Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

LTRP Note: The following news story is not posted as any kind of endorsement but rather for informational and research purposes only. Please also read: Obama appoints “faith-based” advisory council, “New Spirituality” President’s Plan for Older Citizens, Obama: Grew up with “the Bible and the Koran” – Believes Many Paths Lead to God, Obama Foreshadows the Coming Spirituality

“Faith is not a political issue”
by Eleison Group

Washington, DC (August 25, 2010)—Over 70 prominent Christian leaders and denominational heads from across the ideological spectrum joined together today to call for a stop to the misrepresentation of President Obama’s Christian faith.   In an open letter, these Christian leaders called on the media, public officials, and their fellow Christians to stand with them in opposing those who continue to insinuate that the President is a Muslim, not a Christian.

The full text of the letter and a list of signatories is below.

As Christian leaders— whose primary responsibility is sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with our congregations, our communities, and our world— we are deeply troubled by the recent questioning of President Obama’s faith. We understand that these are contentious times, but the personal faith of our leaders should not be up for public debate.

President Obama has been unwavering in confessing Christ as Lord and has spoken often about the importance of his Christian faith.  Many of the signees on this letter have prayed and worshipped with this President.  We believe that questioning, and especially misrepresenting, the faith of a confessing believer goes too far.

This is not a political issue. The signers of this letter come from different political and ideological backgrounds, but we are unified in our belief in Jesus Christ.  As Christian pastors and leaders, we believe that fellow Christians need to be an encouragement to those who call Christ their savior, not question the veracity of their faith.

Therefore, we urge public officials, faith leaders, and the media to offer no further support or airtime to those who misrepresent and call into question the President’s Christian faith.  And we join with the President in praying that God will continue to bless the United States of America. (Source – Eleison Group)

Some of the signers include:

Jim Wallis

Brian McLaren

Ron Sider

Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz)

T. D. Jakes

Richard Stearns
(Pres. World Vision)

by OneNewsNow

A counseling student has filed suit against a university in Georgia because she claims the school is forcing her to abandon her Christian beliefs in order to receive a degree.

 Jennifer Keeton, 24, is pursuing her master’s degree in counseling at Augusta State University. But after her professors learned of her biblical beliefs — specifically her views on homosexual conduct — from both classroom discussions and private conversations with other students, the school imposed a “remediation plan.”
 
“It’s in essence [telling her] ‘you do not have the correct beliefs, we are going to re-educate you into the correct beliefs,’” explains David French, senior counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund. “And unless she completes this — quote — ‘remediation plan’ to their satisfaction, then she can be thrown out of [the school's counseling program].” Click here to continue reading.

LTRP Note: What this article DOESN’T tell you is that PRIOR to the last presidential election, Rick Warren, still the most influential pastor in America today, was part of an organization that exists to bring about mandatory national service. Rick Warren was, and still is, on the leadership council of this organization called Service Nation. And yet, Christian leaders and Christian media continue to refuse to warn again the teachings and goals of the “new (ecumenical/emerging) reformation” of the Purpose Driven movement.

By Chelsea Schilling
WorldNetDaily

A bill introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., would reinstate a compulsory military draft during wartime and require U.S. citizens not selected for military duty to perform a “national-service obligation” – as defined by President Obama – for a minimum of two years.

Rangel introduced the Universal National Service Act, or H.R. 5741, on July 15. The measure was referred to the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel on July 23.

Rangel introduced similar bills in 2003, 2006 and 2007. His current bill does not have a co-sponsor.

Rangel took to the floor of the House to reintroduce H.R. 5741, stating, “I have introduced legislation to reinstate the draft and to make it permanent during time of war. It is H.R. 5741, and what this does is to make everyone between the ages of 18 and 42 – whether they’re men or women, whether they’re straight or gay – to have the opportunity to defend this great country whenever the president truly believes that our national security is threatened.”

According to an announcement released by Rangel’s office:

• The bill provides for a national-service obligation – either military or civilian – for every citizen and permanent resident, male and female, of the U.S., aged 18 to 42.

• Persons may be inducted to perform military service only if a declaration of war is in effect, or if the president declares a national emergency necessitating the induction of persons to perform military service and immediately informs Congress of the reasons for the declaration. Click here to read more of this story by WND.

Related Stories:

(Out of house article) Service Nation and Mandatory National Service

ServiceNation Summit – Interview with Barack Obama (part 1)

Obama Unveils “United We Serve”  June 2009

National Service Corps Bill Clears Senate Hurdle March 2009

Rick Warren’s New Magazine, Purpose Driven Connection, Promotes the New Global Spirituality February 2009

Is This Our Future: Mandatory Community Service, a Three-Legged Purpose Driven Plan, and a Brave New World?  October 2008

by Ray Yungen 
Although the Social/Political arena may not be overtly New Age in nature, it has served as a magnet for bringing together transformed New Agers and the socially concerned. Like the human potential movement, this segment grew out of the tumult of the 1960s when various civil rights movements sprang up from the counterculture. Never before had so many people demonstrated concern over such issues as the environment or the treatment of various minority groups.

In the 1970s and 1980s, many who had sought purely political means for world betterment in the 1960s became disillusioned with that route and endeavored to link planetary betterment with spiritual transformation. They saw simple protest was not accomplishing their goal. They were convinced that in order to perfect the world, they had to perfect the people first. Getting in tune with one’s inner divinity was seen as the key to effecting that change on a wide scale. Meditation also seemed like an easier commitment than marches and resistance. They believed that any effort to save the world and end social evil would fail without the element of higher consciousness.

It would surprise many Americans to know that they actually voted for a New Age sympathizer for president of the United States in the 2000 election. In a Time magazine article in 2003 called “Just Say Om,” former presidential candidate, Al Gore, said the following about meditation:

We both [he and his wife] believe in regular prayer, and we often pray together. But meditation–as distinguished from prayer–I highly recommend it.1

One might argue that perhaps Gore was not referring to mystical type meditation and that he didn’t have any such proclivities, but this notion would be put to rest by his endorsement of a book (Marriage of Sense and Soul) by Ken Wilber, a leading figure in the New Age. On the back cover of the book, Gore proudly proclaimed Wilber’s book is “one of my new favorites.”2 New Ager Neale Donald Walsch publicly revealed Gore’s spiritual sympathies in the following comments he made at the Humanity’s Team Leadership Gathering in 2003:

You know Al Gore. I know Al well and he says to me, “Hey Neale, I used to be the next president of the United States.” Al has read my books and loves them, but he can’t possibly say that publicly…. He should be able to, and in the society we’re going to recreate he will be able to, but right now he can’t.3

For those not familiar with Walsch’s work, this may not seem that significant. But Walsch is the author of the Conversations with God books, in which millions of copies have been sold. His books are the supposed conversations between Walsch and “God.” Walsch’s “God” proclaims:

The twenty-first century will be the time of awakening, of meeting The Creator Within. Many beings will experience Oneness with God…. There are many such people in the world now–teachers and messengers, Masters and visionaries–who are placing this vision before humankind and offering tools with which to create it. These messengers and visionaries are the heralds of a New Age.4

There is only one message that can change the course of human history forever, end the torture, and bring you back to God. That message is The New Gospel: WE ARE ALL ONE.5

The “tools” Walsch is speaking of is meditation. The fact that someone who promotes and practices New Age meditation could have (and still may) become the president of United States, shows clearly that this mindset plays an integral role in today’s world. This assessment can be backed up by New Age teacher Marianne Williamson. Williamson became popular, largely through the Oprah show. Williamson wrote a book, A Return to Love, (based on the channeled New Age classic A Course in Miracles). When Oprah brought Williamson onto her show–the book became an overnight success.

A Course in Miracles could be referred to as the New Ager’s bible. One former New Ager explains Williamson’s interest in the political field:

Over the past decade, Williamson has continued to champion A Course in Miracles in the media and in her public appearances around the country. A more recent book, Healing the Soul of America, has enabled Williamson and the Course to make a subtle transition into the political arena. Hoping to inspire a “new gospel” approach to national and world problems, Williamson, along with bestselling Conversations with God author Neale Donald Walsch, cofounded The Global Renaissance Alliance.6

When we comprehend Williamson’s propensity towards the New Age and meditation (as a vehicle for world peace), it is astounding to know that Williamson is working closely with Walter Cronkite, a former CBS news anchor and public icon, once referred to as “the most trusted man in America.”7 Williamson and Cronkite, along with Congressman Dennis Kucinich, are trying to convince the US government to start a cabinet–level Department of Peace within the executive branch via House bill HR808. The fact that someone as mainstream as Walter Cronkite would align himself with the openly metaphysical Williamson bespeaks of the current spiritual climate of our society. Incidentally, the campaign to start the Department of Peace is gaining momentum and currently has the support of over 60 U.S. Representatives and Senators and has local grassroot chapters in over 200 congressional districts.8

Williamson embodies, as few others do, the marriage between political/social idealism and the embracing of metaphysical perception. As the tone of modern spirituality changes so will the various institutions that comprise society.

This is an excerpt from Ray Yungen’s book, For Many Shall Come in My Name, 2007, Lighthouse Trails edition.

Notes

1. Joel Stein, “Just Say Om” (Time magazine, July 27, 2003).
2. Ken Wilber, The Marriage of Sense and Soul (New York, NY: Random House, First Broadway Books paperback edition, 1999), back cover.
3. Warren Smith, Reinventing Jesus Christ (Magalia, CA: Mountain Stream Press, updated, online edition, chapter 3 at http://www.reinventingjesuschrist.com/updates/3.html, accessed 03/2007), citing the Humanity’s Team Leadership Gathering, Portland, Oregon, June 27-July 1, 2003: “The Care and Feeding of the Press.” Transcribed from audiotape.
4. Neale Donald Walsch, Friendship with God (New York, NY: The Berkeley Publishing Group, Berkeley’s trade paperback edition, 2002), pp. 295, 296.
5. Ibid., p. 373.
6. Warren Smith, Reinventing Jesus Christ (Ravenna, OH: Conscience Press, printed edition, 2002) p. 11.
7. Laura Tuma, “Walter Cronkite, ‘The most trusted man in America’” (University of Texas at Austin, Utopia, Texas Tribute, Spring 1997, http://utopia.utexas.edu/articles/tribute/cronkite.html, accessed 03/2007).
8. See the Campaign to Establish a U.S. Department of Peace website: http://www.thepeacealliance.org.

By Aaron Klein
WorldNetDaily

A religion adviser to President Obama has close ties to the imam who wants to build a 13-story Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero. The two have been documented together discussing America as “the ideal place for a renewal of Islam,” WND has learned.

In February, Obama named a Chicago Muslim, Eboo Patel, to his Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Patel is the founder and executive director of Chicago-based Interfaith Youth Core, which says it promotes pluralism by teaming people of different faiths on service projects.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the controversial Muslim leader behind the plan to build the Islamic center and mosque two blocks from Ground Zero, wrote the afterword to Patel’s 2006 book, “Building the Interfaith Youth Movement: Beyond Dialogue to Action.”

Patel is listed as one of 15 “Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow” on the website for the American Society for the Advancement of Muslims, or ASAM, which is led by Rauf.

In Patel’s 2007 book, “Saving Each Other, Saving Ourselves,” he recounts discussing with Rauf the future of Islam in the U.S. Click here to continue reading.

by Carl Teichrib
Forcing Change
(courtesy Kjos Ministries)

Points to Ponder About Christian Interfaith Involvement: 1) The interfaith approach is rationally directionless. If all religions are equally valid or hold some common level of spiritual authenticity, as the interfaith movement asserts, then all religions are ultimately baseless. Therefore, the nonbeliever can logically reject Christianity as a meaningless sect among many meaningless faiths. For by acknowledging another religion as a vehicle that proclaims the revelation of God, even tentatively, the exclusive nature of God as revealed in the Bible (Isaiah 45:18-22; John 14:6-7) can no longer be viewed as exclusively true. The door has now been opened to consider any other spiritual claim as legitimate; and to not accept these other claims would demonstrate an intolerant exclusivity.

Either Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be, the great I AM – the only true God – or He’s only one way among many and His claim is false. It’s an all or nothing position (see Joshua 24:14-24).

2) The interfaith position muddies the Christian mission of bringing the good news of Jesus Christ as God incarnate come to redeem sinful humanity. Inter-religious bridge building bolsters the idea (continued on page 17)

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A sacred fire was lit. Mother Earth, we were told, needs to hear that we love her, so give a “prayer of gratitude” to the Earth; “Because out of Mother Earth comes all we need to live … she gives us the food, the water, the medicines, and the teachings.”

We were asked to privately perform a water ritual, for this will give strength to Mother Earth. Everything that’s alive, “even the water” it was explained to the delegates and observers, has the spirit. We were told that religiously speaking, “there is not only one way, there is many ways” – and to go to the sacred fire and “invoke the spirits.”

Drummers summoned the power of the eagle spirit, because it brings “the spirit of love, it brings vision. The Eagle carries our wishes and our prayers.” And this eagle spirit will tell the Great Spirit of the wonderful things happening in this gathering.

And what a gathering! As an observer to the 2010, G8 World Religions Summit (WRS), I listened as the opening ceremonies set the tone for this remarkable event. The Secretary General of the WRS, Dr. James Christie – the Dean of Theology at the University of Winnipeg – welcomed us as religious equals, stating that what was important was that we “offer our service, and ourselves, and our lives” to the “God we know by so many names.” (1)

This multi-faith perspective was evident in full color; Hindu swamis in flowing orange attire, members of the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs dressed in desert garb, Jewish yamakas, cross pendants and clerical collars, Shinto robes, Orthodox priests in black, Salvation Army uniforms, and Baha’i leaders and evangelical Christians in business suits. Religions from every corner of the planet were represented. Even so, very few people have heard about the G8 World Religions Summit, held in Winnipeg, Manitoba from June 21-23.

Compared to the G8/G20 political summits occurring days later in Toronto and Huntsville, Ontario, the WRS – the official religious parallel – was an ultra-tame affair. The security budget for the Winnipeg event was zero; nobody burnt any cars, and no windows were smashed. The only “protestors” were a group of Mennonites who, a few days before the Summit began, sang songs of support at a downtown park. (2) In fact, many of the international participants had “never heard of Winnipeg” before. (3)

Nevertheless, what occurred in Winnipeg will likely have a far more real impact at the local level than what transpired in Toronto. Why do I say this? Because of the direct lines of influence that radiate from the World Religions Summit right down to individual bodies. It’s a top-down strategy ensuring that religious people will fall in line with an emerging global framework – a type of world theology along with an international system of socialism. And it’s going to work, particularly in the Christian community.

The history of the G8 World Religions Summit goes back to 2005. That year, Jim Wallis of Sojourners – a left wing Christian advocacy group – teamed up with the Archbishop of Canterbury to “raise the voices of the faith leaders of the world in unity and in a call for justice.” (4) The 2005 event was a small, ecumenical affair made up of representatives from Catholic groups, the National Association of Evangelicals, World Vision, the Salvation Army, the Mennonite Central Committee, the World Evangelical Alliance, and other church bodies.

These leaders released an “Action on Poverty” document calling for governments to alleviate poverty, and for faith communities to generate the necessary moral will. The text itself was very short and ambiguous, with a underlying socialist slant.

The next year, the G8 religious summit took place in Moscow and a host of other religions contributed; leaders from the Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, and Shinto communities – along with Christians, hashed out another declaration, this time calling for a “more systemic partnership of religious leaders with the United Nations.” In 2007 at Cologne, the emphasis was on the UN Millennium Development goals and the support for a worldwide climate change “protection agreement.” 2008 and 2009 saw the religious leaders meeting in Sapporo/Kyoto/Osaka, Japan and Rome, Italy.

Sapporo’s declaration called for religions to unite in a “commitment to peace.” It also recognized that “religious communities are the world’s largest social networks which reach into the furthest corners of the earth.” In other words, religions are powerful actors in the global field.

Hence, the Sapporo text demanded a system of “Shared Security” based on interdependence, the “mysterious giftedness of all existence,” the establishment of an “Earth Fund dedicated to environmental protection,” and a binding global climate treaty. Another document was released in Japan, recognizing that the “dharmic, pantheistic and ancestor traditions of Eastern societies remain a practical tool… in defence of the environment.” And religious diversity was expounded as part of the divine, cosmic order – therefore, “we seek to be considered equal partners.” (5)

Finally in Rome, faith leaders focused on the worsening global economy and broadly called for a “new financial pact,” without really explaining what it would entail. To be fair to the Rome event, the entire summit was overshadowed by the almost simultaneous release of Pope Benedict’s encyclical Charity in Truth, which shook the international community in its brazen call for a world political authority “with teeth.” (See the Forcing Change report, “Sowing the Seeds of Global Government,” Volume 3, Issue 8)….

What all of this represents, from the first event in 2005 until Winnipeg, is the intentional move within Christendom to politically unite with other faiths “in one community.” The motivator: Social Justice – world peace, care for the Earth, and alleviating poverty. And who doesn’t want peace, a healthy environment, and the poor raised above their poverty?

These are admirable goals. But something else is going on, raising the question: What does the Christian community have to sacrifice in the name of interfaith partnering for “social justice”?

Not surprisingly, the only time the name “Jesus Christ” came up at the 2010 WRS was when He was compared with Buddha and Mohammad as a religious figure. Nobody dared present Him as “the way, the truth and the life… the only way to the Father.” (John 14:6). Love, compassion, and “spiritual law” were tossed about freely in the speeches. But nobody was willing to rock the boat by venturing into what Francis Schaffer called “true truth.”…

The interfaith approach, by default, recognizes Jesus as one spiritual leader in a long line of religious reformers. That’s all. Nothing more. Hence, at global interfaith events, like the one that took place in Winnipeg, Christian representatives remain silent on the subject of Jesus Christ as truth, “…the only way to the Father.” For to do otherwise would be divisive and contrary to the ideal of “one community.”

By default, the Christian community has to sacrifice Truth. Therefore, it was no surprise that on different occasions I heard participants criticize Christian missions and Christian “fundamentalists.”

The representative of the Pacific Council of Churches told us that everything is inter-connected, and that we need to revisit the ancient [pagan] religions and myths – those ancient ways that were “deliberately pushed aside” by Christian missionaries – in order to understand and appreciate this interdependence.

Another speaker explained that it was time to put aside the past dogmas of traditional faiths, and that the litmus test for religions in this global era was interdependence and transcendent spirituality. Religions, we were repeatedly told, needed to unify if the planet is to survive….

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Note: I suggest you subscribe to this online magazine and read the rest. This vital information will help prepare us for the spiritual challenges and hostility we will be facing in the years ahead. Berit

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Notes:

1. The quotes and speech materials used in this report have been taken from my audio copies of the WRS.

If otherwise, the source is included in footnotes where appropriate.

2. Brenda Suderman, “A meeting of religious minds,” Winnipeg Free Press, June 18, 2010. The “protestors”

were members of the Fort Garry Mennonite Fellowship Choir.

3. Ibid.

4. “History of the Interfaith Leaders’ Summits,” 2010 G8 World Religions Summit Resource Kit, p.13.

5. All of the previous G8 religious documents were given to Winnipeg delegates and observers in a single

package.

6. Doug Koop, “World religions summit in Winnipeg will deliver message to G8,” Christian Week, March

26, 2010, online edition….

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Carl Teichrib is editor of Forcing Change, a monthly online publication detailing the changes and challenges impacting the Western world. Benefits of Forcing Change membership…

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A Special Be Alert Compilation from Moriel Ministries

“We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.- John 9:4

So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.- John 12:35

July 15, 2010

Shalom in Christ Jesus,

Work while it’s still light.

This has been a theme of the Moriel technical team and BEALERT! have discussed the last few years regarding the ability of Christians to freely minister via electronic communication systems, namely the Internet. These verses in Scripture have come to have this unique application, usually as a note of encouragement at the end of an email while passing along one of the many articles such as those below, due to this very late hour we find ourselves waiting for Jesus to return.

There is no doubting that criminal and terrorist enterprises as well as not so friendly nations are experimenting and actively involved in campaigns to cause havoc and even, if possible, shut down the Internet and tele-communication systems of countries such as The United States by using cyberwarfare. However, as stated before, our concern is that these very real threats (among others) have become the perfect pre-text for a time when only information and messages that fall within “State Approved” regulations will be allowed to be broadcast freely. As you will see from the articles posted in this alert, that time is very close.

In order to get a broader understanding of this topic I encourage readers to view the last alert this issue published in May of 2009 posted on the BEALERT! Archive page.

May the Lord bless you and keep you,
BE ALERT!
Scott Brisk

In This Alert
1) Senate panel passes Cybersecurity Act with revised “kill switch”
2) Obama ‘Internet kill switch’ plan approved by US Senate panel
3) Internet ‘kill switch’ proposed for US
4) US government rescinds ‘leave internet alone’ policy
5) F.C.C. has new authority to regulate broadband Internet service
6) U.S. Plans Cyber Shield for Utilities, Companies
7) Details of “Einstein” Cyber Shield Disclosed by White House
8) US Cyber Command logo code cracked in hours
9) UK government enlists public to spot terror Web sites
10) ACTA treaty aims to deputize ISPs on copyrights
11) Australia halts web filter plan ahead of polls
12) Net Neutrality and Internet Honor Codes

To read these articles, click here.