Colorado Free Press: Many within our state of Colorado and our nation recognize we are not headed in the right direction. We need a new vector to guide us to the proper target. What is the target we are trying to hit and what is the “vector” we need to guide us there? If one’s compass is off by even a small margin, over time traveling, you can end up in a completely different destination than intended.
Our nation’s compass has been directionally off for decades. Our nation was founded on Godly principles and once we allowed the government to get involved in religion, we lost the original intent and vision of our nation. Where there is no divine vision people cast off restraint, but blessed is the one who keeps Torah (Instruction). Proverbs 29:18 TLV Version. The scripture makes it clear without a Godly vision, the people will become unrestrained. The second part of the Proverbs provides us with an answer to the casting off of restraint. Those who keep God’s instructions will be blessed. The Hebrew word Torah literally means instruction, the root means to shoot like an arrow at a target.
For our nation to be steered back to where we got “off” target, we need to return to the original intent of all the instructional foundational documents including the Separation of Church and State. The founding fathers never intended for the Church not to be involved in government, it was to keep the government out of the Church. Many of the founding fathers believed that the government should not interfere with the free exercise of religion. The principle of separation of Church and State comes from the 1st Amendment to the US Constitution, which states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
So why are churches walking away from taking a role of influence within the political arena? MORE
“…once we allowed the government to get involved in religion, we lost the original intent and vision of our nation.”
Wrong. It’s the complete opposite.
Once the church decided it needed the government to further it’s cause, it lost it’s own vision.
Teaching the Ten Commandments and adhering to them would be nice.
Perhaps writer can be forgiven for assuming that the body of Christ is not involved in politics if she is also assuming that the body is only represented by those who make up the mainline church apparatus. If she read Metaxas’ “Bonhoeffer” or his most recent “Letter To The American Church”, which describe both the present state of Marxist infiltration of the pulpit and why there is no response to political wrong-headedness, she would find her answers.
Christians are not leaving the “church” because they have fallen away, but because — like that famous political line — “I didn’t leave the church, the church left me.” There is a schism between Bible-based, blood-bought, born again believers and what the “church” espouses today.
Then there are nominal Christians who are phoning it in, those whose involvement with fellow Christians and their nod to Christ amounts to Chreaster (Christmas and Easter).
So much more to say, but I’m sure SNS will have a fuller commentary on this.
Of course, religion has been used to persecute. However, that was not because of religion as such, but rather that religion was the political power of the time. Power hungry people used religion for their own selfish gains and are probably burning in Hell because of if.
The basis of religion, especially in the Judeo-Christian tradition is teach the lessons that societies have learned by trial and error since the beginning of time. Those lessons have been codified as “morals.”
Morals were not developed by a bunch of old fogies to keep people from having fun. They were developed to promote a functioning society. It is no coincidence that areas that are controlled by people who allow “anything goes” are going to Hell in a hand basket.
We do not want government controlling religion in any way, but it is foolish to exclude a moral compass from government.
Many Churches choose not to take a stand on Issues contrary to the Word of God; ie killing the unborn, sex trafficking, sexual orientation, perversion, government corruption and politics.
The Churches concern is don’t alienate parishioners, Fill the pews, increase tyths Donations), build big churches and become more of a social gathering, serving coffee and donuts on Sunday, financial seminars, Choir competition, feel good christianity.
“Religion today is not transforming the people – it is being transformed by the people. It is not raising the moral level of society – it is descending to society’s own level and congratulating itself that it has scored a victory because society is smiling accepting its surrender.” ~~A.W. TOZER
I have a slightly different take. I am a strict literalist when it comes to the First Amendment. I want government out of the religion business altogether.
When Jesus was on trial for His life before Pontius Pilate he said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I would not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here’” (John 18:33-36).
Naturally, I prefer Christian moral men to represent me in government but it has nothing to do with my salvation or the free exercise thereof.
One of the good things about the church we go to is that the pastor is not afraid to talk politics and culture.
It’s a Bible centered church and so must talk about these things.
The Bible talks about culture, countries’ and people’s behaviors and so those issues should be brought up in church.
We had more than enough of the milquetoast churches. The church we attended before never once spoke up about Gov General Janet Mills’ unconstitutional shut downs of churches. The one we currently go to did. The group in Orrington even brought a lawsuit against her.
I think too many preachers are afraid of offending and are trying to keep butts in the seats more than they are trying to take a stand on God’s Word.
If they religions want to be involved with elections & government they should be taxed.
The first time a religion takes money for its NGO activities, they immediately are protecting the Benjamins; once they do that, they cease being allowed to speak freely because they’re more afraid of being denied sustenance off of the government tit. Sorry to be so blunt, but if you are ever confused about things, just follow the money.
I went to a very strong pro-life church for many years that was heavily involved in the pro-life movement. Unfortunatley, we lost our way in the late 90’s and early 2,000’s and became too big for our britches, thought that our shit didn’t stink, becoming a medium to large mega church with an emphasis on programs and not the Gospel anymore and etc., thinking that we were the best and forgetting all about grace and mercy which is what had drawn most of us to the church back in the early to mid 70’s. In 2004, the church broke up and it was probably the best thing that could’ve happened because it gave me and my family time to refocus on living for God without religion which got in our way and which made us more subject to religious rules and more rigid and less forgiving and trying to please God by doing it our way without his help or as little help as possible. We became a dead church trying to pretend that we still had it which we weren’t. And became what I hated about religion without God, based on following all the religious rules and forgetting that it wasn’t about us or what we were trying to do for God but on Christ alone and his grace and mercy and forgiveness for us as sinners. I am not part of any religious church anymore but have found more grace and love since the church broke up and I have a closer relationship with God. And a lot of true friends who still believe as I do who have been my lifelong friends since we were all saved back in the 70’s. I love God and hate religion with all its rules and regulations that are impossible to fulfill without God’s help.
Western Christianity is dying because of the following, long standing trends:
1. Allowing faggots, dykes, and perverts into the clergy with little push back nor consequences.
2. Allowing the left to claim “Jesus was a socialist”. Jesus wasn’t a socialist because a) Jesus delivered on his promises and b) Jesus rejected envy as a virtue.
3. Western Christianity is rife with masochism and self-righteousness. Turning the other cheek to Satan is not virtuous. Pretending those who are clearly evil deserve more love than the innocent is not virtuous. Helping the poor with other people’s money is just thievery.
4. If you’re not willing to go postal the way the Muslims do when their faith is attacked, then your faith isn’t worth anything to you.
“35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”
John 18:35-36
So why are churches walking away from taking a role of influence within the political arena?
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Do we really want to bring back the Catholics and the Pope to run things? He’s the antiChrist. I’ll stay with the separation of Church and State. Is it a Reformation they want? Better brush up on persecutions of Christian carried out by a so-called “church.”
The only way a people can self-govern successfully is when they share a solid foundation of Godly morality. Secularism accepts such a morality by calling it “the golden rule” (not meant sarcastically).
The scriptural meaning of “…this world is not my kingdom…” must be taken in context. Jesus was not saying that we who live here should simply ignore the world. There are many more teachings of the Bible which tell us to be the light of the world and, through our Godliness, to influence and change the world. We are not meant to hide our light under a bushel, but to make it shine for others to be attracted and wonder what it is that gives us hope. A better world may not be the main purpose, but it is certainly a benefit.
“And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.”
Daniel 11:36
“And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
Revelation 13:7
“13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”
Exodus 14:13-14
@ Different Tim AT 11:31 AM
“Teaching the Ten Commandments and adhering to them would be nice.”
That would eliminate the need for about 99% of the lawyers!
Jason, Tremendous, Stupendous, and some other words ending in dous . . .! But you stole my thunder.
Not that religion is always bad, it’s not, it’s also not a relationship with God. But religion can damn our your soul to hell without Jesus. No one can save you or themselves without Jesus.
“27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Acts 5:27-29