A Wake Up Call
There are diferrent ways God speaks to us as His childrens. Perhaps, God’s way to wake us up from our intellectual slumbers is to use atheists to override religion in general and Christianity in particular with their aggression and militanism as a wake up call. God has been talking to us all along only to turn to Him in deaf ears. Isn’t the rise of atheistic literatures with their best selling books undermining God and His follower in a disrespectful manner a warning to Christians who has been all to busy in worldly things?
Haven’t we Christians grown more to be as God’s brats who doesn’t want to work harder for the kingdom of God by witnessing to others and by communicating to non believers outsite our churches? Have we become spoiled little kids in thinking that God is going to save us from this mess without lifting one finger? Surely, this is worse idolatry in thinking that God will save us from our current slothful, irrational, and sloppy thinking. God forbid! God needs someone who can go against the tides of skeptics groundless polemics and someone who can counter argue effectively their venomous attacks against Christianity and its adherents.
We can no longer afford ignoring these tide of hate, anti religion, anti Christian atmosphere that has permeated in our publics schools, universities, and even inside our homes. Yes, even our private lives are under threat by secular governments who want to defuse and take away parents rights from teaching their kids that Jesus loves them. Soon they’ll take away our kids and put them in foster homes. And soon they’ll take away our Bibles and take away our rights to worship our God. And if this is not enough the will try to put us all into a mental institutions.
Sound similar huh? Of course, the above has already happened specifically in the communists countries. But this is bound to happen in our so-called democratic state too where atheism is sacred and if one does not bow the god of atheism one will face severe persecutions. You don’t have to take my word for it, just read the books written by promenent new atheists. I’m probably just exaggerating what do you think? An exaggeration or not there is still enough hope to “neutralise” the rampant atheism. First, we must turn our back to God and ask for forgiveness and start to study His word seriously as we have never ever done before everyday. Second, we must indulge ourselves in studies in apologetics, philosophy, theology, science, and rhetorics. Third, we must not ignore the art of witnessing to our friends, families, associates, classmates, parents and grand parents. Fourth, we should start having dialogues with our none believing neighbours in a very respectful manner. We cannot afford to be shy and afraid in our public discourse against, abortion, homosexuality, paedophilia, pornography so on and so forth.
Five Sola’s Of Reformation
October 31st should be a commemoration for Protestants who accepts God’s Word as their final authority. Much has happened since the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the door of the Wittenberg Church in Germany. Now I know that Luther had his temper and he was also wrong about the Jews. Luther was not perfect neither any one of us. But, despite his short coming he was called by God to oppose the Church’s institution that day. Without making this far too long, Luther almost single handedly freed people from the shackle of ignorance and superstitions. He also manage to make us realise that God does not favor anyone whether it be a constitution or a Church, we are all under God’s judgment. The Reformation brought to us freedom and more relationship with God, and God alone. The main points of the reformers was to put God and his word in the center. And this became the five famous “solas.” On of the five solas states that The doctrine that the Bible alone is the ultimate authority was the “Formal Principle” of the Reformation. The Five solas can be summarized like this;
- Sola Scriptura (the Scripture Alone)
- Solo Christo (By Christ’s Work Alone are we Saved)
- Sola Gratia (Salvation Alone by Grace)
- Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone)
- Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)
The five solas above are the marks of a true protestant and was stressed by the great reformers such as Luther, Calvin, Knox etc. Not only was the five solas emphasized and preached, it is also most likely what the Scripture teaches. The principles of the five solas is seen to give honor solely to God. No need for articles, journals, the WatchTower Magazines or any written word can sufficiently instruct us to live by the Word of God alone. No churches, no pastors, no elders, no institutions, or priests or anybody else can save us from our sinful state but Christ alone. Furthermore, nothing we could possibly do in favor of our own merit. This is to say that, no matter what we do, no matter how hard we try, no matter how much we donate our money towards the needy, these are not enough to satisfy God. This is why Jesus Christ died on our behalf so that we will be saved by trusting in Him.
We Don’t Hate Homosexuals!
It’s time for us to set aside hate, bigotry and hypocrisy and start dealing with the real issues at hand. The real issue here is not about Christians hating other different view such as those of homosexual, bisexual and transgender identity. We do not hate homosexuals! Rather, its about love, compassion and morality for the sake of our children that Christians do not agree with them. Its time for both side to call for real or true tolerance. But, the etymology of the word “tolerance” has not properly been understood and this per se causes lot of confusions. True Tolerance in its etymological value simply means “not accepting other view, but respecting those who happens to have that view.” Also, Christians want honest, fair, and well-intentioned discussion or debate with the homosexual community without being bullied and silenced by ad-hominems (name calling) such as bigots, Nazis, racist, and homophobic. These labels towards those who oppose them is repugnat and offensive. We Christians want to have a fair, well-intentioned, rational debate with the homosexual community. Again, we do not hate homosexuals, we just don’t agree with them.
Ecce Homo
Christian bashers has done it again! The art exhibition “Ecce-Homo” somewhere in Växjö describes Christians as Nazis and rape perpetrators! You know what, this does not surprise me at all. Militant homosexual lobbyists has been pushing there agenda through provocations and sometimes intimidation. This is the fruits from a “democratic” society where people who opposed homosexual lifestyle are marginalized and bullied. Christianity in particular here in Sweden has been the target of antagonizing and hostility. Christians should unite against this pathetic anti-Christian attitudes. One must be able to say, Enough is enough! But no, Christian who would want to stand against the mainstream of propaganda by militant homosexual activists will pretty much taste its fury and rage. Soon after that, you’ll end up in prison just by opposing and disagreeing with the homosexual parties. Forget about freedom of religion and freedom of speech here in Sweden and even if Swedes still believes that Sweden is a democratic state such as the U.S. they are actually living in delusional state. Imprisonment by not agreeing and criticizing homosexuals with there lifestyle is hardly a sign of democracy it is a sign of oppression and fascism! Even if our enemy hates us we must always remember what Jesus told us, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” (Matt. 5:44)
Christianophobic
We all have heared the term “homophobic” and “islamophobic.” These labeling are commonly used to those who happens to oppose other life style or religion. every time there is debate about homosexuality between pro-homosexual activists against, let say a Christian, one will notice that not everyone are open to discussion. They tend to be more aggressive and even outright hostile and call you names such as “bigot,” or “homophobic.” Yet these people are self named tolerant. They believe that tolerance is virtue. But what they really mean by “tolerant” is that they tolerate only those who agree with them but would not tolerate with those who disagree with their lifestyle!
What about being “islamophobic?” Well, in Sweden, it is a sacrilegious to criticize or even question Islam. If one doubts the Islamic integrity and its role in politics for instance, you’re labeled as intolerant, bigoted and even islamophobic. You’re an islamophobe if you try to convince a Muslim that his/her religion is wrong. This is what you get from a “democratic” state a label and name calling. Its seems now a day that criticizing other religion such as Islam is unconstitutional.
Sweden is a democratic country, well supposed to be democratic country. If Sweden were once a land of free speech, and religious freedom it isn’t now. Islamic faith is getting favor while Christianity is being marginalized and even suppressed. Christians are bullied without hesitation and respect. Homosexual activists and leftists abhor Christianity and all its tradition. This hostility towards the Christian faith is pretty obvious and clear in media, newspaper and even within the political arena. Now aren’t they who call Christians such as “homophobic,” or Islammophobic” are “Christianophobic?”
Antitheist
There is indeed difference between atheist and antitheist. The former tends more to concentrate on rationality, and logic in criticizing religion in general and Christianity in particular. Antitheist on the other hand is nothing of this sort. An antitheist may use logic in reasoning but chose not to. Instead, you’ll hear just about any foul language, unsupported anger, hate, and antagonistic attitude towards opponents or those who happens to disagree with him or her. Antitheist can be labeled as either “militant atheist,” “new atheist” or “fundamentalist atheist.” In any case all three categories fits of what antitheist can be describe.
Theists and Christians of course shouldn’t be bothered, and get intimidated by antitheists’ hostile attitude. The reason why, I think, they turned to be more antagonistic in their attitude towards Christians is because they know fully well, that the majority of thinking people doesn’t buy there reasoning and ideology. They know that the antitheistic world and life view is unliveable, incoherent, irrational and even dangerous to even pressume its philosophy. They, the antitheists, are getting desperate to be heared. They want more attention. And attention is what they get.
But, a word of caution is appropiate here. While we shoudn’t be intimedated by antitheists we shoudn’t likewise over- and underestimate them. We should not relax and fallback and think that everything is alright because it is far from it. We are in the middle of culture war here. They, antiChristians, are getting foothold just about everywhere and they are out to destroy those who have faith in Christ Jesus.
