Category: Immorality

The King James translation supplies the term “strange” to reference profane or immoral things. The lesson relates four uses of the term for discussion: Strange Gods, Strange Fire, Strange Woman and Strange Doctrines.

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(Note: This short article was written by a member at West Side, Tommy Davis. As the article is brief, in the bulletin I added the quotes from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. I commend Tommy’s article to you. Stan).

One of man’s greatest leaders said something that made me think. Being a Christian, I tried to put the saying in perspective.

President Ronald Reagan said:

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”

What will you do to keep the greatest nation on the earth from perishing? If we use worldly wisdom, our response would be to join the US Armed Forces! After all, America is the first country in history to have the power to conquer the earth and yet restrains itself. It is the only country in history to conquer other nations to free them from tyranny (and then let them rule themselves again). We are the good guys!

Continue reading “America – A Godly Nation?” →

An article in the January 3 New York Times related the religious convictions of Tom and Claudia Riner of Louisville, KY.

Tom is the pastor of a small Baptist church, and has served as a Democratic representative in the Kentucky state legislature for the past 26 years. He is constantly introducing legislation that is designed to keep faith in God at the center of government and society. As such, he and his wife are constantly opposed by such groups as the ACLU, and have had numerous pieces of legislation overturned by the Supreme Court.

Continue reading “In The News: A “More Diverse Context”” →

Many are aware of the furor that has erupted over Barack Obama’s decision to have Rick Warren deliver the invocation at his inauguration ceremony. Obama promised during his campaign to bring people who differ together so that our nation might come to embrace common ideals despite strong differences. His choice of Warren, who believes what the Bible teaches on the subject of homosexuality and abortion, is an example of Obama keeping this promise.

Interestingly, though this promise among others constitutes one of the reasons he was embraced by the left in this country, it is also the reason why he is being criticised by those same supporters when said promise is put into practice. It seems that homosexuals and abortionists want us to listen to and accept them, but they are unwilling to listen to and accept us! In effect, they are intolerant of those who are intolerant! Put another way, they have long complained of being “marginalized” by society, and now that one of their own is being put into office, they are seeking to do the same to those who disagree with them!

Continue reading “In The News: The Intolerance of the Tolerant” →

This headline seems like it should be on the front page of the National Enquirer, (and it probably was), but it is being reported as legitimate by national news agencies such as ABC News.

Barbara Walters was granted an exclusive interview with Thomas Beatie and “his” wife Nancy on Friday, November 14th, on 20/20 Magazine. It was the first public interview granted since the birth of their daughter Susan. Beatie has since announced that “he” is again pregnant.

You notice the quotations around the words “his” and “he” in the paragraph below. As Matthew Gilbert of the Boston Globe reported:

Of course, it’s a little inflammatory to call Beatie “a pregnant man.” The more accurate description would be “a pregnant female-to-male transgender who identifies as a man but whose female reproductive organs are intact,” but that probably wouldn’t sell as many tabloids or draw as many viewers to “Oprah,” “20/20,” or, tonight at 9, the Discovery Health documentary “Pregnant Man.” When it comes to grabbing eyes, detailed descriptions can be inconvenient.

Continue reading “In The News: Man Pregnant Again!” →

I recently came across an article entitled, Redefinition Revolution—Gay Marriage is about more than Adam and Steve. It was written by Maggie Gallagher, the President of an organization called the National Organization for Marriage. Her organization helped to put a marriage amendment on the ballot in California this November, in an attempt to reverse the California Supreme Court’s decision to allow homosexuals to marry.

Her assertions in the article are illuminating and disturbing. She posits that allowing homosexuals to marry is the progression of an agenda that will have far reaching and severe ramifications for Christians.

It is obvious to anyone who has even a passing familiarity with our society that practicing homosexuals have an active agenda to promote their lifestyle. As society becomes more accepting of the perversion, it gains credibility in the minds of the average American.

Continue reading “The Obvious Homosexual Agenda” →

The primary question that one must ask when considering the morality of abortion is, “When does life begin?” It is the question that will determine whether one believes abortion to be merely the removal of tissue, or the murder of a child.

Though many reject it, science supplies only one answer to the question. From the time the sperm fertilizes the egg, a unique organism, with a unique DNA signature, exists. If the DNA were to be examined by an expert to determine its origin, it would not be identified as the DNA of the mother, or the father. It would not be identified as the DNA of some animal. It would be identified as unique human DNA, related as a child to the mother and the father.

Continue reading “A Philosophical Discussion of Abortion” →

The question of our title is similar to other questions that have been asked. Can a Christian be a lawyer? Or, can a Christian tend bar?

Those questions speak of the morality of the two occupations. While I believe that a Christian could certainly practice law, there are certain types of lawyers who seem, if they do their job successfully, to violate Christian morality.

However, when I ask the question, “Can a Christian be President?” I am not so concerned with the ethics of the job; rather, I am referring to the electability of a Christian. I am convinced that one who truly holds to the teachings of Jesus Christ would be considered an extremist, and would have no chance of being elected to the highest office in America.

Continue reading “In The News: Can A Christian Be President” →

AOTS Number 80

Our society is tolerant of everything except for intolerance. The attitude? Don’t Judge Me! This can not be the attitude of the child of God.

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AOTS Number 76

Too many in our permissive society twist the concept of liberty to mean a liscense to do whatever they want. As Christians, we must become slaves to Christ, and be responsible in our actions.

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Two decades after a nude photo scandal helped cost a Miss America her title, Americans may be adopting a more ho-hum attitude toward people who bare it all for the cameras.

Some experts say the Internet and more explicit TV are fostering a more relaxed response by Americans to public displays of bare flesh, even if many people profess to be more conservative.

Take, for example, the muted reaction to nude photos of 18-year-old Vanessa Hudgens, the star of Walt Disney Co.’s squeaky clean “High School Musical” franchise,

One day after the photos surfaced on the Web last Thursday, Hudgens issued an apology and family friendly Walt Disney Co. said it would continue negotiating her appearance in the third installment of the hugely popular series, one of the most popular programs in U.S. cable TV history.

While some expressed outrage, many fans pledged support on her MySpace page …

… Some lashed out at her critics.

“Quit moaning and if you have any kind of decent filtering on the computer, kids aren’t going to see it,” wrote one poster on a media blog Web site …

… It’s a far cry from the scandal in 1984 when Vanessa Williams, the first black woman named as Miss America, resigned after nude photos surfaced of her and another female model.
“I do think that general attitudes about nudity are becoming more relaxed, but these changes take time, which is why there’s still mixed responses,” said Paul Levinson, communication and media professor at Fordham University.

“We as a society are finally growing up and it’s a healthy thing,” he said.

Sex and nudity are also more prevalent on television, especially cable stations. Last week’s opening episode of the HBO drama “Tell Me You Love Me,” contained at least half-a-dozen sex acts.

Sue Zeidler, Reuters

Analysis:

Two peculiar things about this story. First, there is no outrage being heard about the 18 year old’s sexual relationship with her boyfriend. While some are upset that she took a nude photo of herself that, without her consent, became public; no one is condemning her for taking nude photographs of herself for her boyfriend, or maintaining a sexual relationship with him. Such has become so commonplace in our time that it no longer even raises questions in the mind of most.

Continue reading “In The News: Revealing Photos Are Becoming Passe?” →

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Democratic presidential contenders faced pointed questions on gay marriage and the basis for sexual orientation in a forum that forced candidates to confront politically touchy issues that have vexed a nation.

Former Sen. John Edwards found himself discussing whether he is comfortable around gay people – he said he is. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson appeared to struggle with a question about why people become gay or lesbian. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton ended up defending the record of her husband, former President Clinton, on gay rights.

Continue reading “In The News: Democrats on Gay Issues” →

It is apparent that we are living during a time of immorality and ungodliness. Worldliness has always held sway with the majority, but we are certainly in a cycle of excessiveness.

In Genesis 6:5-6 we are informed of an ungodly time, much like our own. “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” That is not to say that there are only 8 righteous souls on the earth (the number spared in the flood). However, the evil nature of society is certainly similar to that of old.

The pagan society of Paul’s day was similar. Paul stated that “although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21). Their foolishness led them to all types of debauchery, and Paul maintained that those who practice such things are “worthy of death” (vs. 32).

This past week I typed in the word “scandal” into an internet search engine, and came up with a sampling of the pervasive ungodliness that exists in our world today.

• An NBA referee (Tim Donaghy) is being investigated by the FBI for both betting on and fixing NBA games in order to appease gangsters because of his gambling debts. The scandal is perhaps the most disturbing in decades in professional sports.
• Some British politicians are presently embroiled in a scandal involving unethical campaign financing schemes.
• A Catholic Cardinal in Los Angeles apologized last week to the hundreds of people affected by the sex scandal that has rocked the Catholic church. The church in L.A. is scheduled to pay $660,000,000 in reparations to victims.
• Louisiana Senator David Vitter spent last week in seclusion after a raid on a prostitution ring in Washington D.C. turned up his phone number. He has acknowledged what he calls “a serious sin.”
• In China a scandal surfaced last month after about 400 distraught parents posted a plea on the Internet about their children who had been sold into slavery in China’s northern Shanxi province and neighbouring Henan. It is estimated that over 1,000 people, many of them children, have been victimized by these crimes.

These are only representative of the literally hundreds of scandals that have been reported on in the news the past several weeks. They show a lack of integrity, conviction and morality that exists in the world today. Sex, gambling, corruption and man’s inhumanity to man are the norm rather than the exception. In fact, such are so common that it is probable most of the examples above are unfamiliar to most of the readers of this article.

In the face of such ungodliness, Christians are admonished by the Holy Spirit to, “become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I [Paul] may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Phil. 2:15-16).

LOS ANGELES – The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles will settle its clergy abuse cases for at least $600 million, by far the largest payout in the church’s sexual abuse scandal, The Associated Press learned Saturday.

Attorneys for the archdiocese and the plaintiffs are expected to announce the deal Monday, the day the first of more than 500 clergy abuse cases was scheduled for jury selection, according to two people with knowledge of the agreement. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the settlement had not been made public.

The archdiocese and its insurers will pay between $600 million and $650 million to about 500 plaintiffs — an average of $1.2 million to $1.3 million per person. The settlement also calls for the release of confidential priest personnel files after review by a judge assigned to oversee the litigation, the sources said.

The settlements would push the total amount paid out by the U.S. church since 1950 to more than $2 billion, with about a quarter of that coming from the Los Angeles archdiocese.

By GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated Press Writer

Analysis:

The Catholic church has been embarrassed by this scandal, as alarmingly large numbers of Catholic priests, (each of which has taken a vow of celibacy), have been exposed as criminally promiscuous. Priests have been convicted of charges of sexual harassment, rape, and pedophilia (with both boys and girls).

Continue reading “In The News: LA Church to Pay $600 Million for Clergy Abuse” →

SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Supermodel Gisele Bundchen stepped into the debate over birth control and sexual behavior in Brazil on Tuesday, saying Church opposition to condom use was ridiculous and women should have the right to choose on abortion.

Gisele is idolized by many young women in Brazil, the world’s largest Roman Catholic country, where debate over sexual issues has intensified around a visit by Pope Benedict last month.

The Pope stressed the Church’s firm opposition to abortion and contraception and railed against sex outside of marriage.

The Brazilian beauty, one of the world’s top models, told Folha de S.Paulo newspaper in an interview that when the Church made its laws centuries ago, women were expected to be virgins.

“Today no one is a virgin when they get married … show me someone who’s a virgin!” she said.

Asked about abortion, she said a woman should have the right to choose what is best for her.

“If she thinks she doesn’t have the money or the emotional condition to raise a child, why should she give birth?”

Analysis:

There is a great deal interesting about this article. Notice first of all Gisele’s statement that “when the Church made its law centuries ago, women were expected to be virgins.” In fact, it has only been a few decades since women stopped being expected to be virgins. And by the way, it was not the Church that determined that women should be virgins, but rather God, as revealed in His word! “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).

Second, note that Gisele is “idolized” by many young women in Brazil. It is interesting how much influence and authority that the world places upon a model — a person whose job is to don the most scandalous of outfits (fashion models exhibit no modesty), and pose for pictures. There is obviously no premium on intelligence, and the lifestyle of a top fashion model is one characterized by debauchery and excess, and yet she is idolized and mimicked by millions of women! Note in contrast the true beauty of the godly woman, “Rather let it [adornment] be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:4).

Third, if a woman doesn’t have the money to have a child, or the emotional condition to raise a child, then why in the world is she engaging in activity that will cause her to conceive a child. In effect, Gisele is saying that a woman (and man) should have the right to act in inappropriate, immoral and immature ways, and not have to pay any consequence for the sin. Rather … kill the innocent, unborn child!

While it is not common today for people to remain sexually pure until marriage, and those who do are considered peculiar, it remains that God intends such faithfulness from His children. Gisele is wrong, and it is a shame she is listened to by so many. She is not wrong because the Catholic church says so, or the pope, she is wrong because the Holy Spirit says so!