by Sandy Rios
Town Hall
out-of-house news agency

“Even if others do, I will never deny you,” declared the Apostle Peter some 2000 years ago just hours before he did exactly that, three times, when the heat was on. Ten others boasted the same, but when the risk was more than theoretical, all deserted Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Only one was seen at the cross.

A fascinating story … the “old story” as the secularists like to call it. Barack Obama alluded to this in his speech in France. We need a new story, a discovery of “new ways” of thinking. We must throw off the old and embrace a much more enlightened, intelligent point of view. By doing so, we remove inconvenient barriers, cumbersome moral values and achieve self-determination with our new understanding of the world guiding the way. Surely we cannot be bound in this advanced new age by the old moral codes or put plainly, by what Jesus taught….

Fast forward to 2009: California voters of various religious persuasions, in a ballot measure called Proposition 8, held to the traditional view of marriage–a union between a man and a woman. Subsequently challenged in court, as the battle ensued, Pastor Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Life” and pastor of Saddleback, one of the largest churches in the country, deeply influential, rightly told his congregation “…if you believe what the Bible says about marriage, you need to support Proposition 8. I never support a candidate, but on moral issues I come out very clear.” Until this week … Holy Week. …

“On moral issues I come out very clear,” declared Rick Warren when writing in the safety of his office. But when confronted by homosexual friends and Larry King this week, he folded just like Peter….

And in one fell swoop, he not only separated himself from the biblical teaching on marriage, but distorted the past in the process. Seduced by the pressure of fame? Driven by the desire to please his friends? Afraid to be seen as bigoted to a national television audience? Whatever the motivation, the behavior is no less significant.Click here to read this entire TownHall article.

IMPORTANT LTRP Note: Townhall has typically been highly supportive of contemplative spirituality, the emerging church and Purpose Driven over the past several years. Please use caution and discernment when reading material from TownHall. We have posted this isolated article above as a follow up to our previous posting on this situation. It is the opinion of Lighthouse Trails that many of the writers at Townhall do not understand that Rick Warren is, in large part, responsible for our new administration as he has been an avid supporter of the emerging (merging) church for many years, whose young “evangelical” voters had much to do with the winning sway in the election. To understand this more fully, read LT books.

Townhall is owned by Salem Communications, a leading U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher. Much of their material, speakers, authors, and programming has promoted contemplative spirituality, the emerging church, and Purpose Driven. For one example, Hugh Hewitt, who is on the Salem Communications Editorial Board interviewed Rick Warren recently, calling Warren “an old and dear friend” and “America’s pastor.”1

Below are some of Salem Communication’s companies:
Townhall.com
OnePlace.com
Crosswalk.com
ChristianJobs.com
Christianity.com
SermonSearch.com
Churchstaffing.com
Crosscards.com
Crossdaily.com
Lightsource.com
TheFISH.com
CCMmagazine.com
Local Salem radio station web sites
SALEM PUBLISHING
Homecoming Magazine
Singing News Magazine
Preaching Magazine
YouthWorker Magazine
FaithTalk Magazine
Xulon Press

“[K]now ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God…. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” James 4:4, 8

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