Here's the conservative strategy to date: React, respond and defend against all the attacks on our beliefs, our values and our freedoms.
In the battle to protect marriage, for example, we pour everything we have into passing a marriage amendment – gathering signatures, overcoming the lies and turning out the vote. Yet, at the end of the day when we "win," all we get to do is keep what we already had. Hurray.
Now contrast that with the pro-active (and dangerous) demands of the homosexual movement distributed at their "Gay Pride" march in Washington, D.C., April 25, 1993:
Demand the repeal of all sodomy laws and legalization of all forms of sexual expression (including pedophilia, changing age of consent laws to allow sex with youth).
Demand defense budget funds be diverted to cover AIDS patients' medical expenses, and taxpayer funding of sex change operations.
Demand the legalization of same-sex marriages, and legalization of adoption, custody and foster care within these structures.
Demand the full inclusion of lesbians, homosexual men, bisexuals and transgenders in education and child care.
Demand that contraceptives and abortion services be made available to all persons, regardless of age.
Demand taxpayer funding for artificial insemination of lesbians and bisexuals. Forbid religious-based concerns regarding homosexuality from being expressed.
Demand that organizations, such as Boy Scouts, be required to accept homosexual scoutmasters.
Do any of these sound familiar? Just get out your pencil and check off the list beginning with No. 1: Sodomy laws repealed in the Supreme Court Lawrence v. Texas decision June 26, 2003. Another way to say "Forbid religious-based concerns regarding homosexuality from being expressed" is to Criminalize Christianity.And they are closer to this goal than you know.
Now I want you to do a paradigm shift and step out of the way we've operated for the last four decades and think about something new. Think about winning. What does winning the cultural war look like?
I think it would look something like Genesis 1:26: "Let them have dominion over … all the earth. …"
First, we must regain control of the public debate and the battlefronts, including:
the schools
the universities
the legislatures
the courts
the White House
the media
the music
science
business
technology
and Hollywood
When Google controls the search engines, they can screen out Christians like they just did in the UK. Not to mention the music world. Rather than influencing that arena, we have become just another subculture: Christian music (for when you're tired of rock, top 40, jazz or classical.) Suffice it to say that we need to be living out our beliefs in EVERY segment of our culture. This is just a list from which to start.
In addition, to win, three things must change:
We must work together.
We must move from defense to an offense.
We must control the debate.
First, we must work together.
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall." – Luke 11:17
Many overextended, under-funded, battle-weary troops are trying to fight every battle on all sides – independent of each other. But as large or as good as each group may be, it simply cannot be all things to all people and lead the charge in every battle. While parallel organizations are aimed at a similar "general" goal of stopping abortion or protecting the family, for example, there is no overall battle plan to get there.
Our isolated, "island" approach has also led to our inferiority complex. Each group feels the "weight of the entire battle" because they don't see the allied troops beside them who, like them, also feel like they are fighting alone.
Second, we must move from defense to offense.
The Lord your God has given you this land to take possession of it. – Deuteronomy 2:18b
In each battle, we pour out all our time, all our energy and all our money just to try and keep what we already had. But in a defensive posture, even when we "win," we lose. You see, if they set a dozen brushfires, and we put out nine, we still have a net loss of three. When we "win" in defensive mode, we gain nothing.
And third, we must control the debate and use our most powerful weapon.
… And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. ... Is not My word like a fire? says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? – Jeremiah 23:28, 29
We have entered the battle with our single most powerful weapon – the sword of the Spirit – at home. They don't want us to pray in Jesus' name – because that is where the power is. In the same way, they'll do all they can to keep us from speaking the word of God. Too often, we comply – debating issues without the most powerful weapon in our arsenal.
We are debating whether we should be "allowed" to pray in public, say the pledge, post the Commandments, wear a cross or a T-shirt. Instead of defending our basic rights in response to their attacks, we need to be initiating and debating what will gain us ground we didn't previously have.
Imagine for a moment that you had all the resources you needed. What would our demands be?
We demand an end to abortion – now.
We demand Planned Parenthood be defunded and pay back all tax money received where they have violated state statutory rape reporting laws.
We demand marriage between a man and a woman remain the only recognized, protected and subsidized union. All counterfeit unions will not to be legally recognized.
Freedom of religion will be practiced unhindered in every facet of America including public schools, the workplace, media, Internet and the public square.
Freedom of speech will not be relegated to "zones" but rather practiced in every corner of society including schools, the workplace, media, Internet and the public square.
Judges who usurp their authority will be automatically removed from office.
Executive officers and legislatures shall not obey illegal court decisions but rather remove the judges who made them.
We demand that any school who puts a minor in harm's way in violation of all 50 state laws by promoting dangerous behavior, including homosexuality and abortion, will automatically lose its public funding.
Creationism will be taught in public schools as an alternative theory.
The government school monopoly will be broken with tax vouchers for parents to choose their child's education including homeschooling.
Disclaimer: Worldview Weekend, Christian Worldview Network and its columnists do not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article posted on this site. We do however, encourage a healthy and friendly debate on the issues of our day. Whether you agree or disagree, we encourage you to post your feedback by using the feedback button.
You stances seem more in line with what Christian America wants than the principles this nation was founded on. For example:
"Judges who usurp their authority will be automatically removed from office."
Are you sure "Ursurp" is the right word here?
On the Municipal level, they are appointed by the municipality after they show an
On the state/county level they run for the office and are elected to their posistion
The Federal level is appointed by the president and reviewed by congress.
Ursurp seems a little harsh of a term. Considering many of your views stand against the First Amendment's separation of church and state, are you using the term "Ursurp" meaning to remove any judge who stands for the separation of church and state? Click here to reply to this post
Dirt Roads Scholar
Posted On: 04/18/08 12:10:48 PM
Age 57, GA
If it's go for broke time, what's all this about 'public' schools'? Where in the founding documents does it say anything about the government educating anyone about anything? What 'public' school did any of the signers of the Declaration or Constitution attend? How many graduating from even our most prestigious universities today can even comprehend those words, much less craft a document even approaching those?
"When an opponent declares, "I will not come over to your
side," I calmly say, "Your child belongs to us already....What
are you? You will pass on. Your descendants, however, now stand in the
new camp. In a short time they will know nothing else but this
new community." Adolf Hitler (of the National Socialist German Workers Party), 1933 quoted in The Rise and
Fall of the Third Reich,Education in the Third Reich" Click here to reply to this post
WRONG TEACHING IS LIKE ABORTION
Posted On: 04/19/08 02:16:26 PM
Age 64, OH
Giving up our children to let someone else educate them in public school or giving up our children to someone else to teach them their version of Christianity is just as bad as the sin of ABORTION. It can be much worse, abortion takes a innocent babies life but it can not steal their soul for all eternity. Letting someone teach our children something other than trusting Jesus to save them can send them to hell forever. What kind of parents would treat their own children in such a way. The parent has the responsibility to teach their children. One of the main reasons I studied the scriptures so much was to be able to teach my children the Truth. This was not an easy road but it was rewarding. The Lord stands ready to help any parent who wants to do the right thing. Lou Click here to reply to this post
Why stand we here idle?
Posted On: 04/18/08 07:42:37 AM
Age 54, FL
In the words of Patrich Henry, “Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
What I want to do is address each issue facing the people of the United States based on their order of importance.
The very first thing is that we are a nation of individuals some stronger than others but we are all responsible for our own actions and we will eventually be held accountable for those actions when we stand before God. The sooner we learn to be accountable as individuals the more productive we are as adults. Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story wondered if we could survive as a nation if we did not teach our children about religion and morality. Well fifty years after removing the Bible and any mention of God from our schools we have been brought to our knees. And that is where we should stay in prayer for our nation and our children’s future.
Let us as a nation call a day of attention to our humble dependence on God! I am asking all parents and kids who believe in God to stand with me on Friday. Meet at the flag pole of each school and pray for our nation as the flag is raised. Pray specifically that the congress of the United States will provide for the re-introduction of the Bible into our schools as the text book for teaching morality to our heirs. The Bible’s teachings have brought us thus for and we must repair the cracks in our foundation if we are to survive as a nation. There is nothing more important than teaching our children about the foundations of our God given Liberty. I am asking everyone to participate who loves this great country of ours and who wants to see it survive. The more overwhelming the response the sooner Congress will be required to act. Click here to reply to this post
Quote Jesus and PAul Instead Of PH
Posted On: 04/19/08 12:17:22 PM
Age 40, NH
Although Patrick was a very good man, his desire for liberty is counter-Christian. Nowhere are we commanded or told to seek representative liberties. We are told to follow the King, not the Bill of Rights. Believers are to give up their rights given to them from the nation(s) and follow their King. That makes a believer a subject of the King who has renounced or is willing to renounce all for the King and His agenda.
Grace and Peace,
Jim Click here to reply to this post
Step One
Posted On: 04/17/08 03:43:25 PM
Age 59, WV
To get control of the public schools can only be done by rescueing our children to the safety of home or Christian schools.
That is step one.
www.exodusmandate.org/ is step one. Click here to reply to this post
Minor problem with this........
Posted On: 04/17/08 09:36:00 AM
Age 48, CA
Up until this current administration, I have always considered myself a member of the so called religious righ. No longer.
For the better part of 8 years, you (I can no longer include myself) have placed all of your eggs in this gospel of bombs & bullets in order to liberate the world into western godless decadence. While paying lip service to Godly behavior, the vices of the world are little if any different than those of the "Heathens" on the left.
End abortion? Start inside the wals of our very own Churches. Survey after survey shows that the abortion rate withing our Churches are no different than those on the outside.
Defund planned parenthood? Sure but then you would want your agenda funded.
Marriage? How many people who claim to be Christian are living in sin? How many are engaging in adultery? Divorce? Once again, we have little to show as an example.
Freedom of religion and speach? We have that freedom already. The other side was willinbg to go to jail in order to promote thier agenda. How many Christians are willing to defiantly proclaim "We must obey God rather than men!" In the same manner the Apostles did?
Remove Judges? Hold schools accountbale? Teach Creationalism, School Vouchers? Sure! I don't mind those things. But are these really the answer? Rome was much farther down the slippery slope than we are att his time and yet, where does Paul call upon the Church in Rome to contact their Senators and impose these things? I have yet to find Paul's Epistle to the Roman Senate calling upon them to pass various laws which would enhance the Gospel. The truth is that we are not called upon to regulate the conduct of unbelievers. we are to bring more people into the fold. Not just raw numbers but to really bring them into the fold. Only when We become truy Holy which is to measn set aprt and not like the world can we really have an effect on society. Currently, we pay a lot of lip service but our behavior says little. And now we want to turn the government into the Churches attack dog where SWAT teams with "Crosses on thier Kevlar" Will machine gun anybody who does not tow the line. Click here to reply to this post
excellent post
Posted On: 04/21/08 01:09:17 PM
Age 21, MN
Seriously, i could not said it better myself. You are doing a great job at not adding political baggage to the Gospel. -Dan Smith Click here to reply to this post
You nailed it!
Posted On: 04/17/08 04:21:18 PM
Age 45, PA
Amen brother, you nailed it. Church people get a lot of mileage out of the salt of the earth verse. Where else in the scripture does it say we should do anything about the heathen other that to give them the gospel. If they reject it and 99% will, move on and walk with Christ. Stop trying to build some sort of church kingdom on earth, Bush should have dashed all hopes of that. This stuff is all headed for the furnace, so drop it and go back to your assemblies and start by tosing out those heathens in the pews and pulpits!!!!! Click here to reply to this post
MUCH BETTER
Posted On: 04/17/08 12:09:27 PM
Age 64, OH
You are showing much improvement. keep praying and thinking about what you write. Jesus is the Way. Lou Click here to reply to this post
Scriptural Abuse
Posted On: 04/17/08 07:50:30 AM
Age 40, NH
Quoting First Covenant Scriptures on land and attempting to make it seem like God would have the same for us by claiming those words to His nation is Scripture abuse.Our God has not given us dominion over the earth as Second Covenant saints otherwise something would be mentioned in the Second Covenant, outside of eschatalogical concerns of course. Those promises about "the land" are not for us today, they were for those He promised that land to; the Israelites.
Grace and Peace,
Jim Click here to reply to this post
Bullseye!
Posted On: 04/17/08 04:34:12 PM
Age 45, PA
American churchianity, not to be confused with Christianity is a wierd mix of the Jewish Testement and twisted New Testement philosphies. I wish the Jewish testement had never been translated into english. Sometimes I think preachers spend more time in the OT because the American dream can be found in there and not in the New. Pulpit pimps also like that the juicy tithe is found in the Jewish covenant...yummy! They rely on the ignorence of there pew captives to manipulate $$$$$ for there glory. People we are not Jews, america is not Isreal, you need to get back to the New Testement before it's too late! Click here to reply to this post
Always Has Been Bad Interpretations and/or Heretics
Posted On: 04/19/08 12:20:41 PM
Age 40, NH
Not sure that the author of this article is looking to make money with her wrong interpretations of Scripture but they are wrong nonetheless. It is better to address the issues at hand than attempt to lump someone in (on no real evidence) with others not related to the author.
Grace and Peace,
Jim Click here to reply to this post
ALL TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE JEWS
Posted On: 04/18/08 12:53:28 PM
Age 64, OH
Have you never read Paul's letter to the Romans. In it he tells us that the Jews who rejected Jesus Christ have been pruned OUT of the tree, and we gentiles that trust in Jesus Christ, Who is the God Almighty of all true Jews, are grafted INTO the tree. It is only TRUE Jews who are going to the promised land. You do not have to know your are a Jew to go, for the only thing you have to do is to trust Jesus Christ to save you. But you do have to be grafted into the tree as a Jew to go. Abraham had two kinds of children; those of the sand of the shores and those of the stars. The sands are all of his natural children and Jesus told many of those children that they were children of the DEVIL. So they are NOT children of God. But the stars are the real children of Abraham that trust God to save them, the same as Abraham did. That is why Abraham was called the father of our faith. Any person that trust Jesus Christ to save them, and does not trust in anything else, is a true child of Abraham and a child of God, for God adopted all of these children. I am a gentile who has been grafted into the Jewish tree of the children of Abraham. Lou Click here to reply to this post
????
Posted On: 04/18/08 03:22:31 AM
Age 52, CA
Well, where to begin? I guess Jesus, Peter, Paul, James, the author of Hebrews, etc. quoted from what sources? Anyone care to venture a guess? Speaking of "ignorence", it is spelled "ignorance". Your consistency in mis-spelling "Testement" is commendable. Try "Testament". Your usage of the word "there" is in error twice. It should be "their (there) pew captives" and "their (there) glory". Let's see: "People we are not Jews." I am a Jew. I also believe Jesus died for anti-Semites. Oh, before I forget "wierd" is correctly spelled "weird". Your line, "Pulpit pimps also like that the juicy tithe is found in the Jewish covenant...yummy! Are you referring to Malachi? I'm surprised you mastered the spelling of "covenant"; however, your sarcasm is very torpid. Blessings, Herb Click here to reply to this post
Socialism of all kinds is theft and violates the Bible
Posted On: 04/17/08 05:59:15 AM
Age 47, MO
Socialism of all kinds is theft by majority vote and violates the Bible. This includes government funded education, social security, medicare, medicaid, etc......... Divorce among professing Christians is as high as among non-Christians. If you walk into most churches, the young women look like they belong in the Red Light District and the older women are leaving the buttons on their shirts open to indecent hights. Until Christians stop participating in the evils in our society, our society will continue its plunge downwards. Romans 1 states that when homosexuality is open, among other sins, it is a sign of God's judgment on HIS PEOPLE! Christians need to repent of their own sin and then God will heal our land. If all we do is fight the heathen's sin in the civil arena, things will NOT get better. "If MY PEOPLE who are CALLED BY MY NAME will humble themselves and pray and TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 Click here to reply to this post
Janet is right
Posted On: 04/18/08 08:19:23 AM
Age 47, MO
This man's post, and Janet's article, are correct. This country was set up as a Republic of We the People, so the gov't is in our hands. The problems we face are precisely because we the Christians have not lived our beliefs. Instead of being salt and light (the bold, first in- last out) kind of Christians, we have become milktoast, lukewarm, self- absorbed protectionist. When we care less for the truth and more about hurting feelings, our social standing, compromise, and our money- we are not being Christian but rather the world. To not advocate for rightousness and Christianity in all venues of public life, is to tolerate and accept sin- and thus not truly love the sinner. John Click here to reply to this post
Socialism isn't Wrong In and Of Itself
Posted On: 04/17/08 12:34:32 PM
Age 40, NH
Please show me where in Scripture it says you can confiscate people's money in order to build railroads, tanks or give tax breaks to anybody and that confiscating money for other things is evil. The early church practiced a voluntary form of socialism under the apostle's leadership: I guess they didn't know it was evil.
That is pure American-style individualism talking and certainly not from Scripture.
Grace and Peace,
Jim Click here to reply to this post
ANYTHING NOT DONE IN LOVE IS IN VAIN
Posted On: 04/18/08 12:35:01 PM
Age 64, OH
You missed the whole point, dear friend. The believers in acts that gave everything they had, did so VOLUNTARILY, and out of love for Jesus. They were following the Holy Spirit when they did this and NOT any law. It is not wrong to give, but it is wrong for our government to make a law that makes us give to the poor. This would not be giving in love. the scriptures say that anything not done in love is done in vain. Lou Click here to reply to this post
Scripture Disagrees With You Sir
Posted On: 04/20/08 01:11:15 PM
Age 40, NH
I guess you didn't read my entire post sir. I specifically said it was voluntary in the early church...
And by the way, you might want to look into the First Covenant sacrificial system, in some circumstances your sacrifice was partially given to the priests and there was also a sharing of a specific sacrifice. Also, remember that little Scripture that Yaweh gave the Jews that they were to leave that which dropped off the cart for the poor? I guess a command to give up part of your livelihood doesn't count as mandatory giving to the poor...
Grace and Peace,
Jim Click here to reply to this post
THE COVENANT GIVEN TO ABRAHAM WAS FIRST
Posted On: 04/21/08 10:42:12 AM
Age 64, OH
Thank you for your kind reply. You missed my point. Socialism is a form of government where it taxes or takes off the people and divides it up among the people after of course the government gets it share. What the apostles did was not government taking or taxing but it was the people giving of their own accord out of love for Jesus. That is NOT socialism. The first covenant sacrifice did not have any mandatory giving to the priests or the poor. The first covenant was the one with Abraham and he gave to the priest Melchizedek who was THE King of Righteousness and was King of Salem. Abraham gave a tithe out of love for God to God. This is why it says Abraham tithed under a higher law. The higher law was the law of love. By the way who was this Melchizedek if He had no father or mother and no beginning and no end. This Melchizedek was also of the same order as Jesus and He was a priest forever. The second covenant given to Moses was given because of the hardness of the peoples hearts and was NOT the desired way of Jesus but God was only trying to get the people to see. When Jesus was born of a woman He said I bring a new covenant ( new according to the law of Moses) but not really new ( because it was first given to Abraham). We are to give out of love for Jesus Christ. Grace and peace to you. Lou Click here to reply to this post
Socialism IS Communism in practice
Posted On: 04/18/08 08:07:36 AM
Age 47, MO
Friend: Biblical socialism is a church (one Body) with the mind of Christ. Absent of that, socialism doesn't work because the controls are external and forced, thus suppressing the natural human inclination to succeed. This is why there are no socialist countries but communist dictatorships. So to answer your question; yes, Americanism has strayed far from its intent THANKS to SOCIALISTIC policies as you have mentioned above. Pure Americanismis biblical. It is the lifestyle Paul lived and advocated when he encouraged women to keep busy, widow's to work, himself to build tents, and to have excess to give to the truly needy. John Click here to reply to this post
And Capitalism Doesn't Work Either Friend
Posted On: 04/20/08 01:17:37 PM
Age 40, NH
Where is the church today under capitalism? Let us see... we don't take care of our widows, orphans and those who cannot (not will not) help themselves very well do we? The conservative church doesn't do a very good job of personal charity with those within the church family otherwise we wouldn't direct them to government services (it would be unneeded if we were doing our job as a family). Please leave the Americanism where it belongs, with Americans. If Americanism (republicanism) was the way of Paul or Jesus, Yahweh would have given the Israeli nation a republican form of government.
Grace and Peace,
Jim Click here to reply to this post
Americanism 101
Posted On: 04/21/08 08:24:57 AM
Age 47, MO
Friend: You wrote: "Where is the church today under capitalism?" The problem, as I outlined above, is not capitalism. The problem is the socialistic policies that were injected into our capitalistic system. Back in the old days; capitalism, without govt intrusion, worked as intended because equal opportunity was available to ALL. Reward was a result of work, outcomes were not guaranteed, but such is the reality of life. The church DID take care of the poor and the infirmed. However, today that role has been placed on the gov't to be nanny and suckling sow to all who will not work. Thus the church, and all Christians, for the most part refuse to personally get involved, believing their taxes and the gov't to have our best interests in mind. The sad part is that we (the guard dogs) assigned the fox to guard the hen house so that we can play in the world. So, the problem is not capitalism or conservativism since conservatives donate a lot more than liberals (see Barna for data) who just talk the talk, the problem is socialism, because it takes the responsibility away from individuals. John Click here to reply to this post
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