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Scott's Blog - 6/30/08

Jesus Yes, Church No?

Last Friday I got a call from the religion beat writer at the Arizona Daily Star.

She wanted a quote or two on the findings of the Pew Research Poll that revealed that while 90% of those surveyed believe in God, an impressive majority also state that they rarely, if ever, attend church.

She seemed genuinely surprised when I told her that this didn't surprise me in the slightest.

This conversation was accurately preserved in the article that was published yesterday.

Ariz. churchgoer rate is far behind nation's

By Stephanie Innes
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 06.29.2008

 Nearly 40 percent of Arizonans say they seldom or never attend worship services, and more than one-fifth claim no religion, but most believe in God.
That snapshot of our beliefs and habits comes from a survey of America's religious landscape released last week by the Washington, D.C.-based Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

As a nation, our religious beliefs are not as black-and-white as the media often portray them, survey leaders said. The results indicate Americans on the whole have a non-dogmatic approach to faith and are open to varying viewpoints.
Seven in 10 of the more than 35,000 American adults surveyed said many religions can lead to eternal life; nearly 80 percent of Americans believe that miracles still occur as they did in ancient times; and 12 percent of atheists said they believe in heaven.
While the country's evangelical Christians often are portrayed as Republican, anti-abortion and anti-gay, the survey showed that isn't always true, for example
Fewer than half — 38 percent of the evangelical respondents — identified themselves as Republican, more than a quarter said homosexuality should be accepted by society, and nearly a third said abortion should either be always legal or legal in most cases.

The study also included a state-by-state breakdown.
Eighty-eight percent of Arizonans say they are either absolutely certain or fairly certain there's a God, the poll said. Nationally, 90 percent said they believe in God.

That doesn't mean Arizonans are going to churches, mosques and synagogues, however.
"For a lot of people, being in church is something that was kind of coerced in their life. . . . It doesn't surprise me, even as a pastor and as a Christian," said the Rev. Scott Richards, senior pastor at the evangelical Calvary Christian Fellowship of Tucson and host of "Scott Richards Live" on KGMS, 940 AM.
"I was an atheist before I became a Christian, and it took me three years after I became a Christian to go to church," Richards said.

Thirty-nine percent of Arizonans say they seldom or never go to worship service, which is much higher than the national average of 27 percent. And a Pew survey released on Feb. 25 said 22 percent of Arizonans claim no religious affiliation at all, also higher than the national norm.

"We are such a state of transients," Richards said. "Most of us do not have the history, for example, of going to a church because our grandfather and great-grandfather went there. And in Arizona, there isn't the stress on church attendance like there is in the South and the Midwest, where a lot of times the church is the epicenter of a community's life."

He did wonder why nearly 70 percent of Americans and more than half of evangelical Christians in the survey — 57 percent — said they do not think their faith is the one true way to eternal life. Richards understood the question to be asking whether Jesus is the only way to God. The answer to that question is always "yes," he said.

"I'm not the one who came up with that," he said. "The non-Christians will rap evangelicals for saying our way is the only way. But it's not our way. It's what Jesus said."
Richards said perhaps many of those who answered the survey are new to evangelical Christianity and have not had a lot of exposure to the faith. At least that's what he hopes.

Some experts have said the new survey results may indicate Americans are not well-educated about Scripture and the meaning of their beliefs, hence the one-fifth of atheists who say they believe in God. In that case, they might not be distinguishing between agnosticism and atheism. http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/faith/246023

 The bottom line? There is a serious disconnect in our society between spiritual interest and spiritual knowledge.

People are open to the idea of a relationship with God, but not enough to discover what they believe or why they believe it.

At least not enough to get up on a Sunday morning and invest an hour or so to deepen that knowledge.

And let's face it, if we do go through all the gyrations necessary to get ourselves to church, only to discover that:

The people we are surrounded by are cold, distant or clique-y -

Or that the worship is more a tribute to the musicians' egoes than focusing on God -

Or that the message is more about the pastor's opinions or personal experiences than what the Bible has to say -

Chances are we won't be back.

And that is too bad.

One of the truths I discovered that changed the way I looked at church was pretty simple.

The church isn't a building. It's the people who meet in the building.

And like a chain, a church is only going to be as strong as it's weakest link.

Paul put it this way:

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;  or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;  he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:4-8)

 The Bible tells us the church isn't an organization, but an organism.

And like a body, each of us has a God given rule to play if the church is to be healthy.

And if we want the church to be healthy, we need to not only be there, but be involved.

What liberated me to move from isolation to involvement in the church was the realization that although I couldn't be responsible for all the hypocrisy in the church, I could be responsible not to be a hypocrite.

And although I couldn't be responsible for people being cold, I could be responsible to allow the love of the Lord to flow through me.

And although I couldn't be responsible for people being bored with the Bible, I could fall in love with His Word and share the amazing discoveries I was making with others.

The results of the Pew research Study may confirm a timeless truth. It is easier to stand outside the church and be a critic, than to come inside and try to be used by the Lord to make a difference.

But have you notice that no one ever builds a statue in honor of a critic?





Scott's Blog - 6/26/08

Show Me The Way To Go Home?

Funny Road Signs (15) 11

 There is an old proverb that goes something like this, "If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything."

If this is true, there is strong evidence to suggest that evangelical Christians in the United States may be heading for a fall.

Religious Americans: My faith isn't the only way

WASHINGTON - America remains a deeply religious nation, but a new survey finds most Americans don't believe their tradition is the only way to eternal life -- even if the denomination's teachings say otherwise. The findings, revealed Monday in a survey of 35,000 adults, can either be taken as a positive sign of growing religious tolerance, or disturbing evidence that Americans dismiss or don't know fundamental teachings of their own faiths.

Among the more startling numbers in the survey, conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: 57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching. In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.

"The survey shows religion in America is, indeed, 3,000 miles wide and only three inches deep," said D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion. "There's a growing pluralistic impulse toward tolerance and that is having theological consequences," he said. http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=150084

Some will look at these results and cast them in a positive light. They will say this growing broadmindedness on spiritual issues is a sign of humility and a desire to see all people as a part of God's family.

Only one problem with this impulse to join hands and sing "Kum By Yah".

Jesus saw things very differently.

There are few passages in the Bible that deal with the issue of eternal life more directly than John chapter 14.

Consider what Jesus had to say about the reality not only of the existence of eternal life, but how we are to get there.

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.  And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:1-6)

This statement takes the subject of heaven out of the realm of human debate and poll results.

Have you ever had a non Christian tell you, "You Christians are so narrow minded! You say your way is the only way to God."?

My standard reply is this - "This isn't my way. I didn't come up with this. Jesus said, 'No one comes to the Father but by Me.'"

Some will object, "Well, maybe so. But Jesus is just one of many good religious teachers."

To which I usually reply, "How can you say Jesus is a good religious teacher, and yet completely reject His teaching as untrue? Wouldn't that make Him a bad religious teacher?"

It gets deeper.

Jesus did not give us the option of taking his teaching as merely one of many equally valid entrees in the spiritual cafeteria line.

Why?

Consider the credentials He presented to His disciples to be taken seriously on this subject.

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. (John 14:7-11)

Why could Jesus offer such definitive direction on how to get to Heaven?

He claimed to be the very God Who made it in the first place.

He backed up that claim with a sinless life, teaching that has had an unparalleled impact upon this world, miracles that included power over nature and even death itself.

But most definitively, He suffered, died and rose again in a moment of history.

That is a level of credibility that Buddha, Mohammed or Krishna cannot touch.

The question is, who will we listen to on the subject of eternal life.

It is a question of life and death.

And have you ever noticed that when life is on the line we tend to demand precision?

Imagine being in a doctor's office. he comes in with the results of your latest exam.

"I'm sorry, but I have bad news for you. You have a terminal illness. You are dying."

We would undoubtedly respond by saying, "Doctor! What can we do about it?"

Could you imagine how you would react if the doctor said, "Well, we could put a cast on your leg. Or we could do some liposuction. That is very popular these days. Whatever you think is best."

"But Doctor! You are an expert! I need help! What do you think we can do to cure this disease?"

"Hey! Far be it from me to say that my way is the only way. That would be intolerant. We could do acupuncture, or even swing a dead chicken over your head. Whatever you like. But I'm not going to be so narrow minded as to put my beliefs on you."

If that happened we would probably flee the office still wearing our very unstylish examining gown.

Why?

Because when life is on the line, precision matters. In fact, when life is on the line we demand the best expert opinion we can find.

This is what Jesus offers us.

This is why He is the way, the truth and the life, not one of many.

The question is, will we believe Him?

Or just take our chances following the 56% herd?

 


Scott's Blog - 6/25/08

Not Every Treaty Is The Treaty

 When a cease fire was announced between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas late last week, questions were raised as to whether this was a prophetically significant event.

After all, a crucial step in the rise of the Antichrist is described in Daniel chapter 9.

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
      But in the middle of the week
      He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
      And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
      Even until the consummation, which is determined,
      Is poured out on the desolate.” (Daniel (9:27)

 Because the Antichrist will be seen as a man of peace, bringing a solution to the seemingly intractable conflicts between Israel and her neighbors, it is easy to see any development that moves the region in that direction as a potential fulfillment of prophecy.

This particular foray has apparently fallen short of eternal consequences.

Israel's Olmert Sees Power Fade Along With Cease-fire

JERUSALEM —  Ehud Olmert, the embattled Israeli prime minister, has sought to detract from his problems at home by starting a series of spectacular diplomatic initiatives. But with the ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip violated after less than five days, Olmert could now see his hold on power crumble swiftly.

Olmert had hoped that his new opening to Syria, Lebanon and Hamas would stave off domestic threats to his leadership, as opposition parties tried to force him out of office. Yet 24 hours before the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, was set to vote on a critical bill to dissolve itself, Olmert’s six-month ceasefire deal with Hamas appeared in serious peril.

At least two rockets were fired into the Israeli border town of Sderot, injuring two people. “This is a blatant violation of the calm, and we will weigh options,” an aide quoted Mr Olmert as saying after the rockets struck.

The Egyptian-brokered truce, which took effect last Thursday, calls on Hamas to prevent cross-border fire from the Gaza Strip, which it seized by force a year ago.

Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, calling it a "first response" to Israel’s killing overnight of a local commander of the militant group and another Palestinian, who was affiliated with Hamas, in the West Bank city of Nablus. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,371163,00.html

As we noted on the Scott Richards Live broadcast, this so called cease fire was viewed by the Hamas terrorists as a "hudnah", a strategic cease fire that would allow them to regroup and rearm for more effective attacks.

It appears that this took a very short time to accomplish.

The bottom line? Ehud Olmert, who has spearheaded an attempt to formally divide Jerusalem and give permanent and total control of the Temple Mount to the Moslems will be ushered out of office sooner rather than later.

It appears that former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a man decidedly against such policies will be Olmert's successor.

And once again it appears that the Lord will not allow the so-called Road Map to Peace to divide Jerusalem.

Prophetically, we know that any attempt at peace that will deny the Jews the chance to rebuild their Temple is doomed to failure.

We can also know that the Antichrist will not be able to reveal himself as such until the church is removed at the time of the Rapture.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. (II Thessalonians 2:7-8)

Not every treaty in the Middle East is the treaty. But we are certainly seeing developments that could very well set the stage for this event coming together in an increasingly rapid way.

The best advice?

Keep our eyes on Israel.

Keep our perspective in the Word.

And keep looking up!

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. (Romans 13:11)

 

 



Scott's Blog - 6/24/08

The Old Shell (Fish) Game

 The last thing in the world I want to hear about when I go to church is politics.

Most pastors find themselves clearly outside of their area of expertise when they offer their views on public policy.

But have you ever stopped to consider that the polar opposite is also true?

The last thing I want to hear from politicians are opinions about a relationship with God.

In fact, most politicians find themselves clearly outside their area of expertise when they offer their views on the Bible.

Exhibit A of this phenomenon in action hit the internet yesterday.

Dobson accuses Obama of 'distorting' Bible

By ERIC GORSKI – 20 hours ago

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — As Barack Obama broadens his outreach to evangelical voters, one of the movement's biggest names, James Dobson, accuses the likely Democratic presidential nominee of distorting the Bible and pushing a "fruitcake interpretation" of the Constitution.

The criticism, to be aired Tuesday on Dobson's Focus on the Family radio program, comes shortly after an Obama aide suggested a meeting at the organization's headquarters here, said Tom Minnery, senior vice president for government and public policy at Focus on the Family.

The conservative Christian group provided The Associated Press with an advance copy of the pre-taped radio segment, which runs 18 minutes and highlights excerpts of a speech Obama gave in June 2006 to the liberal Christian group Call to Renewal. Obama mentions Dobson in the speech.

"Even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools?" Obama said. "Would we go with James Dobson's or Al Sharpton's?" referring to the civil rights leader.

Dobson took aim at examples Obama cited in asking which Biblical passages should guide public policy — chapters like Leviticus, which Obama said suggests slavery is OK and eating shellfish is an abomination, or Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, "a passage that is so radical that it's doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application."

"Folks haven't been reading their Bibles," Obama said. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gnLulDbwWGYGLiXlDW5hPiNMGMRQD91G51AG0

One of the things I have discovered in sharing my faith outside the friendly confines of the church is that there are people who reject the notion that the Bible is the Word of God.

I have also discovered that the objections to the reality and relevancy of the Bible as the Word of God are fairly standard and predictable.

The objections that Barak Obama raises fit into the category of "A Little Knowledge Is A Dangerous Thing."

Let's take them one at a time.

Does the book of Leviticus teach that "slavery is OK"?

Slavery was certainly not invented in the book of Leviticus. It was a pervasive reality in the time of Moses. For those so afflicted it was a life long sentence to a brutal existence, deprived of any sense of human dignity, able to be terminated at any moment.

The passages we find in Leviticus not only bring strict and humane safeguards against abuse of slaves, but also declare that slavery would be temporary. At the Year of Jubilee all slaves would be given their liberty. (Leviticus 27)

Slavery in that time was a way for those who couldn't pay their bills to satisfy their debts to their creditors. It was treaty as a reality. But nowhere do we find the Scriptures saying that it was "OK".

What about the idea that eating shell fish is an "abomination"?

The term "abomination" is a strong word in Hebrew. More than just seeing something as defiled or unclean, an "abomination" was something that was to be considered repugnant and to be avoided at all costs.

This law was intended to be protective.  If you've ever eaten bad clams you know why! But it was also part and parcel of God's intention to make the Jewish nation unique and distinct from others. They would do a number of things differently to point out the fact that they were not just another political entity. In Israel, the Lord was their King.

These were laws that applied to Israel as God's own nation.

They were not intended for any other.

To suggest that the presence of these commands makes the entire message of the Bible irrelevant shows a poor understanding of these portions of Scripture, not a problem with the Scriptures themselves.

I have read some pretty far out takes on the Sermon On the Mount, but I have yet to read one that sees Jesus' Words as a directive on national defense.

I think you get the picture.

When someone rolls out a cascade of takes on Scripture that pays absolutely no attention to context it is a sad thing.

But when that same person then assumes a place of moral and intellectual superiority by saying, "Folks haven't been reading their Bibles" it is tragic.

The message of the Bible is so simple that a child can grasp it, but so profound it requires careful study.

Politicians on both sides of the aisle would be well advised to treat God's Word with the respect it deserves.

 

 







Scott's Blog - 6/23/08

The Next Great Awakening

 To hear some people tell it, the most exciting days to be a Christian are seen only in the rear view mirror.

"Oh, man! Wouldn't  it have been great to have been around during the time of the First century church - to see the world turned upside down by the message of Jesus?"

No doubt.

"Oh, to have been a part of the Great Awakening! To see people travel for miles on horseback just for a chance to hear the Good News!"

An awesome experience to be sure.

"Oh, the Jesus Movement days! You wouldn't have believed how God moved to save all those hippies back then!"

God certainly has done some amazing things down through time. But the more I hear people taking a stroll down a spiritual version of Memory Lane, the more I find myself wondering, "So what has God been up to lately?"

Would it surprise you to learn that God is moving in such a powerful way today that what He is doing may very well make the Great Awakening look like a home Bible study in comparison?

Jesus in China

Rev. Jin Mingri

Rev. Jin Mingri, founding pastor of Zion Church, gives a sermon.

Christianity — repressed, marginalized and, in many cases, illegal in China for more than half a century — is sweeping the country, overflowing churches and posing a sensitive challenge to the officially atheist Communist Party.

By some estimates Christian churches, most of them underground, now have roughly 70 million members, as many as the party itself. A growing number of those Christians are in fact party members.

This rise, driven by evangelical Protestants, reflects a wider spiritual awakening in China. As communism fades into today's free-market reality, many Chinese describe a "crisis of faith" and seek solace everywhere from mystical Taoist sects to Bahai temples and Christian megachurches.

Today the government counts 21 million Catholics and Protestants—a 50 percent increase in less than 10 years—though the underground population is far larger. The World Christian Database's estimate of 70 million Christians amounts to a 5 percent share of the population, second only to Buddhism.

At a time when Christianity in Western Europe is dwindling, China's believers are redrawing the world's religious map with a growing community already exceeding all the Christians in Italy. And increasing Christian clout in China has the potential to alter relations with the United States and other nations. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-jesus-1-1-webjun22,0,3282799.story?track=rss

A move of God so powerful that it might radically alter the policies of the most populous, and potentially economically powerful nation on earth?

How is this happening?

The most fascinating aspect of what is happening in China is that it defies much of the conventional wisdom concerning so called "revivals".

It is not characterized by over the top emotionalism.

It has not been "brought about" by some concerted prayer/fasting/call to holiness movement.

The Tribune article indicates that it is happening because pastors like Jin Mingri are teaching God's Word and loving people.

The Spirit of God is doing the rest.

At Scott Richards Live we are seeing that this hunger for the Word is not isolated in China. This month to date we have seen a half million hits on our web site.

Even more remarkably, over 150,000 of these hits have come from the Russian Federation.

I wish I could say that we are seeing this kind of response because we are using state of the art marketing techniques.

But all we are doing is making God's Word available in our question and answer format.

The bottom line? God always honors His Word.

Too often the promise of a great work of God is used as a kind of emotional and spiritual tool to hype people into greater church involvement.

Pray more, share more, give more and revival will come. Or so we are often told.

The move of the Lord in China tells us that it is God's Word that changes the lives of people. If the lives of people change, the fate of even entire nations can change.

But make no mistake. It isn't some new and crowd pleasing approach that creates a real move of the Spirit.

It is the same approach a man knee deep in one of the most powerful works of God this world has seen advocated.

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.  But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. (II Corinthians 4:1-2,7)

 



Scott's Blog - 6/19/08

Bitter or Better?

 What do you say to someone who has lost just about everything?

Answering that question has to be one of the most challenging parts of the job description of the president of the United States.

In the aftermath of the massive flooding that has devestated a large portion of Iowa, George W. Bush found himself facing this exact question earlier today.



CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - President Bush, surveying the aftermath of devastating floods during a lightning-quick tour of the Midwest on Thursday, assured residents and rescuers alike that he is listening to their concerns and understands their exhaustion.

"Obviously, to the extent we can help immediately, we will help," said Bush, still mindful of criticism that the government reacted slowly to Hurricane Katrina three years ago.

"You'll come back better," the president said while being briefed by state and local officials at a cinderblock emergency operations center set up at a community college here, part of a three-hour tour. "Sometimes it's hard to see it." http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080619/D91DDNL00.html

 


 I have to give the president points for optimism. But there is a reason why it is sometimes hard to see how things can get better after a major reversal in life.

No matter how much moral, financial and material support is given in the aftermath of a personal crisis, there is still one wild card that will ultimately spell the difference between overcoming tough circumstances or being overcome by them.

It can be summed up in one word - attitude.

No one gets a get out of jail free card from problems in this life. But how we choose to respond to those problems will go a long way toward determining the quality of our lives.

Consider how this principle played out in the life of the apostle Paul.

But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. (Philippians 1:12-18)

 Stop and think of the overwhelming personal challenges Paul faced in this set of circumstances. He was hated so badly that his enemies had made repeated attempts to kill him. he was a chained up prisoner for no other reason than his loyalty and love for God. To make matters worse, some who envied him seized this opportunity to try to make a name for themselves and take Paul's place while he was out of commission.
But Paul didn't react to this laundry list of negatives.

Instead he responded by keeping his eyes focused on the big picture. 

He didn't waste time asking, "Why me, Lord?"

Instead he asked, "What are You up to Lord?"

Realizing that although not all things are good, but that God can work all things together for good (Romans 8:28) kept Paul from getting bitter.

Instead it made him better.

And so those who have lost their homes and livelihoods in Iowa face this same challenge.

And once again we face a timeless truth - It's not what happens to us in life, but how we respond that tells the story.



Scott's Blog - 6/18/08

And Now For A Word From Our Sponsor...

 
Funny cartoon of a nutty professor at blackboard, for college joke


Earlier this week, we fielded a call on Scott Richards Live from a college student. He shared that he was feeling a little blown away at the outright hostility toward Christianity he was encountering in his classes.

My first response was, "Brother, I feel your pain!"

During my adventures in secular education, I was constantly amazed by professors and instructors who would take time away from their subjects to "share" their views on the Christian faith.

During my first college English class, the professor went so far as to begin his first remarks with the winsome and tolerant statement, "If you are one of those born-again types, you might as well drop this class right now because I hate you people!"

He then launched into a sermonette on how Christians were responsible for everything from the Holocaust to the destruction of the environment.

After twenty minutes of emotional appeals and researched arguments worthy of a grocery store check out line tabloid, I finally raised my hand.

"Yes!!" he said, looking like an evangelist waiting to make a convert.

"Excuse me, but I am paying good money for this class. Do you mind talking about a subject you know something about?"

From that moment it was, as they say, "On like Donkey Kong".

But this class wasn't an exception. Biology, history, philosophy, speech, even broadcast production featured regular breaks for attempts at mocking or repudiating faith in Jesus.

Ironically, I also noticed that there was an overwhelming tolerance for any other religious sentiment floating around in the ozone.

People would declare that they found fulfillment worshipping citrus fruit and that was beautiful.

Let it slip you believed that Jesus rose from the dead? Get ready to duck and cover. "Who let a Neanderthal like you into this respectable institution?"

I was reminded of this phenomenon when I read the following article posted on the Answers In Genesis web site today.

Leading Architecture Magazine Blasts Creation Museum

Published June 13th, 2008 in Press Coverage, Museum Updates

In one of the most bizarre and outlandish pieces of journalism I have seen in a long time, a large subscription-based magazine on architecture (The Architectural Record—over 100,000 subscriptions) and one of their writers—who has a section to critique the architecture of museums—blasted the Creation Museum because of its stand on God’s Word. The writer uses words and phrases like the following: “loony bin,” “Christian fundamentalist crusade against scientific reason,” “pernicious,” “In flat-out rejection of the Enlightenment rationalism that brought the United States into being,” (yes, he actually said that in print), “more frightening than Disney’s Haunted Mansion.”

As you read other critiques of museum’s by Martin Filler, you will see that he critiques the buildings—but for the Creation Museum he not only blasts the Christian message, but makes one of the most blatantly false statements I have seen about the Founding Fathers of this nation. This reporter couldn’t help himself—he is so ardently anti-Christian—and his anger at the message of the Creation Museum welled up in him so much, he just had to make this scathing attack when he was supposed to be critiquing the architecture—which in itself is ironic, because the architects of the museum, A.M. Kinney Associates, actually received an award and recognition for the design of the Creation Museum building.

Here is the “architectural critique” from this magazine. By the way, I have found that even some of the most ardent secular humanists acknowledge that many of the Founding Fathers of this nation were dedicated Christians. But read on as Martin Filler blasts the message of the museum—but in doing so, openly mocks and attacks anyone who is a Christian:

Creation Museum, Petersburg, Kentucky, by A.M. Kinney Associates. At a time when museums are accused of turning themselves into theme parks, along comes a bizarre new institution that makes Walt Disney World seem like the Albertina. This is not surprising, since the displays of cartoonish dinosaurs and humanoids at the Creation Museum—devised to supplant Darwin’s theory of evolution with a Bible-based fantasia of the world’s origins—were dreamed up by a former Universal Studios designer, Patrick Marsh. I use the term “institution” in both the museological and the psychiatric sense, because this only-in-America loony bin is no more a museum than I am Napoleon. Even more unsettling than its mission to enlist impressionable children in the Christian fundamentalist crusade against scientific reason is the fact that there are already two dozen such creationist museums around the country, though none equals this in impressive presentation values that make it all the more pernicious. In flat-out rejection of the Enlightenment rationalism that brought the United States into being, the Creation Museum is more frightening than Disney’s Haunted Mansion. Let us pray.

http://archrecord.construction.com/features/critique/0806critique-1.asp

Wow!

So much for objective analysis.

It is always somewhat shocking to encounter in-your-face bigotry and name calling masquerading as enlightenment.

But it shouldn't be surprising.

Jesus gave us all a heavenly heads up in John 15.

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.'   (John 15:18-25)

So how do we respond when we are on the receiving end of a spiritual Scud?

Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets. (Luke 6:22-23)

 A few hints for keeping on track when worldly people have you in the cross hairs -

First, make sure if we are catching grief it's because we have been faithful to the Lord. There is absolutely no value in being criticized because we have been mean, conceited or hypocritical. If we are going to suffer, let's make sure it is for our faith, not our own flakeyness.

Second, not all rejection is a bad thing. Consider the source. If someone who hates God hates us, we are in very good company. In many ways I am grateful for the times I have encountered these sort of people. The attacks they have leveled against faith in Christ have caused me to dig for answers that have strengthened my faith. I have also discovered that hard core critics of Christianity are more often than not living lives that are the best argument against their own position.

Third, stay faithful to Jesus. Ultimately it is His opinion of us that really matters. And those who have ridiculed and insulted God's children will one day have a chance to explain themselves before our Father in heaven.

It's been said that having a happy and healthy life is the best revenge. Let's not let the crazy criticisms of hardened hearts keep us from enjoying the nearness of the Lord and the trustworthiness of His Word.







Scott's Blog - 6/17/08

The 4:19 Solution

 There is an old Arab proverb about never allowing a camel to get it's nose in the tent. Pretty soon it will take over the whole thing.

We may be seeing this same phenomenon in action in the aftermath of the California Supreme Court decision to legalize gay marriage.

Originally billed as "equal rights" for gay couples to wed, it now looks more and more like this will be a case of "special rights", with troubling consequences for those who refuse to cooperate with the courts based on moral, ethical or spiritual grounds.

Gay marriage: a new bind for church groups

By Ben Arnoldy Tue Jun 17, 4:00 AM ET

Oakland, Calif. - The same-sex marriage march begins across California Tuesday, with thousands of gay couples expected to wed in the coming weeks. But some notes of discord and rebellion can already be heard above Pachelbel's Canon.

 

Several county clerks have said they will stop performing marriage ceremonies for all couples, gay or straight. And the state supreme court, fresh from its decision to legalize gay marriage, will decide shortly on whether a private-practice doctor can deny artificial insemination to a lesbian couple.

As gay marriage gains wider legal footing, scholars anticipate a flood of such conscientious objector cases. A key flash point will be religiously affiliated organizations that serve the public, such as hospitals, schools, and adoption agencies, and hold beliefs opposed to gay marriage.

Gay rights advocates say the courts have found workable compromises so far. But opponents warn that religious groups may have to retreat dramatically from the public square unless legislatures agree to create some religious exemptions.

"As gays come out of the closet, conservative religious people are put back in the sanctuary," says Marc Stern, general counsel for the American Jewish Congress in New York.

He expects legal battles ahead in religious schools, youth groups, and summer camps. Some recent cases have already alarmed lawyers for religious groups:

• In 2006, a Methodist group in New Jersey that rented out its boardwalk to the public for weddings lost tax exemptions after refusing to allow a same-sex commitment ceremony.

• In April, a New Mexico human rights commission charged a wedding photographer in Albuquerque thousands of dollars in legal fees after she refused, based on her Christian beliefs, a request to shoot a commitment ceremony.

• After the legalization of gay marriage in Massachusetts, the legislature refused to grant longtime adoption provider Catholic Charities a religious exemption to let it place children with heterosexual parents only.

Stern notes that Catholic Charities in Boston ultimately withdrew from providing adoption services to the public. http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20080617/ts_csm/achurchgay

As we have noted in this space, the California decision may be a temporary one, as an initiative to amend the California State Constitution to ban gay marriage is up for a vote in November.

But the redefining of an institution with essentially spiritual roots, by the secular courts looks more and more like a genie that has been let out of the bottle.

The key issue in the case was that gay marriage was being entered into by "consenting adults", and as such the government had no business putting moral or spiritual prohibitions on a secular arrangement.

The problem with this ruling is two fold.

First, if the government must support the right of "consenting adults" to redefine marriage as far as gender is concerned, why not in numbers as well?

What business does the government have in telling "consenting adults" that a polygamous marriage is wrong?

Second, if the government insists that gay marriage, or even polygamous marriage is the law of the land, what will happen to those who disagree?

Get ready for another tidal wave of law suits.

And be prepared as well to see not only churches, but also faith based social service agencies lose their tax exempt status.

And be sued for damages.

And essentially be shut down.

There may be a glimmer of hope if similar accommodations are made for "conscientious objectors" to this oncoming policy.

Following the Roe v. Wade decision on abortion in 1973, courts saw an initial flurry of conscientious objector cases, followed by a host of legislative exemptions.

At the federal level, the Church Amendment prevented the threat of withholding federal monies to compel individuals or institutions to perform an abortion contrary to their beliefs. Most states followed suit with their own versions.

"I argue for conscience clauses, the same thing we have for abortions," says Washington and Lee University law professor Robin Wilson. Such exemptions allow physicians and religious hospitals to opt out of performing an abortion provided other doctors are available and the mother's life isn't in danger.

Similarly, county clerks like those in California's Kern and Butte Counties could opt out of issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples – so long as there's another clerk around to do it. Ditto for adoption providers and artificial insemination cases.

Gay rights activists aren't warming to the mounting discussion of religious exemptions. They argue that courts have been balancing religious beliefs with antidiscrimination protections for many years. http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20080617/ts_csm/achurchgay

Would this uneasy compromise prevail? We can certainly hope so. But it is equally possible that the United States very well may follow the same path as Canada.


WND Exclusive

Government to pastor: Renounce your faith!
Now banned from expressing moral opposition to homosexuality
Posted: June 09, 2008
10:00 pm Eastern

 © 2008 WorldNetDaily

A Canadian human rights tribunal ordered a Christian pastor to renounce his faith and never again express moral opposition to homosexuality, according to a new report.

In a decision dated May 30 in the penalty phase of the quasi-judicial proceedings run by the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal, evangelical pastor Stephen Boisson was banned from expressing his biblical perspective of homosexuality and ordered to pay $5,000 for "damages for pain and suffering" as well as apologize to the activist who complained of being hurt.

According to a report from Pete Vere at the Catholic Exchange, the penalty could foreshadow the possible fate of the Rev. Alphonse de Valk, who also cited the biblical perspective on homosexuality in the nation's debate over same-sex "marriage" and now faces HRC charges. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=66704

This raises a major question for Bible believing pastors and leaders in our day. If a similar course of action is pursued here, what will we do?

Real direction is given to us in Acts chapter four.

So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”(Acts 4:18-20)

The response to the flood of secularism in our society today is simple - stay faithful.

Keep teaching the whole counsel of God so God's people will know how He views the institution of marriage that He created (see Matthew 19:4-6).

Keep reaching those whose lives are being damaged by the consequences of sin and fallenness in this world.

Keep seeking to live lives that show there is a better way to find real peace and fulfillment than man's secular "solutions".

Keep shining with the love and truth of Jesus and we will be just fine.

 

 



Scott's Blog - 6/16/08

Don't Quote Me?

 Every now and then I will get a call asking if I would be willing to be interviewed for a newspaper story with a "religious" angle.

The latest was for the following article that ran yesterday in the Arizona Daily Star.

E.T. hunters join forces with Mars lander crew

By Stephanie Innes
Arizona Daily Star
The University of Arizona-led Phoenix Mars Mission includes an intriguing partner: a group dedicated to finding extraterrestrials.
The SETI Institute — SETI stands for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence — is a partner in science experiments under way on the red planet.
The group's name may be familiar to movie-goers who remember the 1997 film "Contact," starring Jodie Foster. Foster plays a SETI scientist who detects an extraterrestrial radio signal from the star Vega.
But don't get too excited. Officials with SETI anticipate no such signal from Mars.
"There will be no green men popping into the camera waving at us, no huge footprints," SETI researcher and Phoenix Mars science team member John R. Marshall said. "If there has been any life on Mars it's unlikely it got beyond simple, microbial forms."
The Phoenix spacecraft touched down on the red planet May 25. Science experiments are expected to last about 90 days. http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/243861.php

 The author of the article, Stephanie Innes, asked if evangelicals were opposed to the idea of looking for life on other planets.

I told her the Bible was silent on any mention of life on other planets. But that the Bible was absolutely positive on the fact that God is the Author of life.

In fact, not only does the Bible declare that life is no accident, genuine science tells us the very existence of even the most basic building blocks of life is nothing short of a miracle.

Even noted astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle commented that the chances of even the simplest cell originating by chance were the same as assembling a fully functioning 747 jet by having a tornado blow through a junk yard.

The Bible tells us:

The heavens declare the glory of God;
         And the firmament shows His handiwork.
 Day unto day utters speech,
         And night unto night reveals knowledge. (Psalm 19:1-2)

 I concluded by saying that it is God Who not only created life, but gives to us the curiosity, creativity and intelligence to explore the creation He has made.

As such there is nothing biblically wrong with missions like the Phoenix lander.


Now, about half of that interaction actually made the article.

Some I have talked to have reacted by saying, "If they are going to edit you down and leave out the best parts, why even bother giving the interview?"

The answer seems pretty simple to me.

First, having worked in news, I appreciate just how hard it can be to come up with a good quote. If I can help make someone else's job easier, I am more than willing to help.

Second, as long as the quote isn't folded, spindled and mutilated beyond recognition, it's always a good thing to get God's Word out in as many forums as possible.

Third, if we can show that believers aren't afraid to share in the marketplace of ideas, and can express Biblical truth in a rational and courteous way, who knows what other opportunities may open up?

As Paul put it:

I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.(I Corinthians 9:22-23)








Scott's Blog - 6/12/08

An Act of God?

 That's what they would call this in the insurance business.

Tornado Kills 4 in Iowa Boy Scout Camp

Laura Inns/Omaha World-Herald, via Associated Press

An aerial view of the remnants of a building destroyed at the Little Sioux Scout Ranch in Iowa.

The story becomes even more harrowing when it gets personal.

Boy Scout tells of surviving Little Sioux tornado

BLENCOE, Ia. – Zach Jessen scrambled under a table just before the tornado hit.

He and about 20 other Boy Scouts huddled in a bunk house at the Little Sioux Scout Ranch, preparing to watch a movie when a Scoutmaster ordered them under the tables. Jessen grabbed another Scout under his right arm and prayed.

"I was just praying and hoping I would make it through," Jessen said Thursday.

The tornado that tore through the 1,800-acre camp was classified an EF-3, said Becky Griffis, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Omaha. Wind speed is estimated to have been 145 mph. The tornado was on the ground for about 14 miles and cut a straight path that begins near Interstate Highway29 in far northwest Harrison County to Moorhead.

Jessen, a 14-year-old from Fremont, Neb., was still wearing his brown Boy Scout shirt Thursday morning. His right arm was scraped and swollen, his wrist sporting a white hospital bracelet from a brief stay in a hospital in Onawa.

Jessen's was one harrowing and heroic story among many at the ranch, tucked in the Loess Hills about 40 miles north of Omaha. Jessen and about 100 youth and 25 adults were there attending a weeklong leadership training event, Pahuk Pride.

Jessen was in one of two bunk houses where scouts and their leaders took shelter when the storm bore down on them.

About 60 scouts took shelter in one and mostly escaped injury. About 20 scouts, including Jessen, were in a similar building about a quarter mile away in the same valley. It was there were all four scouts died, said Blencoe Fire Chief Ed Osius, who was among the first on the scene.

Osius said the tornado also destroyed the home of the permanent Scoutmaster at the camp. The Scoutmaster, his wife, and infant child and a teenager were all injured, Osius said.

The scouts attending the event, Pahuk Pride, were selected for the honor by Scoutmasters around Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Besides leadership skills, those who survived will bring back to their troops incredible stories worthy of a merit badge.

Jessen said when the weather began to turn bad Wednesday evening he left his tent and took shelter in a one-story, wooden bunk house built on a cement slab.

The scouts were going to watch a movie when warning came about the storm, possibly from a weather radio on the ranch.

"As soon as he said 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail,' the power went out," Jessen said. A Scoutmaster yelled for them to get under the tables. Then the doors blew open. The tornado tore the roof off.

Jessen said he remembers the noise of the rain. The rocks. The freight-train sound of the tornado. He also remembers when a pickup truck was tossed into the stone chimney, knocking it into the bunk house. "When it hit," Jessen said, "it sounded like an explosion because it fell directly on the cement."

Jessen was in charge of eight other scouts. One of them was killed when the chimney fell. http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080612/NEWS/80612042

Inevitably a horrible event like this stirs up questions in its aftermath.

"Why do bad things happen to good people?"

"Why were some spared and others taken?"

"Where was God when the pick up truck struck that stone chimney?"

Inevitably bad answers are offered.

One perennial PBS talking head suggested that the surviving families "Sit down and make a list of all the things that they are still grateful for."

Really.

Kind of like saying, "But look on the bright side Mrs. Lincoln. At least you had a nice night out at the theater."

So what is the Biblical response?

A reading of the book of Job tells us that there is often more to tragedy than meets the eye.

It also tells us that the poster child of a good man suffering bad things in this world was never given a reason why this side of heaven.

Job's faithfulness literally rocked the gates of Hell.

But all he heard from the Lord was a simple, "Trust Me."

Jesus was even more succinct.

When told that the Roman governor had arbitrarily slaughtered some people from Galilee so that their blood actually mingled with their sacrifices, the question of "Why?" was heavy in the air.

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-5)

In Jesus' response we see that when it comes to tragedy, God is more interested in telling us what we need to know than what we might want to know.

Death in this fallen world is a sad reality. It came about as a result of man's sin. However we die, we will all face a greater issue after death - judgment . That judgment will determine where we spend eternity.

From Jesus' point of view, that issue is of ultimate importance.

So important that he went through the horrors of both physical and spiritual death to provide us the way to a life that will never end.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Tragedies like the Iowa tornado disaster underscore the value of that gift.

The ultimate "act of God" provided life for all who will receive it.

 






Scott's Blog - 6/11/08

The US and the Last Days - Part II

 One common criticism that is leveled at those who focus on biblical prophecy is that this is a message of gloom and doom that inevitably leads people to check out of life in the here and now.

In my experience the precise opposite has been the case. I believe that, properly understood, the conviction that Jesus could return for His people at any moment is a powerful source of Scripturally based optimism.

Consider how the doctrine of the Rapture effects our understanding of the role (or conspicuous lack thereof) of the United States in End Times prophecy.

If you have been following along with the blog this week, you know we have devoted some time to exploring this question.

There are two schools of thought as to why the United States is absent in the Last Days. One school of thought speculates that the United States may be taken out before hand by a limited war or a terrorist attack.

But consider another alternative. What if the United States is a non player in the End Times because of the Rapture of the church?

Think about it.

On 9-11 our entire nation was shaken to the foundation by an event that removed 3,000 lives from this earth.

Could you imagine if we multiplied the impact of that event by 33,000?

In it's latest research, the Barna Group estimates that 47% of Americans are Bible believing, born again Christians. This would mean that 101 million people in this country have a personal relationship with Christ. http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Topic&TopicID=8

Imagine the impact the sudden removal of 101  million people would have on this country.

Transportation systems would be paralyzed.

Our economic system would grind to a screeching halt.

Key people in government, military and social services would leave irreplaceable gaps in our country's ability to function.

The United States would collapse.

Now when we consider the effect of this event on other key nations and power blocks in the Last Days we can see that although the sudden vanishing of believers would be felt, it would not be nearly as devastating.

In fact, in some nations, it would be business as usual.

Why is the United States conspicuously absent in Biblical prophecy?

I believe the post Rapture condition of our country will be so weakened that we will be reduced to a minor bit player on the world's stage, most likely co-opted into the power sphere of the Revived Roman Empire under the Anti-Christ.

And this is reason for optimism. And personal and practical investment in outreach.

I would love nothing more than to see the figure of those who will be caught up with Christ to rise to 110 million, or 120 million or 200 million!

How could this happen?

By believers committing themselves to a vision of connecting others to Christ, not our own comfort.

By walking our talk so that people don't merely hear about God's love, but see it in reality.

By praying that we would make the most of our time and our lives.

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Romans 13:11-14)

 I want to make it to the Rapture and do my best to bring as many people along with me as I can.

Let's pray that the Lord makes that an ever growing reality in our lives as we await His return.











Scott's Blog - 6/10/08

The US and the Last Days

 When we study the portrait of the End Times we find in the scriptures, the major players are hard to miss.

Israel? Check. Miraculously back in the Promised Land as Ezekiel 36-37 predicts.

Russia, Iran and their fellow members of the Gog and Magog Invasion force? Ezekiel 38-39 coming into focus.

The Revived Roman Empire? Check the value of the Euro versus the dollar to see this sleeping economic giant is stating to awaken.

The 'King of the South"? This petro-dollar fueled Islamic coalition is building on both the wealth of the Saudis and the nuclear capabilities of Pakistan.

The "Kings of the East"? The 200 million man army of Revelation 9:16 is no longer a stretch to imagine as we see the rise of Communist China on the world stage.

But any discussion of the cast of characters that will eventually slam head to head in the Battle of Armaggedon, a question will inevitably be raised -

"So where is the United States in the Last Days?"

Some have tried to squint hard and read the United States presence into passages like Revelation 17-18, the vivid portrait of Babylon as the focal point of religion and commerce in the empire of the Antichrist.

I have found such arguments unconvincing. When the scripture refers to Babylon, it tends to mean Babylon. The description of this "city set on seven hills" tells me that we aren't referring to a nation. When we see that Iraq is well on the road to recovery, and that international concerns are looking at the literal site of Babylon as a key communications and diplomatic hub, we can set aside speculations that these predictions refer to the United States.

So where are we? It seems incredible that a nation that is the 800 pound gorilla in matters economic, military and diplomatic is a non entity in the Last Days.

I believe there are two possible answers to this Biblical mystery. One is horrific. The other is amazingly hopeful.

Let's start with the potential bad news.

Yes, the United States is the straw that stirs the drink in our world today. But with that high profile status comes danger. Every disgruntled group with pretensions of greatness wants to make their mark by bringing us down.

9-11 showed just how devastating a blow can be struck by a small handful of committed fanatics.

But we may not have seen anything yet.

What if one of these disgruntled fanatics finds himself the leader not just of a splinter cell, but an entire nation?

And what if that nation were to obtain the technology to construct and deliver weapons of mass destruction?

Consider this entry from Joel Rosenberg's Flash Traffic Blog:

(Washington, D.C., June 6, 2008) -- Using some of his most apocalyptic rhetoric yet, Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is vowing that the United States and Israel will soon be "annihilated," even as he refuses to abandon Iran's nuclear program.

Marking the 19th anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, Ahmadinejad said: "Today, the time for the fall of the satanic power of the United States has come and the countdown to the annihilation of the emperor of power and wealth has started."

He also insisted that "I must announce that the Zionist regime (Israel), with a 60-year record of genocide, plunder, invasion and betrayal is about to die and will soon be erased from the geographical scene."

Are Israeli leaders thus planning to launch a massive air attack on Iran before the end of the year, or even before new national elections in Israel which may take place as early as November? Or are they trying to persuade the U.S. to do it before President Bush leaves office? Perhaps both. Which underscores the point I've been making for some time -- while we intensify our efforts to pray for peace in the epicenter, we also need to be intensifying our efforts to prepare for war.

"An Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites looks 'unavoidable' given the apparent failure of Western sanctions to deny Tehran technology with bomb-making potential," Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz said Friday, according to Reuters report. "If Iran continues with its program for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it. The sanctions are ineffective," said Mofaz. http://joelrosenberg.blogspot.com/

 There is a reason why such saber rattling makes international headlines. No serious analyst of events in the Middle East believes that if a man like Mahmoud Ahmadinejhad gets nuclear weapons that he will hesitate to use them. Not just on Israel, but on the U.S as well.

What if, heaven forbid, he is successful?

 There are those who speculate that a WMD attack on the United States may either cripple the country, or cause us to become steadfastly isolationist, a mere bit player on the world stage.

Joel's riveting book "Dead Heat" paints a vivid picture on this possibility. Check out his interview on the Glenn Beck program at http://joelrosenberg.blogspot.com/.

So what is possibility number two for the fate of the United States? Believe it or not, there is an amazingly hopeful scenario that can make a real difference in the way we live today.

Check out Scott's Blog tomorrow for the answer!



Scott's Blog - 6/09/08

When Does a Tissue Blob Turn Truly Human?

 One of the most frequently debated questions in the controversy surrounding abortion is a simple one - when does life begin?

After reading the following story we may want to vary that debate a bit.

 

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