coaching parents in one of the most important tasks: educating their children about sexuality" (National Liberty Journal, 9/97).[Editor] And the apostasy goes on and on and on...
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Evangelical Pollster Says Many Mormons Are Christian
Evangelical pollster and religious statistician George Barna recently conducted a research project which revealed that many Mormons claim to be "born again." With approximately 4 million Mormons in the USA, the poll revealed that 26 percent of them say yes to questions about being "born again." The same survey, which sampled 6,242 adults nationwide, found that 31 percent of Baptists do not admit to being "born again" (Sword of the Lord, 11/14/97).
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Evangelical Pollster Says Many Roman Catholics Are Christian.
A growing number of Roman Catholics say that they are born-again Christians. In just two years, there has been a 41% increase in the number of Catholics in George Barna's annual surveys who affirm: "I have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in my life today," and "I believe that after I die I will go to heaven because I have confessed my sins and have accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior (Alliance Life, 10/29/97).
[Editor} "Super Evangelist" George Barna is determining more souls into heaven with his "watered down" questions concerning a "watered down" gospel than the rest of us can actually lead to Christ through His gospel.
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A Canadian arbitration panel has ruled that a laborer who failed to show up for work because he was drunk is entitled to sick pay for his hangover (Straighttalk, 10/23/97).
[Editor] Where was this law here in Texas when I was a slobbering drunk (excuse me- suffering with the disease of alcoholism) 17 years ago? I sure could have used it. Oh well!
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ABC/DISNEY'S 'ELLEN' ATTACKS BAPTIST CHRISTIANS ON 11/19/97 EPISODE
Last night's ABC/Disney ELLEN was a hate-filled attack on Baptist Christians. Ellen gets a job as Emma Thompson's personal assistant shortly after she discovers that Thompson is a lesbian. Two time Oscar winner Thompson is encouraged by Ellen's candor regarding her sexual orientation and decides to come out herself at a nationally televised Hollywood dinner in her honor. "Let's go out and terrify some Baptists," she declares. Concerned that Thompson needs to understand all the obstacles that she will face as a result of coming out and being a celebrity, Ellen warns her that the press will probably dig deep into her past. A drunk Thompson confesses to her darkest secret...she's really from Dayton, Ohio and learned the accent from watching Julie Andrews movies. At the dinner, Sean Penn steels Thompson's thunder by coming out himself. (11/20/97 American Family Association)
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ELLEN ON PUBLIC BROADCASTING SYSTEM (PBS)
The Disney/ABC sitcom ELLEN continues to be controversial this season, as lesbian actress Ellen DeGeneres unashamedly uses it as a vehicle for evangelizing young people with the message that "Gay is O.K." Now PBS has joined Degeneres in targeting children.
Prior to last season's "coming out" episode of ELLEN, the executive producer of the show admitted to TV GUIDE that young people were a target group for the show's message.
This season Degeneres complained bitterly when ABC used a parental advisory prior to an episode where Ellen kissed another woman. DeGeneres said children should be allowed to watch same-sex affection. The 'celebrated kiss' earned the October 8 ELLEN episode a parental advisory warning of "adult content." DeGeneres said the advisory was discrimination against same-sex affection and threatened to quit. "This advisory is telling kids something's wrong with being gay," DeGeneres complained to the New York Times. The point to the show is to let kids know there's nothing with being gay, she said. "And now they're saying children shouldn't watch it," she told TV GUIDE. ABC backed away from the confrontation and removed the parental advisory the following week.
Last week PBS - the Public Broadcasting System - aired shows targeting children with DeGeneres as a hostess: SESAME STREET and STORYTIME.
American Family Association president, Dr. Donald E. Wildmon, said, "With a past history of enthusiastically pushing the homosexual agenda, viewers should not have been surprised to see Ellen DeGeneres on PBS. But seeing her on a children's show is further proof that the Hollywood-New York-Washington, D.C. axis has strategically chosen the next generation as their safest bet for normalizing this lifestyle." (11/15/97 American Family Association)
[Editor] This is something to think about as your children watch television. When Sesame Street is not safe for children to watch anymore maybe it's time for the TV to go.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ECUMENICISM AT EXPENSE OF THE GOSPEL
A proposal to eliminate any reference to a Trinitarian God -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit -- from the Colorado Council of Churches mission statement.. The executive board is considering the change to make the 12-member organization more open and inclusive to faiths that do not believe in the Trinity.
Council president Lucia Guzman declined to comment. Lucia Guzman, a United Methodist clergywoman in the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference, is the executive director of the Colorado Council of Churches
Rev. Guzman received her Master of Divinity degree from Iliff School of Theology in 1989 and was ordained as an elder of the Rocky Mountain Conference in 1992. She has had many varied experiences as Dean of Students and Assistant to the President for Human Affairs at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas, and was pastor at Berkeley United Methodist Church in Denver for five years. This church has a redeveloping congregation that is cross-cultural and cross- generational. As Director of the Colorado Council of Churches, she has responsibility for building relationships with leaders and congregations of member churches and supporting inter- faith dialogues. She serves on many committees of the Rocky Mountain Conference to promote spiritual growth and human rights.(excerpts from the December 1997 "Rocky Mountain News")
[Editor] I do not know the names of all twelve member denominations but for the United Methodist and the Catholic Archdiocese of Denver. I do know for a fact though, that those members are traveling through the straight gate and down the broad way. (Matt 7:13)
It is shameful that numbers are so much more important that the gospel. This present Ecumenicism is so important to so many that they seem to be unconcerned that it will lead to a unity of eternal damnation.
They claim to strive for unity in diversity, but their actions manifest a different agenda. They are willing to give up truth and sanction or approve error to get what they are so desperately after. Willingly or ignorantly they are building the end-times "One World Church" because they refuse to believe God’s Word .(The Bible)
Some do this in order to improve life on this earth, (social services replacing the gospel of Christ) and others claim to do this in order to evangelize the world by the year 2000, but compromise of any kind only leads to eventual apostasy.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dr. James Dobson Endorses Agnostic Book
The Wonder of Boys a book written by Michael Gurian and carrying an endorsement by Dr. James Dobson of "Focus on the Family" and which has been hailed in the mainstream media as the savior of the next male generation, is full of absurdities, such as: Deploring Dr. Joycelyn Elders' firing as U.S. Surgeon General for suggesting that young boys be taught to masturbate, saying: "They [boys] need us to teach them about masturbating in the same way we teach them about menstruation..."
The books author claims that homosexuality is not a lifestyle choice but a result of genetics, suggesting that it is part of God's design: Gurian defines spirituality as "universal connection, transcendent experience, our deep 'sense of belonging' in the world." He writes, "I am using the word 'God' here to denote the YHWH of the Jews, Jehovah of the Christians, Allah of the Muslims, Brahman of the Hindus, Godhead of the Buddhists, Creator of the Native Americans, Higher Power of AA, the Force of Star Wars."
Throughout the book, Gurian refers to a man's lifetime partner not as his wife, but as a "lover," "romantic partner" and "life partner."
As far as Dobson's "endorsement," which appeared in the January 1997, issue of "Family News From Dr. James Dobson", Focus vice president of public relations Paul Hetrick says, "Dr. Dobson did not mean to endorse the book. We are taking action to get his name removed."(Excerpted from New Man Magazine November 1997)
[Editor] How can one "accidentally" endorse a book? Does one causally lend out one’s name? For what reason? Money? The reason Dobson withdrew his endorsement is because the public outcry against this book was so great he was forced by public opinion to do so.
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Bible Answer Man Compromises on "Brownsville Revival
"On Dec. 3, Hank Hanegraaff, a prominent critic of the charismatic renewal movement, and host of the daily syndicated radio program The Bible Answer Man and heads Christian Research Institute visited the Brownsville Assembly of God church, where nearly 2 million people have attended worship services since dramatic charismatic manifestations began occurring during an evangelistic service in June 1995.
On Dec. 4, the outspoken Hanegraaff addressed 500 students at the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry. He was warmly received with a standing ovation before beginning his message. Hanegraaff also had lunch with Brownsville pastor John Kilpatrick and evangelist Steve Hill. Hanegraaff's visit to Pensacola came about as the result of his Nov. 1 debate with Michael Brown, president of the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry Nov.1st in Dallas, Texas.
Kilpatrick described a statement he had made about Hanegraaff, for which he later publicly apologized, as "ugly, a sin, and something I wish wasn't even there." Hanegraaff responded, "Look, you're not the only one who has some apologizing to do."
Hanegraaff is "not now saying that he endorses the revival," Brown said. "What he is saying is, 'we are going to spend eternity together as brothers. We are both passionate for the fundamentals of the faith. We are both passionate to seek disciples and not just converts. We have much ground in common.
..."Let us see if we can flow our dialogue as an example of the Body of Christ to show how two leaders can have strong disagreements and yet dialogue in a way that is gracious and Christlike, and learn from each other in doing so.' "
[Editor] This dialogue spoken of will lead to compromise. I believe it already has. Why would Hanegraaff need to apologize for speaking the truth about the Brownsville Revival? God knows—when will Christians understand—compromise with error leads to apostasy. A LITTLE LEAVEN LEAVENS THE WHOLE LUMP.