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March 2008
How can woman forgive Son in the killing of her parents and sister?
The mother of a teenager accused of stabbing to death four people, including the mother’s parents, said she has forgiven her son and knows her parents would, too. “I told my son I love him,” Kathy Jack, 41, told The Associated Press on Thursday as she watched police officers place the bodies of her father and her sister into hearses parked outside the home where they were killed. “I always will, no matter what he’s done. No matter what happens, I love him. “My parents would feel the same if one of them was here. They would forgive and forget. And that’s how our family was,” Jack said. Jack’s son, 18-year-old Jason Alex Abbott, has been charged with four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in the Tuesday attacks. “I know my son needs a lot of prayer,” she said. “I’ve been asking people to pray. I love my son. I know there are problems.” {Associated Press}
I can only imagine how hard it must have been for this woman to forgive someone who killed her family members-even if it was her own son! I designated this past Sunday’s service in our church to pray for those incarcerated. During the week prior, I received a few hateful emails scolding me for having the audacity to set aside a special service to pray for those Murderers, rapists, and pedophiles! So I know what a sticky subject forgiveness can be. So how does one do it?
To me, one can only forgive with the help of God. One must first, have a genuine relationship with God because the bible teaches that our righteousness is as filthy rags which tells me we don’t know how to forgive at this level by ourselves. Then one must have an understanding that the bible teaches that we must forgive because with the same measure we forgive, we will be forgiven by our heaven Father.
So what are your thoughts on forgiving such grave wrongs done to love ones? Do we as human beings on our own have the ability to forgive at this level? Can just a “GOOD” person honestly forgive and forget without some divine help?
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Did parents take their faith too far?
The three siblings of a girl who died of diabetes that went untreated as her parents prayed instead of taking her to a doctor have been removed from the home during an investigation, police said Friday. Everest Metro Police Chief Dan Vergin said. The children are staying with other relatives, though they were not in danger, he said. “There is no physical evidence of abuse or neglect,” he said. “There is no intent. They didn’t want their child to die. They thought what they were doing was the right thing,” he said. “They believed up to the time she stopped breathing she was going to get better. They just thought it was a spiritual attack. They believed if they prayed enough she would get through it.” Madeline Neumann, 11, died Sunday the Weston home of an undiagnosed but treatable form of diabetes as her parents, Dale and Leilani Neumann, prayed for her to get better. Her mother said she never expected her daughter, whom she called Kara, to die. The family believes in the Bible, which says healing comes from God, Leilani Neumann said. {Associated Press}
The bible teaches that without faith, it is impossible to please God. In fact, Jesus even told his disciples when he caught them trying to keep some children from coming to him that unless we can become like one of those children, we couldn’t enter the kingdom of God obviously challenging us to have child like faith.
Did these parents do anything wrong? According to the report, it sounds like they just thought their daughter was just under the weather, possibly a 24 hour bug, and how many parents have not taken their child to the doctor under those same circumstances? Was this a case of fanatical Christians taking their faith too far, or was it a wrong decision that they will forever suffer the consequences?
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Isn’t it time we allowed woman to teach and preach in local churches?
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a female professor who claimed officials at a prominent Southern Baptist seminary told her to leave because women are biblically forbidden from teaching men. Sheri Klouda was the only female professor teaching at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s School of Theology when officials decided not to renew her contract in 2006. Seminary officials said her contract wasn’t renewed based on ecclesiastical decisions protected under the First Amendment’s religion clauses. A judge agreed, ruling in their favor Wednesday. {Associated Press}
While I agree with the judge that a religious organization should be allowed to determine their doctrine, and that privledge is something protected under the first amendment’s religion clause, I’m not so sure I agree with the stand that women should not teach or pastor in a local church? Many use the Apostle Paul’s comment about women being silent in services and if they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home. But upon close study, one can find that during that time, there was a big conversion of prostitutes who were used to being rebellious and Paul made this rule to keep order in the local church. Others use the fact that only men were called to be disciples, but another close study of the New Testament gospels reveals several names of women who Paul called “helpers” which should be interpreted “disciple” in the original context. But the really nasty people say that a woman is suppose to submit to the man, so how is it that a women has any business teaching and preaching to men? But do Woman anointed to teach and lead by God’s precious Holy Spirit really go against this principle? Who can deny that there are many instances in the bible where woman did greater and more courageous things than any man in the bible? Was it not mainly women at the foot of the cross when Jesus was dying for our sins?
So let’s have some dialogue- should woman be allowed to teach, preach and pastor in a local church? Anybody attend a church that has a woman teacher or Pastor? Is it really much different ministry than a when a man hold’s those positions? What are your theological thoughts and what scriptures do you base your beliefs on?
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When’s the last time you enjoyed the happiness of giving rather than receiving?
The Bible counsels misers that it’s better to give than to receive. Science agrees. People who made gifts to others or to charities reported they were happier than folks who didn’t share, according to a report in Friday’s issue of the Journal Science. “This work suggests that even making small alterations in how we spend money on a daily basis can make a difference in happiness,” said lead researcher Elizabeth W. Dunn, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. “That doesn’t mean go get a high paying job so you can spend tons of money on others. The message is, given what you have, how can you make little alterations to do something for others,” she said. And, she added, “there’s nothing special about money,” giving can involve time or special skills to help other people. {Associated Press}
This topic doesn’t even need any scripture backing seeing as most everyone knows and can quote Jesus Famous words: “When you done it to the least of these, you’ve done it unto me” {Mathew 25:25} This scripture easily points to the fact that when we reach out to others, it not only makes us feel better, it makes us feel better about our relationship with Christ. And seeing that we make up the body of Christ {The local church}, it should bear witness to you, that this is one of the purposes God ordained the local church to exist! God built us with a hunger to share what we have with others. Oh, we may be a little selfish and greedy at times, but we all remember when we felt better after sharing right?
So I’m not even going to ask you if it is more blessed to give than to receive because I think all of us understand that it is. So the question for today is: “Are you a giving person?” Do you go out of your way to meet the needs of others around you, or are you selfish and greedy? Tell me about an instance where you felt to share but didn’t? Share a story with your fellow bloggers about a time when you actually did something nice for someone.
I’ll begin the discussion: I have to admit my sin before you-the other day, I was at the pretzel place in the Richland mall. A woman with about four children was in line in front of me and only ordered one pretzel dog and a drink. I felt compelled to offer to buy the children their own pretzel but thought: “maybe she’s punishing the kids in some way and I should say nothing”. But after I saw them all trying to eat and drink from that one Pretzel dog and drink, I knew that I had missed an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus to this family.
There- I did it- now how about you??????
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Should bible classes be offered in local schools?
Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott recently asked Attorney General Gregg Abbout for an opinion about whether public high schools must offer a Bible course if requested by at least 15 students. Lawmakers passed the bill adopting the measure provided the class would focus on the history and literature of the bible and not proselytize any faith. {Associated Press}
I can hear the naysayers already: “Look at them radical conservative Christians wanting to turn our public schools into an extension of their Sunday school classes!” But all one has to do is look at all the possibilities of how a bible course approved by the measure might benefit the students. We’re talking about the #1 most selling book ever written folks! It could easily be taught from a historical or social-political perspective, or it could be taught by looking how Judeo-Christian values have influenced our government, its policies as well as our politics. What better way to analyze and make the connections to one of the greatest books ever written than from a literary viewpoint?
To all the naysayers who say it will never work, just consider that schools in South Carolina have been teaching these courses for years. And Texas is not the only state to approve such a course. Lawmakers in Alabama, Missouri and Tennessee are all considering similar plans. Deuteronomy 6:7 states that the bible is to be taught every where- could that not include our schools? And no one is expecting teachers to be theologians to teach this class, only that they know it literary value.
So, what do my fellow bloggers think? Is it a bad idea or a good idea? Can it work if we all gave it a chance?
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What changes would you like to see to Trib’s Saturday’s religion page?
One of the reasons I agreed to do Bible Talk for the Tribune Herald was to give a voice to a segment of our community [Those wanting to be challenged in their relationship with God] that for whatever reason has always been either taken for granted, or underrepresented. All one has to do is blink their eyes while reading Saturday’s newspaper to miss the religion page. But upon closer examination, one will quickly note that the page has turned into church advertisements and a few national articles that have no relevance to our community.
The reason given by the newspaper is simply that the religion page had become something less than desired. In defense of the Trib, they did seek input and suggestions from several local clergy as to what they thought could make the page more desirable. I thought to myself: “Why not ask people with a vested interest what they think?” People such as yourself who pay hard earned money for a subscription to the newspaper and who faithfully read and enjoy participating in this blog.
Yes- that’s right, I’m empowering little old you to make a difference in OUR local paper by offering suggestions on how to make our religion page better than ever! I’ve already given the editors of this paper my suggestions-now, it’s your turn!
If you could have the perfect religion page, what would it look like? What content would you like to see covered? More local stories? Possibly excerpts from this blog on the religion page? The balls in your court-you know the old saying: “It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the oil. If you don’t tell us your ideas, we may have to settle for what we’re getting now! The Trib editors read this blog often, so let them hear what you think about the present religion page. Here’s your chance to have your voice heard- let’s brainstorm a beautiful vision for our local religion page!
Can Science and Religion prove each other?
Parade magazine recently ran an article that suggested that religion and science, can in fact compliment one another. “People have been seeking healing through prayer since Paleolithic times” note Dr. Herbert Benson, founder of the Benson-Henry Institute for mind body medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. The fast expanding field of psychoneuroimmunology, which examines how the neurotically and immune systems interact, is providing new clinical evidence of the connection between thoughts and health. There is growing clinical evidence that imagery is beneficial in treating skin disease, diabetes, breast cancer, arthritis, headaches, and severe burns.
But is that not what scriptures have declared to us? Psalms 27:7 says: “For as he thinks within himself, so he is”. That’s what happened when David stood before Goliath. He remembered How God had delivered him from the bear and lion and thought: “If God delivered me from those animals, surely he can deliver me from this giant. Even Jesus in the form of man, overcame the sins of the world because he not only thought, but was convinced and knew that he was the savior of the world. These examples and the above article only confirm the same thing- which is; my thinking determines the outcome of my situation.
So the question for the day is this: “Can science and religion prove each other? Is it so far fetched to believe that the bible that was written over the ages, can teach the same thing as science?
Should Obama have turned his back on his pastor of many years?
Early Doss beat me to this discussion with his last comment to one of last weeks blog, but I thought the subject is worthy of our discussion.{Thanks Early!}
Barack Obama on Friday condemned inflammatory remarks by his pastor, who has accused U.S. leaders of bringing on the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks by fomenting terrorism. “I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country,” Obama wrote in a blog on the Huffington Post. Obama called the statements appearing on television and the Internet “completely unacceptable and inexcusable” in a Fox News interview and said they did not reflect the kinds of sermons he had heard from the Rev. Jeremiah Wright while attending services at Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ. Obama wrote that he has looked to Wright for spiritual advice, not political guidance, and he is been pained and angered to learn of some of his pastor’s comments for which he had not been present. “I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies,” Obama said in his blog posting. “I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it’s on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. {The Associated Press}
Last Monday’s Bible Talk blog entry began the discussion on if a pastor of a church should endorse a political candidate? But in the past week, the national discussion moved to the role a spiritual leader plays in the political life of a candidate. Barack Obama has not only had to separate himself from a minute part of his pastor’s sermon, but also had to defend why he continued as a member of his family’s church!
Aren’t we taking this endorsement thing a little too far? Should a candidate be held responsible for the things his pastor says in the context of a sermon? As a local pastor myself, I know too well about saying something that could be taken out of context. Should member’s change churches because of a slip of the tongue or an illustration gone badly? Was Obama wrong to turn his back on his pastor of many years? Was Obama right when he said that he went to his pastor for spiritual guidance and not about political advice?
Was America founded on Christian principles?
America is often referred to as a “Christian nation” not because it was founded as such, but because the Founding Fathers were either Christian or had been influenced throughout their lives by biblical principles that surrounded them. It has become popular for secularists and humanists to claim that our Founding Fathers were not Christian at all but were deists, atheists or secularists. This is simply not true! It is a matter of record that of the 55 men who wrote and signed the U.S. Constitution of 1787, all but three were orthodox members of one of the established Christian religions.
In my opinion, America’s key to greatness is in the fact that it was founded on more Biblical principles than any nation in history. These principles originally permeated our educational system, courts, public life, religious life and the economic system. In fact, anyone who takes an honest look at the original documents and letters will conclude that America was in fact created by Christians who were influenced by their deeply held Biblical beliefs and structured our national policies to provide maximum freedom to worship and practice their beliefs but also included tolerance and freedom for those who choose not to be Christian and not to worship. No-our forefathers never intended for our nation to be considered a “Christian Nation”, but evidence upon evidence, speaks loud and clear as to the influence biblical principles played in the founding of our nation.
So, what’s your view-do you believe this nation was founded on biblical principles? Dare you use a few forefathers to prove that the others weren’t influenced by biblical principles? What do we do with all the biblical principles written all over the buildings in Washington as well as our currency?
Was federal Judge right in prohibiting school vote on graduation prayers!
1 Timothy 2:8 (New International Version) I want men {Students} everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. A federal Judge has prohibited the Round Rock school district from allowing students to vote on whether to have prayers at graduation. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks is included in an agreement reached Thursday by the school district and Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The Washington-based group sued the school district in August on behalf of six parents and a former student. The suit was prompted when a majority of seniors at McNeil, Round Rock and Stony Point high schools decided to have prayers at their graduations. {Austin American Statesman}
How did this happen to these young people? Student-led prayer in public schools has been hotly debated for years but recently, courts in Florida and Texas have ruled that voluntary student-led prayer at school events that does not involve school personnel is permissible and students in these school districts have been permitted to offer voluntary prayer at their school events.
Many communities in our state strongly support prayer and other forms of religious activities in their schools. Students should not have to shed their religious rights when they enter the schoolhouse doors. Student free speech cannot be banned unless it creates “material or substantial disruption” in the school. Students must be free to voluntarily express their religious views even though it may create personal discomfort for some.
Since this prayer vote was student initiated and student led, Did this judge blow it with his ruling? If the students voted to have graduation prayers, shouldn’t they have been allowed to exercise their free speech and religious expression? Were these students first amendment rights violated?
Do clergy have any business endorsing Political Candidates?
Televangelist and San Antonio, Texas mega-church leader John Hagee finds himself in hot water after endorsing Republican Presidential candidate John McCain. The Democratic National Committee and the Catholic League have attempted to get Senator McCain to reject Hagee’s endorsement due to several negative comments he made about the Catholic Church. After much criticism over the last few weeks, McCain last Friday was forced to repudiate Hagee’s offensive comments about the Catholic Church.
I’m very much aware, respect and uphold the fact that IRS rules prohibits the endorsing of candidates from the pulpit, but does that preclude your pastor from being able to do that as an individual? Does the bible state that your spiritual leader should be an advisor to you in spiritual issues only?
Let me hear your heart! Do you think your pastor should be free to endorse a candidate or should he just stick to the spiritual? Do you consider electing leaders to office a spiritual issue and one that you would benefit from hearing your pastor’s perspective? In your mind, where does the role of spiritual leader begin and end with? If your Pastor is a CEO of a corporation, should he be allowed to use his influence just like any other CEO?
Note: I want to personally thank every blogger who has contributed to this blog’s success! Last month, Bible Talk was the #2 community blog on Wacotrib.com with over 3000 hits! It was the #1 blog among people who stayed on the blog for longer periods’ of time. Please email the paper or submit a letter to the editor and let them know how much you appreciate the opportunity to have a blog like this! God Bless! Pastor Joe
Does same sex marriage really matter to God?
The California Supreme Court appeared divided on Tuesday over whether to allow gay marriage during nearly four hours of oral arguments on the contentious issue that could impact gay rights nationwide. The hearing brought into focus the highest-profile U.S. fight over gay rights in recent years and the outcome could influence legislation and lawsuits in other states on what have been a hot-button issue in recent election campaigns.” I think it’s going to be a divided opinion but I wouldn’t want to predict who will win,” Christopher Krueger, a lawyer representing the state attorney general who presented arguments before the judges, told Reuters. {Yahoo News}
Aren’t you glad that what we as Christians are to believe isn’t based upon what man believes no matter how knowledgeable those men are-in this case, the California Supreme Court. I’m so glad that the Triune God does not get “divided” on what he thinks! He said: “let your yes be yes, and your no- no!” {James 5:12} And HE doesn’t stutter on the issue of same sex marriage. He said in Genesis 2:24: “Therefore shall a “MAN”, leave his mother and his father, and shall cleave unto his “WIFE”, And they “SHALL BE ONE FLESH”. God created a man and a woman to be able to become one in the flesh. No matter what the California Supreme Court eventually decides, one must admit that no matter how much we would like to change things, you will never be able to make a man on man, or a woman on woman, become one in the flesh as God has ordained!
Is there anyone out there who thinks the California Supreme Court has more wisdom than God who created us? Does same sex marriage really matter to God?????
No compromise for abortion in bible
Abortion is big business in America with 1.5 million abortions each year. With each one costing $350 - $500, Abortion mills make tens of thousands of dollars daily. More pregnancies just mean more clients, and more clients mean more money And that and that alone is the object of the Abortion industry. It is estimated that 95% of all abortions are done simply for convenience. Abortion has become a primary means of birth control!
If you find an egg of a bald eagle and you destroy that egg, you will be fined a minimum of $5,000.00 and put in jail for a year for destroying an egg of a bald eagle. But you destroy a human fetus and you’re paid $300 - $500 as an abortionist. Everyone knows that a Bald eagle’s egg potentially contains an eaglet, subject to protection under law. But a human fetus we’re told is not a human being even if it’s already viable outside the womb. It’s a shame that our nation’s law now holds more value in the egg of a bald eagle than human life!
Listen to the Psalmist in chapter 127:3 (NASB)“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior, so are children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them”
Can anyone tell me why we as a people no longer treat “the fruit of the womb” like a reward? Why do we now consider it an “inconvenience” rather than a reward?
Has Satan assigned specific demons special responsibility, authority and power over specific geographical areas?
Ephesians 6:11-12 (Amplified Bible) “Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere”
Forbes Magazine recently figured out a way to rank America’s most sinful cities using the traditional seven deadly sins. They found that Denver ranked first as “most lustful” and used sales figures for contraceptives and sex items. Crime rate for personal property was used to rank Memphis as the “most jealous”. The city of Detroit won the “the most murderous” using crime statistics which were so clear. Wait; don’t tell me- has Forbes finally found a way for science and the bible to co-exist? Could it be that the scripture above also confirms the same thing the Forbes study attempts to do? Are there spirits assigned to geographical areas or cities?
By now, you’re probably waiting to see what I believe huh? Well, I could never rehearse the totality of biblical teaching on evil spirits and spiritual warfare in this small blog entry. It suffices to say that the warfare depicted in Eph 6:10-20 and the book of Revelation is real and crucial as any aspect of Christian discipleship. Biblical instruction concerning the spirit world needs to be an integral part of our thinking and praying. I am convinced that when homicides went up in our city in the past, it was not only good police work that brought the rate down; it was also praying people coming against the strongman assigned over our city.
So, want to take a jab at what type of spirit hovers over our county? Or is this just another one of my most useless blog entries that need to be taken off the paper’s web site? Let me know folks!!
