Category: In The News!
Articles analyzing current events.
In the News: Baptism Permits?
In a Fox News (internet) story from August 30, writer Todd Starnes reported:
“The National Park Service began enforcing a policy recently that required churches to obtain special use permits in order to baptize in public waters. As part of the same permit process, the NPS also mandated that churches give the Park Service 48 hours advance notice of pending baptisms.” (story link here)
Missouri Baptists complained vociferously about the restrictions, as it impacted their practice (for generations) of baptizing in area rivers.
In the News: Something from Nothing
This past week I came across a YouTube video, where an apologist for the theory of evolution was seeking to explain the origin of the universe. Said apologist is taken with a book written by Lawrence Krauss, A Universe from Nothing , which posits that the universe came from, as the apologist states, “literally nothing.” Please read the following quotes carefully from that video:
In the News: A Profane Nation
I received an email a few days ago, from the Bible Questions website (biblequestions.org). They frequently send out examples of the questions and answers that are archived on the site. The question in this email was, “Why is profanity so common?”
I liked the answer given. First, it was noted that the frequency of public profanity has skyrocketed. One stat given was an 800% increase in frequency over earlier periods. Now, the survey date was not given, and the time frames were not clear, but it is obvious that profanity is heard more and more often in public. It is not only uttered by men, but also now by women and children.
In the News: Demonstrating a Bias
This one is hitting close to home. The San Antonio city council is considering adopting an ordinance that will update their non-discrimination policy. This new ordinance will, if enacted, effectively ban anyone who expresses their faith from involvement in city business. Following is the text of the proposed ordinance:
“No person shall be appointed to a position if the city council finds that such person has, prior to such proposed appointment, engaged in discrimination or demonstrated a bias, by word or deed, against any person, group or organization on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, age, or disability.”
The ordinance adds two new categories to protected status — sexual orientation and gender identity. It also uses the words “demonstrated a bias”, without defining what rises to the level of bias. It is open ended, showing that such “demonstrations” have no expiration date.
In the News: A Day of Infamy
“Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:24).
June 26, 2013 was a day of infamy for the United States of America. On that day, on both the state (Texas), and the federal level, events transpired that will further degrade our moral standing before the Almighty God of heaven.
In the News: “We Don’t Condone Heroics”
I read this past week of a student in Calgary who was punished with in-school suspension for coming to the aid of a classmate who was being threatened with a knife.
According to the article, Briar MacLean stepped between a bully and his victim, pushed the knife brandishing boy away, and shortly after the aggressor was subdued. Briar was thanked by the victim, and went about his school day until being called into the office where he was required to remain until the end of the day, and was questioned by school officials and police. His locker was also searched.
In the News: Fal$e Teacher$
I think I may have found a rap song that I like, kind of…
A “Christian Rap” artist by the name of Shai Linne recently released a song called Fal$e Teacher$, where he contends that those who are what he calls “prosperity preachers” are in fact false teachers. He specifically names twelve such teachers in his song, including such well known names as Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar and Kenneth Copeland.
(Note: Click here to listen to the song on Youtube).
In the News: It’s My Child… Not Yours!
Seventeen years ago Hillary Clinton wrote a book titled, It Takes a Village. The book maintained that for a child to develop properly and be successful, they need the help, education and support of their whole society. In other words, it takes a village to raise a child.
Clinton was criticized by many who felt that such a position would erode the rights of parents to raise their children as they see fit, with their values and world view. However, the book was well received, and Clinton has maintained an influential voice in American culture.
In the News: The Age of the Universe?
In 2009 the European Space Agency launched a satellite designed to record and map cosmic background radiation. In the time the satellite has been in orbit, scientists have compiled a 50 million pixel image of that radiation. Basically, 15 months were spent recording the radiation, and filtering out dust emissions and radio frequencies.
From this data and image, stellar evolutionists have postulated a new age for the universe. The new guess is that it is 13.81 billion years old, about 80 million years older than previously believed.
In the News: Is the Bible Hate Speech?
A while back a Canadian man was convicted of a hate crime. He was arrested for passing out flyers in two towns in Ontario, objecting to the recommendation made by a local school board that homosexuality be included in the school curriculum. He specifically referred to the inappropriateness of teaching school age children about sodomy, and cited 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”
In the News: The World’s Hatred
I find myself irritated from time to time by famous people who claim to be Christians, but show themselves to be fickle in their “faith” when their convictions are tested by circumstance or criticism. Two examples of this recently came to my attention.
The first was a quote from Josh Hamilton, who was the center fielder for the Texas Rangers last season. In an important game last year, late in the season, Hamilton made an egregious and costly error. When his manager asked him what happened, he responded by uttering a profanity. Now, it is obvious that Hamilton has problems. His drug abuse, tattoo covered body, and continued struggles with addiction are well documented. But, he claims to have given his heart to the Lord, and that God leads him in the decisions he makes in his life. His behavior in light of his claims give cause for the world to ridicule the very concept of Christian faith.
In the News: The Second Amendment
After reading this article, you might consider the title a bit misleading. It is less a discussion of the merits of the second amendment to the constitution, and more an examination of the question of authority. But, at least it piqued your interest!
You would have to have spent the last few weeks under a rock to not have gotten wind of the rather passionate current debate over the relative need for gun control. The debate has become more contentious in the aftermath of the mass shooting on December 14th at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. This shooting has led gun control advocates to call for comprehensive legislation that will greatly limit the type and numbers of firearms available to American citizens. At the other end of the spectrum, it has led others to call for the arming of teachers, principals and other law abiding citizens to combat these violent criminals.
In the News: Foolish Predictions
As everyone knows, the ancient Mayan calendar ended on December 21, 2012, and the world did not end. Now, the Mayans were not predicting the end of the world, but that didn’t preclude a lot of foolish people predicting its demise, based on the calendar.
In fact, such foolishness has a long history. I recently came across an internet article which recounted 11 different predictions of earthly destruction (at the least), none of which came true. Here is a concise listing, with a couple of points at the end:
In the News: Blasphemy and Idolatry
It is obvious that our country has undergone substantial and fundamental changes in the 236 years since our forefathers declared independence from English rule. A country founded upon the promise of religious freedom has become decidedly secular. Traditional moral standards have been replaced by a situational ethic, and what was once scorned is now championed. While there is obvious concern about our present economic and debt problems, few are interested in discussing moral issues.
In the News: At What Point Life?
Here are some further comments I have made in an online discussion on the subject of abortion. These are edited a bit to make them more usable in an article format:
