My Issue With NowTheEndBegins - Part 1

How NTEB Got Me Fired Up This Time

If you are friends with Dara and I on Facebook (through Jax, of course) then you know I recently went off on the writer of the article on the ecumenical gathering organized by Humanum, an organization dedicated to the promotion of marriage between a man and a woman within faith communities. They approached the Vatican to cosponsor an event in which they will gather religious leaders of many faiths from around the world to speak on this very subject. In addition to Pope Francis, multiple Christian leaders will be present, and these include the author of Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren. Anyone who is familiar with me knows that I have a major issue with Mr. Warren, especially with his now oft repeated statements that Islam and Christianity worship the same God- Let me be clear from the outset: I absolutely reject Warren's assertion that the God of the Bible is the god of Islam. 

However, NTEB mischaracterizes it as a "Global Chrislam Conference." Right there, one should be put completely on guard against what is coming, yet I am discovering that many Christians are falling for this garbage. Thus, I am writing tonight about it, and why any Christ follower should be wary of anything that comes from NTEB.

The article opens with the following statement:

On Monday, November 17, 2014, Pope Francis will host a global ecumenical conference featuring Muslim leaders, pagans, and Chrislam founder Rick Warren from Saddleback Church in California. --NTEB

Let's stop there for just a minute. Chrislam is a religious practice established in the 1970's that recognizes the Q'ran and the Bible as sacred texts. It was created by Tela Tella in Lagos, Nigeria. The idea of mixing these two utterly incompatible religions is by no means new, and Rick Warren had nothing to do with the founding of this sect. Nevertheless, here in the United States, he has unilaterally been recognized as the creator of this abomination of doctrine. Folks, Warren, for all of his abhorrent mistakes and transgressions, did not found this crud.

Moreover, NTEB declares that it will be attended by Muslim leaders, pagans and Rick Warren. We've already discussed Warren and Chrislam, so let us turn our attention to the word "pagan." Paganism is a very specific belief system, and does not- Cannot for the sake of accuracy and truth -Be inclusive of all the religions one disapproves of. Paganism at its core is the worship of nature; it does not include Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Christian Scientists, etc. If one wished to bunch all of these religions under one single label, it would be "heathen," or better yet, "deceived." Moreover, the conference is being attended by those from the orthodox Jewish community and the Messianic Jewish community. These too are "pagans?" This inattention to detail (and we must hope it was a sincere lack of attention to detail rather than an intentional and outright misuse) is typical of NTEB.

Let us continue looking at the article.

Note the high number of professing pagan religions that will be represented there. The Pope doesn’t care what you believe as long as you follow Rome.     --NTEB

NTEB has already mischaracterized the conference's intent. They further skew the representation by implying that it is the Vatican that is leading this conference. In fact, Pope Francis is merely a speaker; the organization responsible for the initial planning is doing the hosting. That organization is so-called "interfaith," meaning that no one religion has a controlling hand, regardless of what NTEB wishes with obvious sincerity.

...beyond it’s stated purpose, the real reason for the global confab is to continue Pope Francis’ work of merging all religions into the One World Religion mentioned in the book of Revelation. Any excuse for a get together is fine, so long as all religions agree to lay down before the Vatican and get in line behind the Pope. --NTEB

This is an absolute and unbelievably blatant slam on Catholics; not to mention a truly awful understanding of Revelation. I want to make sure everyone understands something about the book of Revelation: Nowhere in Revelation does it state that there will be a "One World Religion" in those terms. Thus, everything we know about the One World Religion that accompanies the rise of the final Antichrist comes from pure interpretation. Mind, that interpretation, when done properly, gives us a very clear vision of a universal (here meaning global) religion.

Note what Revelation actually says about this global religion, and make exceptional note of the imagery.

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. 9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
15 And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”   --Revelation 17:1-18 [ESV]

The word "harlot" is used throughout the Old and New Testaments to reference false religion. It will dominate the whole world, thus it is global. The adultery (sexual immorality) mentioned illustrates the influence the religion has on the leaders of the world. The drunkenness mentioned refers to these people becoming drunk with power.

What it does not say is what that religion will be or what it will spring from. All of those who say it is the Vatican are coming off of pure speculation- Even those who say they've had a revelation from God on the matter ought to be thoroughly examined for past accuracy before being believed. I myself believe that it will be a religion that is nonexistent today- That it will spring from the rise of the living statue, not from anything today; again, this is purely speculation, and is open to correction based upon contextual and critical Scriptural argument. It is worth noting that the rise of this religion, however, comes after the rise of the Antichrist and the creation of the living statue, or the image of the beast which has been given life by the false prophet.

Regardless, the Pope is not calling for all religions to fall in line with the Vatican- If he were to do this, you can bet there would be war. He is joining in a conference on the importance of marriage. Any further purpose is conjecture, and must be treated as such- With a heavy dose of skepticism and a demand for evidence. NTEB cannot provide such evidence, instead pointing to Scripture warped and taken out of context, viewed through a lens dirtied with agenda and bias. I absolutely and emphatically challenge NTEB and/or any of their supporters to present evidence to the contrary.

NTEB Calls This Reporting

Last year, Anglican priest and close friend of Pope Francis Tony Palmer gave an impassioned plea to Kenneth Copeland’s church to “return home to Mother Rome”, only to die mere months later in a mysterious motorcycle accident.      --NTEB

The Late Anglican Bishop Tony Palmer
(YouTube)

I find it in particularly poor taste to call Palmer's motorcycle accident "mysterious," thus implying that it was somehow Divine judgment. I find it even more poor taste to state that Palmer called the ministers at Copeland's church (another minister I've taken issue with) to return to "mother Rome." NTEB claims that Copeland has never been in the Body of Christ- I take offense to this as well. He has preached prosperity, and yes, that teaching is heretical; but he has never led anyone to turn their lives over to anyone but Christ. As Nate so eloquently stated during one of our recent broadcasts, there are very few Bible translations out there that will not bring a person to salvation. The same can be said for Christian ministers, no matter how wayward aspects of their theology.

Let us examine the main charge: That Tony Palmer pled with these attending ministers to return to "mother Rome."

The first and most obvious to those who know their church history is that Anglicans do not answer to the Vatican. An Anglican priest can be excommunicated for this, though the right of excommunication is rarely exercised. Anglicans split from Rome before the King James Bible was brought to the masses, and though Roman Catholicism has opened their churches to those Anglican members upset with recent decisions to allow homosexual priests and marriages within their denomination, they are still not Catholic.

The second most obvious (and perhaps most obvious to most people) is that Catholic priests cannot marry. They are bound from marriage by their oaths. Tony Palmer was married. He and his widow have two children. Let me say it again: Anglicans are not Catholic. Moreover, Tony Palmer began his ministry as a supercharged, spirit filled, pentecostal new convert.

Finally, and most important: NTEB puts "mother Rome" in quotations. Palmer never, not once, uses this phrase in his entire 30+ minute address. He did say that people should take back the word catholic for what it really means, and we'll get to that in a moment. NTEB edited the video of Palmer's address so that it sounded like he was being blatently arrogant. In fact, he was giving Scriptural and historical support for everything he stated. He also said "Luther's protest is over; is yours?" NTEB states at this point that "for all good King James Version believing Christians, the protest will never be over!" Oh, fools that you are! The protest was indeed over salvation through faith alone, and Luther did indeed say that it was works which proved faith. The Roman Catholic church did indeed sign an accord fundamentally changing their doctrine regarding salvation through works, and as such- Yes, the protest IS over.

What should truly stand out here though is that NTEB flat out lied through invented attribution and mischaracterization, and all to bring dishonor to a man who was saved by faith, began working within the Anglican church, and then began to work with, not for, the Roman Catholic church to bring genuine salvation to their members.

Forgive me for this next comment; I make it with full understanding that I may offend some who read this, yet also with full conviction of the truth of the statement: I believe there is a special place within the Lake of Fire for those who claim Christ, yet who tear down His Body- And I pray that the members of NTEB do not find themselves there.


In another article authored by NTEB on this subject, they make the following statement:

The video you are about to see is shocking. It is a blatant, full-frontal assault by the Vatican to, once again, attempt to swallow up the professing Christian church like they did back in 325 AD when the Catholic Church was invented. What you will hear Kenneth Copeland and Anglican priest Tony Palmer – a personal friend and confidant of Pope Francis – say is that “if you are born again, then you are a Catholic” among a host of other outright lies. --NTEB

Take note that the Vatican, in reaching out for the purpose of reconciliation, is actually assaulting Christianity... According to NTEB, that is.

Their reference to 325 A.D. is weakly accurate historically, though exceptionally flawed in application. The Catholic church was formed in a fairly recognizable fashion around 325 A.D. However, the word "catholic" had been in use far before then- We'll get to that in a moment. NTEB goes to their standard vitriol in explaining this, quoting the oft used but wholly misrepresented Emperor Constantine story. They state, as many have, that Constantine declared himself as the head of the Christian church- This is almost entirely without basis. "Almost entirely," because there were critics of his who declared that's virtually what he did- None of these critics to my knowledge were Christians, however. They also claim that Constantine made Christianity the official religion of Rome; this is not so. What he did do was end the state-sponsored persecution of Christians, allowing them to once again worship within their homes and within church buildings with little to no fear of retaliation.

As a point of historical fact for those who hold to the belief that Constantine ordered Christianity to become the state religion; instituted Roman idol worship within the faith (Sunday worship, etc); and created what we know to be the Catholic Church, there is a minor problem: Constantine died in 337 A.D. and Christianity became the state religion in 381 A.D., forty-four years after his death. It is ironic that NTEB lambasts PBS on a nearly regular basis, and yet espouses the same identical story regarding the institution of Christianity that PBS also forwards.

What everyone misses is the fact that it was the professing Christian church uniting under the first Roman ruler to convert to Christianity and prove his faith by his actions. The institution of Christianity as the state religion happened much later, and was the direct result of multiple conflicts within the area- The Catholic church (again, we'll get into the use of "catholic" soon) gathered its supporters and recognizing the need for a uniting secular ruler, appointed Charlemagne the first "Holy Roman Emperor." The age of the Holy Roman Catholic Church begins here- Not with Constantine. Now, remember I said their statement was weakly accurate historically? Let me explain how low the bar must be set for them to be remotely accurate: They pegged the Roman Catholic Church as starting around 325 A.D., but Charlemagne was appointed as Emperor in 800 A.D.

Now to the crux of the matter- The statement that "if you are born again, you are catholic." (Please note the lack of capitalization.) 

The word 'catholic' comes from the Greek and means 'throughout the whole.' The Christian church used this expression as early as 110 A.D. to reference the Body of Christ, and possibly earlier. It was later adopted by the organized movement we now know as the Roman Catholic Church, and then tainted by the corruption the church fell into. Watching Palmer's address in context reveals this very thing- That he was talking in reference to the earliest understanding, and not stating that all Christians are part of the Roman Catholic Church; he could have lost his priesthood for that!

Later in this article, NTEB claims that Palmer was lying about the Glory of God holding us together via insinuation. They quote Paul when he tells the Church in Rome not to allow other doctrines to sway them from what they'd already received, not unlike his admonition in Galatians. Yet, there it is in red and white: "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one" -John 17:22 and from the KJV itself.

NTEB - The Charges Do Not End Here

My issues with NTEB do not stop with this abominable use of the word "journalism." (Yes, that's what they call this garbage, unless one can take "NTEB News Desk" to mean anything else.) It goes far beyond the intentional character assassination and slander they call reporting. However, this particular article can go only so long, and thus, I will have to continue in a second installment.

Allow me to say something positive about NTEB though, as I feel that all criticism should be rounded out with some form of praise for a job done well, however minor that right doing may be: They support Israel unflinchingly, and they support Joel Rosenberg's Joshua Fund as well. I must give them kudos for that at least.

Fiction, Comics, and Joshua Black: The subtle draw of Joshua Black Hierarchy of Heaven

What is fiction?

Fiction is the ability to write a potential future from current events.  It is the ability to portray the series of events to reach the end result of a given scenario or line of thinking.  It is the ability to take single theory or thought, and string it along all of its plausible courses to reach a final outcome.

With that said, what are comics and/or graphic novels?

This medium is the method of taking fiction and bringing it to life visually.  It allows the artists and writers to take a story that is compelling and powerful and amplify it to the nth degree.  It is the ability to combine a tale that is interesting and intriguing and gripping, and create artwork that helps to tell the story with images designed to inspire and accentuate the emotions of the story.


Why am I talking about this?

Because Joshua Black, (written by Martin Dunn and published by Con Artist Entertainment), has a very interesting premise, and has but a few days left to meet their stretch goals via Kickstarter.


Allow me to quote the summary of the Joshua Black storyline:

The Hierarchy. A bloodline of existence.  Only one has been recorded ascending from the earth to take the throne of heaven, but His story has been told.  On this day, another will rise.  This is the story of a deity.  This is the story of a living God.  This is the story of JOSHUA BLACK. and how he ended the world, not with a whimper... but with a bang!

For those of you who are interested in theology, and specifically the theological heresies of Christianity, this may be a very interesting entry.  If you are not all that interested in it, you may still find this to be a worthwhile read.

The first thing one will notice, regardless of your interest, is the fact that the story is based upon a character that becomes God.  I've had countless contacts since announcing my support for this series, and most are asking me a single question with multiple variations: Why are you, as a Christian, supporting something so diametrically opposed to your beliefs?

The answer to this question is simple: Because Joshua Black takes the Arianism heresy to its absolute final conclusion, and demonstrates, in my opinion, just why the heresy is so very contrary to the Word of God, and dangerous at the same time.


A little background first.  Arianism is not to be confused with Hitler's Arian Dream.  Arianism was created by a monk who could not reconcile himself to the belief that God was triune.  His solution to the perceived problem, then, was to declare that Jesus Christ, far from being God made flesh, was actually a created being that had been set aside specifically for the purpose of death on the cross.  His resurrection, according to the heresy, was proof that He had carried out His purpose successfully, and was thus granted deity status.

Of the many problems with this doctrine, one stands out most: It states that Christ was merely human.


In Joshua Black, a young man discovers that he is next in the hierarchy of Christ; that is, he is the same as Christ in that he was created specifically to serve a particular purpose and ascend to the throne of Heaven as the next "Son of God."  This is Arianism at its most blatant, and it does play out all the way to the end.

Because Joshua is a mere human tapped for godhood and granted the powers of a god, certain things are bound to happen.  For instance, we see in Scripture that Christ calmed storms at sea; what would happen if a tormented teen lets loose a verbal barrage of vehement speech against someone or something, but does so with the power of a god backing him?  Another example: We see Christ rejecting Satan's temptations; but what would happen if a hormonal demigod gave in to temptation?

This series is going to be an amazing ride for everyone, and I believe I can promise that.  There is so much more to the story; so much more depth to each of the characters; so much more underlying intrigue that it really will grasp the attention of anyone willing to give it a shot.

Right now, one of the most amazing things about this series is that it is being crowd-sourced, in a manner of speaking.  Their Kickstarter was successful, but they are now seeking to meet stretch goals to ensure both quality and a continued story.  You can be a part of this.  Just click on either the name "Joshua Black" or "Kickstarter" anywhere in this article to be taken to their profile where you can choose to support one of the most amazing stories to come out in comics since that of Wolverine.

Click here to go to the Joshua Black Kickstarter!

Joshua Black: Kick It UP!

Joshua Black: Hierarchy of Christ - Used with permission.

Folks, I want to take a break from the sociopolitical issues to talk for a moment about something I've been privileged to be helping with for a short while; something I believe in immensely, and something I think that family, friends and readers from all parts of the spectrum will enjoy.
I'm not going to invite you all to church with me...  Though if you're interested, fee free to hit me up about that.  I'm not going to sell you holy wood from the cross, because that's just stupid.  I'm not even looking to get you to check out my latest YouTube video... Mainly because it's been awhile since I've put one up.

No folks, I'm talking about something that's important.  Something of value.  Something that has game-changing potential.

I'm talking about Joshua Black.


Joshua Black: Hierarchy of Christ is an amazing comic that is currently being published by ConArtist Entertainment.  Right now, they have a Kickstarter going and let me tell you...  The rewards are unbelievable.  Even for a $1 donation, you're getting far more of value back.

But seriously.  What can I say about the storyline of this amazing tale that hasn't been said better already?  Here- An excerpt taken from the Joshua Black Kickstarter itself:

The Hierarchy. A bloodline of existence.  Only one has been recorded ascending from the earth to take the throne of heaven, but His story has been told.  On this day, another will rise.  This is the story of a deity.  This is the story of a living God.  This is the story of JOSHUA BLACK. and how he ended the world, not with a whimper... but with a bang!

Acclaim for Joshua Black
Used with permission.

The story of this epic is written so well that the late Christopher Hitchens, and noted apologist Dinesh D'Souza, might actually agree on the worthiness of this project for support.  (Which would be quite the amazing thing, given their 2010 debate at Notre Dame.)  More importantly, however, it is a tale that I believe will one day be on the same level as Spiderman, Captain America, or The Flash in terms of being relatable.  (Apologies to those who find these characters to be less than interesting.)

It details the life of a seemingly ordinary young man: A young man who deals with bullies, peer pressure, girlfriend worries and everything else most high school students deal with.  He's got a few friends, most notably his good friend Pete Sanderson, who also have their own personal demons to wrestle with.

Joshua, however, has a few aspects of his life that are most relatable if one has also experienced the same things themselves.  The death of his mother; the physical, emotional and verbal abuse from his father... These things shape the world in which Joshua lives.

Yet, something sets Joshua apart: He's next in line to take the throne of Heaven, and he doesn't even know it!


This last Sunday morning, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Martin Dunn, the writer/creator of Joshua Black.  Of the many questions which were asked and answered, one of those I found most interesting was the origin of this book.

I do not wish to bore you with a full transcript, however, I do recommend that you listen to the full interview, which can be found HERE.

I want to mention for a moment the rewards which are being offered: Digital copies of issues 1 and 2 for a mere dollar, plus more; digital copies of issues 1-7 and printed thanks in the paperback for $10, plus more; a personalized video message for $50, plus more; a guest host spot on the Con Artist Entertainment podcast for $100, plus more; a full page color ad for one's business or personal venture for $300, plus more...  And for each of these, you receive the rewards from all previous tiers as well!

Where are these funds going?  Again, I refer to the Kickstarter itself:

The purpose of this KickStarter campaign is to fully fund the artwork and publishing costs required to complete production of both physical and digital copies of the book, as well as collected edition. The biggest chunk of the money pledged to this project will be used to pay the talented artists, inkers, colorists, and letterers who will bring this story to life.  Funds will also be used to cover the costs of printing and marketing, which unfortunately, are not cheap.  We're confident that, with adequate resources, we'll be able to produce a quality product, and successfully market it to a large audience.

In closing, let me urge you to go to the Joshua Black Kickstarter and pledge today.  I leave you with this, the video found on the Kickstarter page.

Constitution: The Protector of Gun Fearing Cowards

Well, let's take a break from the craziness of homosexual marriage, and the so-called equality debate, to look at something far less polarizing.  How about politicians?  More specifically, how about politicians who shift blame from themselves and onto the people they supposedly represent?

Now it should be noted, before I go any further, that the stance I took in my last article (Equality: Homosexuals, Marriage, and Christian Blindness) holds true for me, and should for any Christian.  At the end of the day, I am more concerned with the state of lost souls than I am gun control measures or politics in general.  With that said, it is also important to note that Christians should still know what is going on in politics, because the decisions made at local, state and federal levels will in most cases ultimately affect them.

With this being said, the gun control debate is still going strong in the United States, no matter how eclipsed it may be by the marriage equality issue.  Ultimately, restrictions on the ability to own firearms of one's choosing will affect Christians; but it will affect them first as citizens of this country, and only secondly as followers of Christ.  However, the move to push actual bans on certain firearms will have major impact on Christians in the long run, because it does remove an element of control from the citizens and places that control in the hands of an obese and scarcely functioning federal government.

Note this interview from CNN:

Even people who are favoring gun control recognize the fact that the government of these United States is not capable of moving as quickly as it should.  In this instance, it is my opinion that the slow, waddling gait of the lumbering Fed was a blessing in disguise; it prevented certain elements within the government from capitalizing on the shock, horror and generally knee-jerk reaction of the American public.

However, the debate continues, and it is being head up by some of the most unbelievably dense and/or ignorant individuals, political and otherwise, that this nation has ever witnessed.

People such as Dianne Feinstein, who contradicts herself regularly on the issue; even when testifying before Congress.  Such as Jim Carrey, a man who I still enjoy; yet who has demonstrated that he has no idea what is at the heart of the issue.  Such as Chris Murphy, who regularly shows his lack of gun knowledge by insisting that a ban on magazines is the answer; this despite the fact that the Virginia Tech shootings took place even with the gunman changing clips.  And finally, people such as Jackie Speier.


Ms. Speier went above and beyond her compatriots in passing the buck, by stating that the entire system of government has been set up to "protect the cowards in this country."  She not only effectively blamed the Constitution that gives her the job she has, but added insult by stating via inference that anyone disagreeing with her is a coward.
You don't have to take my word for it:

Now, I have a few questions that came out of watching this clip.  The first is what is California doing to their water or air that is causing so many of their people to become imbeciles?  (Those of you who know me know how generous a statement that is.)
The second question I have is probably going to be the most offensive thing I've said so far, so steel yourselves: Who does she think she is, to call others who oppose her and her school of thought cowards, when she is the one who has been rabidly and psychotically against firearms since she was shot?  Who's the coward, Ms. Speier?  You are a disgrace to your state, your office, and your country for comments like that, and it is my spite for your politics that prevents me from referring to you as "Representative" or "Congresswoman."
You are right on this point, though: The Constitution does protect the cowards in this country.  You're living, flinching, yellow proof of that fact.

Aside from her, we've got the vice-doof making statements as blatantly false as any, and who has stated that a so-called "Assault Weapons Ban" is just the beginning.  It's amazing that opponents of gun rights will readily admit that they've never fired a weapon (hello, Piers Morgan, you limey bastard); or will admit that they don't live anywhere near the places that violent crime is actually an issue (anyone know of a federal gun ban supporting rep who lives in Chicago?)

We've also got the F*Tard-In-Chief pushing gun control measures through via Executive Orders.  (For those of you who don't know where this term comes from, please refer to the Executive Order denying the prosecution of known "recruiters" of child soldiers and simultaneously providing weapons to the very countries enslaving and brainwashing children.)  When all is said and done, Do these people actually represent us?  How can they, if they do not realize how low of a priority gun control is right now?
From the National Journal:

While the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School stirred up plenty of passion for gun control and closed part of the enthusiasm gap, [Lanae Erickson Hatalsky, the director of social policy and politics for Third Way] argues that the economy or the unemployment rate may be more important to these people. A Pew Research Poll from January confirms this, showing gun control near the bottom of voter-issue priorities.

Is it any wonder, then, that states are beginning to be flooded with gun control nullification legislation?  The people of the United States are more concerned with controlling their federal government than they are controlling the sale, ownership, styling and usage of guns!

But really, Pat Henry of "Girls Just Wanna Have Guns" had it one hundred percent correct on this point:

...what if the elaborate procedure to amend the Constitution was carried out, and enough states voted to ratify the repeal, would that be the end of your right to keep and bear arms?
No, it would not, because the Constitution does not give you rights, it merely instructs the government not to interfere with the God-given rights you already have. 

The thing that most gun ban pushing, right limiting, yellow cowards tend to forget is this:  You cannot have it both ways. Either the Constitution is a living document, as they claim, and applies now to modern firearms- Just as it applies now to text messages, chat boards, blogs, etc. -Or it is not.  If it is not, then it still allows for the ownership of modern firearms.
These feckless blips on the historical radar want it to say only what they want it to say; they want a McDonald's style government with a twist: "Have it our way."  However, the Constitution expressly forbids such a ruling style.  That has not kept the Capitol Hill Nutters from attempting to change things, however, and we all need to be better informed and more aware of what is going on around us.  Why?

Because these people aren't out to stop violence, as they say.  They don't want to put an end to bloodshed.  They want to put an end to the very real threat that if they one day go too far, the first bullet of a new American Revolution will hit them.

Equality: Homosexuals, Marriage, and Christian Blindness

You know, I'm seeing a lot of different things being posted about equality. I'm seeing Christians posting anti-homosexual sentiments (at the worst), as well as more reasonable Christians posting things to the effect of 'I support Biblical model marriage,' and other variations on the theme.
On the other hand, I'm also seeing many other people posting graphics which paint those who don't agree with homosexuality as a life style as being as bad as those who want to outright kill homosexuals. Granted, this is the worst element; the more reasonable ones are simply saying that marriage is not a church institution; never was; this is not a Christian country and never was; etc.

Each group has valid points made with valid facts, and each group has a great deal of invalid points created from invalid facts. 

You know what I think, folks?  I think Christians have lost sight of the big picture.  Since when has Christianity been about earthly equality, or lack thereof?

Of course, I could say the same for Equality of Marriage supporters: Since when has Christianity been about earthly equality, or lack thereof?

You see, the same question applies to both camps, believe it or not.

Let me address Christians first, because honestly, I see them as being far more responsible for the problems at hand.  

Brothers and sisters, we are more responsible, like it or not.  We are held to a higher standard, and as such, we are more responsible now for the issues that are now than unbelievers are.  Sure, those who remain unbelievers will be held accountable in the final judgment, but until that day comes, guess who's holding?

Yep.  Us.

So let me put it to you this way: Our job is not to make rules and laws for unbelievers to follow.  Straight up, that makes us pharisees.  That makes us the people Christ verbally slapped every time they came around.  I do not feel like getting that kind of a backhand, and none of you should want it either.  Additionally, we were not put here to dictate life choices to others; the laws of the Bible may apply to all, but forcing people who do not believe is the same as a Muslim demanding conversion at the end of a sword: That's not God's way, and it should not be ours.  Let them fall on the Rock of their own accord and be broken.  Let the judgment fall upon them through their own iniquity, by their own hand, and quit trying to be the proverbial sword- Again, that is not our job.

People get caught up in this being a Christian nation, and they forget something very important: The Christians who had a part in the founding of this country paired up with Deists, Atheists, and a slew of others to do so.  This country was not made a theocracy, nor should it become one.  There are more than enough of those in the world: Most are in the Middle East, and you can see how well they're doing.  And don't give me the "well they're not serving the living God" bull.  They aren't, there we agree; but how many humans have you met that have it completely, 100% together?  Who would you honestly trust with absolute power to enforce the will of God?  If you can't name a single man or woman you'd trust in that capacity, then you need to quite talking out of your hindquarters and quit pushing morality on people who have shifting morality.  For the record, if you CAN name someone you'd trust in that position, you need to evaluate the cult you belong to, because even Moses screwed the pooch.

Don't like the straight talk?  Too bad.  Even Paul wrote that he considered the things of this world to be shit compared to Christ Jesus, and I'll be tarred, feathered and set alight before I speak any differently than plain.

You unbelievers and supporters of marriage equality- Listen up.

The most loudmouthed Christians are not those who represent Christianity.  You people accuse Christians of judging you all based upon varying examples, yet do the exact same thing.  Grow up, think like an adult, and use that gray matter to recognize that random examples of Christian intolerance do not properly represent the Christian community as a whole.  

You want your opponents to quit characterizing every homosexual male as an overly effeminate, lisping moron with a jones for jocks?  Quit acting like every Christian is a homophobe. You want your opponents to quit speaking and acting as if every homosexual female is a bull dike, more man than woman, and only lacking the scrotum and body hair?  Quit portraying every opponent as a knife wielding, hood wearing, "God hates fags" nutcase.

You people want equality?  Start behaving like equals.  Start arguing on an intellectual level, and quit acting like two year olds without toys.

Case in point: I have a friend, Toni, who is an amazingly intelligent, witty and down-to-earth young man.  This is a man who is, at times, given to purely emotional outbursts.  However, the majority of the time, he gives a highly intellectual argument; presents well thought out points; and generally treats the people he is debating with respect.  He, folks, ought to be upheld as a model for others to follow in this regard.

Now, if anything I've said here offends you, let me be the first to say "Good."  The nation got into this mess because of its obsession with political correctness, and the crap needs to end.  Pushing political correctness is the same damn thing as legislating morality, and I'm sick as f*ck of both.

Bottom line: Equality is a bullsh!t word.  Secular equality means that everyone has the same rights, the same freedoms, etc.  Biblical equality, (look this up if you disagree), says that every human being on the face of the earth today is as much a sinner as the next.  Ask any random ten people on the street what equality is, and you are more likely to get ten different responses than you are to find ten people who voted in the last election.  

The majority of the equality advocates which I have met are not advocating equality for the sake of equality- they are advocating it because they're angry at religious folks; because they believe God is imaginary and religion is a hoax; and/or because they have been hurt somehow in some way in the past.

Christians, our duty is not to these people's sexual practices, deviant or not.  Our duty is to their souls, and like it or not, demanding they conform to a standard of practice is NOT going to save them.  Sorry.  You'll actually have to get off your asses and actually DO something... 

Start with obeying Christ, above any and every man, and begin to actually spread the Gospel; you know, instead of paying it lip service, and doing the exact opposite?

In short... Why do we attempt to do for God what God does not do for Himself?



EDIT: A very important section of this article was somehow lost when I published it- The phrase "which I have met" now appears where it should have been from the beginning.