The Myth of Dominionists and the Left's Scaremongering False Linkage to Christians and Christian Politicians

Every once in a while the Left/Secularist/Atheists rise up a bogeyman I would surmise may be less than one in ten thousand Christians have even heard of. This is a group created whole cloth by Left, identified as Dominionists.

Leftist extremists like MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, the “Daily Beast” and what used to be a legitimate news magazine “Newsweek” (I think they merged with the “Daily Beast” but not sure and not the reason for this blog), are the main contributors to this creation. It’s believed by these people the “Dominionists” have “a direct line to God” as Maddow reported three or four years ago (I think leading up to the 2012 elections) and their purpose is to “clear the way for the [end of the world]…by infiltrating and taking over government”. (Christians call the direct line to God prayer.)

These Leftists have other names for the people that want to create a theocracy: Reconstructionists, Theonomists. The New Apostolic Reformation. I’m sure there are others, but the Leftists tie in all Republicans, Conservatives, TEA Party (Taxed Enough Already), and Christians to this made up group. Create an idea or group (or give a group power/influence they don’t have), tie your enemies to it, and you’ve got your bogeyman. The political leaders of this group apparently are Michelle Bachman, Rick Perry. Really. “Theologian” Albert Outler claim GW Bush "the first prince of the theocratic states of America." You see, he fell under the influence of some “Assembly of God” preachers. A few years ago I read some Leftist article or blog and she stated the Reagan years were a horrible oppressive theocracy. Who knew?

Millions of Americans I guess were forced to their knees to pray, go to church, and worship or else they were beheaded, beaten, given lashes, imprisoned, and who knows what else. The number of homosexuals and adulterers that were beaten and imprisoned during the Reagan years was off the charts! Part of this Leftists “dominionist” scare propaganda is drawing lines of moral equivalency between Christians and Islamofascists. Christians are really like the Taliban and ISIS you see.  

The founder of this group was R.J. Rushdoony. He had a guy, Gary North, who later became Rushdoony’s son in law, who tried to apply the principals of Rushdoony’s theocracy or "theonomy" (God-rooted law) in real time. He worked for a bit as a staffer for Ron Paul, got involved in some Southern politics, failed, and had a big fall out with Rushdoony. There were two other guys, Greg Bahnsen and David Chilton; they died in 1995 and 1997 respectively. Since then the “Reconstructionists” have been on the outs with mainstream Christians because just regular Christians are ideologically impure. Plus plain ol’ ordinary church going Christians have no idea who these guys are and what they preach and teach.

Public tax return records show the “Reconstructionists” core organization, Chalcedon, show way less than a $million in their coffers, and haven’t since about 2001. They have no money, no leader, no one knows about them, and have no influence in politics.

One last issue raised by Leftists that they want to use in their fear mongering, (and proposed by Rushdoony [and lots of others, but for propaganda purposes they focus on the nutjob Rushdoony) is the horribleness of home schooling. This country was pretty much home schooled up until the 1920’s, and by the looks of it, we were a pretty successful country. Home schooling has been growing steadily for a couple decades, certainly the last decade, and who can blame parents for making that sacrifice? Since the Department of Education was formed by Democrat Jimmy Carter, kids have been graduating functionally illiterate, can’t do arithmetic, and history for them is what they are aware of only in their own lifetime. Teaching kids those things is horrible because it makes it harder to have them submit to the State.

Like Colombo, one more thing, there is no such thing as the separation of church and state in the Constitution. The “Establishment Clause” clearly states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” That’s it. That Christians participate in politics does not mean they are writing laws establishing a State Religion, though they are guided by (and sometimes fall short of) those moral principles. Sadly and dangerously the Left/Secularists/Atheists see any application of Judeo-Christian moral principles as the establishment of a theocracy.

The last time Leftists started this church and state thing, and the rise of dominionism, was just before the 2012 election. Fear mongering, and just plain making stuff up. There’s no there, there.   

Pagans, Neo-Pagans & Evangelism

I had written a piece "Don’t dis them that brung ya to the dance" in 2011. It was about how secularists and atheists and such, claim to be all about love, hope, charity, but beat on Christians. I pointed out that such ideas and ideals didn't exist before Christianity.

I came across an article in the magazine "First Things", an article by J. Budziszewski titled "This Time It Will Not Be the Same" this past week that is an extension of that idea. The thought he addresses is the evangelization of the pagans the Apostle Paul and other early Christians faced, and how we modern Christians now face neo-pagans.

His point is the first Christians were presenting something new, entirely different from what anyone had experienced before. Neo-Christians have lived with the concepts and oft times the practice of charity, hope, love and the other ideas and practices of Christianity and have no need, they think, of Christianity to carry through with Christian principles.

Budziszewski points out the big difference: "The pagan made excuses for transgressing the moral law. By contrast, the neo-pagan pretends, when it suits him, that there is not morality, or perhaps that each of us has a morality of his own. Since they had the Law and the Prophets, it comes as not surprise that the Jews took morality for granted. But to a great degree, and despite their sordid transgressions, so did the pagans."

He goes on: "The pagan wanted to be forgiven but he did not know how to find absolution. The him the Gospel came as a message of release. But the neo-pagan does not want to hear that he needs to be forgiven, and so to him the Gospel comes as a message of guilt."

Since Christianity and the Gospel become messages of guilt, Christians are the guilty ones, and all is well with them; they can now create their own morality. As stated on this blog several times, we live in a upside down world. 

I often talk with secularists and atheists, and though they express such things as love, charity, hope as good things, they seem to think this has been something that has always been around. Budziszewski: "The pagan was raised differently. He was brought up in the ways and the atmosphere of paganism, and in order to be converted, he had to be removed from both. By contrast, though the neo-pagan has probably also been taught pagan ways, he may have been brought up in an atmosphere of Christian sentiment. Consequently, he regards the Gospel not as a story of the God became a man but as a sentimental fable for children."

The other thing I've noticed talking with nones, atheists, secularists, is they render all to caesar, not to God. They believe government can eradicate poverty, bring peace, through laws, regulations and rules, and people will act and behave correctly and with charity and love toward all.

The other element talking to these people they only know the bits and pieces of Christianity that have filtered into the culture. They've not read the Bible, let alone studied it, don't have a clue about Christian history other than it's responsible for the Crusades (mostly didn't happen they way we were taught), a couple inquisitions that were responsible for a few thousand deaths over centuries, compared to the millions slaughtered by secular governments, especially in the 20th century. The billions of people through the centuries that have benefited from the institutions, teachings, charity, love, and the Salvation of Christ are completely ignored.  

 Budziszewski notes there's a problem too with those within the Faith, that often accept the secular zeitgeist. The Apostle Paul, especially in his letter to the Galatians, points out this is always a danger. It's always more difficult to live a get along life of the pagans, neo-pagans, and secularists, than by the Word, having the Holy Spirit reside within us, and by the truth of the Gospel.

 J. Budziszewski has a web site "The Underground Thomist". The second half of his article can be found there. The full article can be found at "First Things", but one must subscribe to the web site. I subscribe to the magazine on my Kindle. For a couple bucks a month you can get superb articles like this. Worth it for a cover to cover read each edition.

  

Small Advocacy Groups Turning World On Its Head, & It's Not a Good Thing

Pondering our upside down world, where homosexuals are exalted over heterosexuals, where living alone or cohabitating is exalted over traditional marriage, where having the State raise kids (send to school, get fed, propagandized, indoctrinated, inoculated, suffocated, anything but educated), lip service paid to military service while undercutting them though PC social programs and underfunding and underpaying the people, where the secular is exalted over the religious, where Islam is exalted over Christianity.

Then I think, how is it possible that the gay population, about 3% of us, have gained so much control over how we speak, how much pop culture is controlled by that small amount of folks. How is it Blacks, about 12% of us, control how we speak, how much of our pop culture and politics are controlled by that small of a segment of the population. Most of our population, over 85% identify ourselves a Christians, yet a few percent of atheists and secularists are getting crosses torn down all over the country, Ten Commandments getting torn down, the government forcing religious institutions to violate centuries old beliefs and principles and forced to comply upon threat of jail, fines, or both. Small groups, huge impact, totalitarian mindset.

Mostly because the rest are regular folks going about the business of working, paying bills, having relationships and kids the traditional way, and those cares outweigh the eroding of what has traditionally worked over the centuries. Most just don't glam on to a cause; environmentalism, sexism, feminism, socialism, Marxism, racism (blacks' notion if you're white you're privileged and a racist by definition), secularism, atheism and all the rest. It's deconstruction. It's easier to tear down than to build up, and from there not just maintain but improve.

It's easier too to engage in labeling, stereotyping, and name calling than to apply what works: communication, tolerance, acceptance, forgiveness. The things all the advocacy groups mentioned above have in common is just that. If you disagree with gays, you're a homophobe, with Blacks you're a racist, if secularist or atheist you're intolerant, a bigot and forcing your [Christian] beliefs on others. The opposite of course is true. The racism, hatred, bigotry, labeling, stereotyping, intolerance is emanating from those advocacy groups. BTW, if you point out to environmentalists 'global warming' is not supported by any true science, you're a "denier". That of course is to put you in the category of being a holocaust denier. See how it works?

Going back to the 6th Century, how is it Christianity was the most powerful force throughout the Middle East, bringing charity, hope, love, institutions to heal the sick and wounded and helpless, was replaced by a top down brutal genocidal, totalitarian "religion" that advocated the murder of those that did not then, and now do not agree with them. We're going to allow that again, except now in this country, in Western Civilization? And now a small group in this country that for some reason reject the Christian principals and actions that, based on Judeo-Christian scripture, are the best, proven guide, for successful government and personally successful lives, are advocating for Islam over Christianity and totalitarianism over democracy.

I have this suggestion for Christians. Many of us bemoan the weakening of our Religion, the values and the attack on behaviors that work with a 100% success rate when applied. Take a page from the 3%, the 12%, the small groups that have had a profoundly powerful effect on us, on Western Civilization, and speak up, push back, and educate. Jesus gave us the Great Commission. We just aren't doing it. Take a note from the Apostle Paul. He never backed down one bit even after beaten, stoned, imprisoned.

Talk about your faith at work. Talk about it a gatherings and parties. Talk about it at political gatherings. Live it too; that's the biggest witness. See, the effect would be bigger than all the small advocacy groups accomplish through hatred, lies and bullying. Christians have the guide, the historical personal histories to model after. We have what the advocacy groups don't: love, faith, hope, charity. They do it the wrong way, and look how successful they've been. Think about engaging and doing it the right way.

The Great Commission. Previous thoughts here, here, here. 

Thoughts on the First Day of the Year, What We Should Focus On This Year

 A new year begins. Some make resolutions, which are often nothing more than a wish list for wanting to indulge in what is thought of as beneficial behavior. Bottom line is we should always eat healthy, do the best we can at work, treat people right and all the rest as a matter of life style every year. We should strive to do all things better every day. Maybe instead we should look back at the past year, and see what we fell short on, and work to improve those.

My personal life was good last year; only made one bad decision I can think of, and paying a bit of an emotional price right now. My church has spent the last year healing from some bad things that happened the year before. Prayer and good leadership is bringing us about and getting us back on track as far as we treat each other. All our programs this past year that feed the poor, missionary work, outreach and the rest were still taken care of, with a lot of success. That's Love, Hope, Charity at work.

Expanding further, I can only hope some more people come to their senses to refute the bad things happening in politics and culture. Kids being suspended from school for using their thumb and index finger to form a pistol. A five or six year old kid gets suspended for sexual harassment for kissing the hand of his "girlfriend".  Homosexual sex is being taught to elementary school kids, and the heterosexual family is being diminished and diss'd because it's homophobic or something.

The war on men, emasculating them. Pay attention to commercials and it's the male that is always the stupid one, and a child or woman corrects him. Actually in this country (and world wide)  masculine men, traditional family, Christianity, personal responsibility and all the rest are under attack. The State will replace all that has worked throughout civilization. Congress critters and other politicians and their paymasters know better than us how to live our lives. We can see what the destruction of the family, by secularists and atheists, have brought. Lower college entrance exam scores, increased high school dropouts (and monstrously ignorant and stupid "students"), higher out of wedlock births with attendant teen pregnancies, higher rates of violence and juvenile delinquent activity, higher STD rates to name a few things rotting the base of our civilization.

Another note on politicians and their paymasters. They advocate that massive debt to the tune of $trillions is a good thing. We have two or three coming generations being born into debt. There may be times when debt is unavoidable, but having it as a lifestyle or as an economic policy is nothing less that disastrous. The Bible teaches economic policy. Just read the account of Joseph and the principles he applied to get Egypt out of economic disaster. 

The "elites" are no more than bullies, and if you don't "get it" and conform to their notions, they will destroy you. Bakeries and photographers shut down; they tried and shut down Chick-fil-a and Hobby Lobby and several businesses. That would have thrown hundreds out of work if they were successful at closing down those larger companies. It's not enough that one has different values and belief system than the "elites", but you must be destroyed. So much for tolerance. They're still trying and destroy Sarah Palin, advocating shitting and pissing in her mouth, or mocking Mitt Romney's family for adopting a black baby. BTW, let's drop "African American"; it was the sole concoction of racist and race hustler Jesse Jackson. An intolerant hate monger if there ever was one.

Ultimately, Christians need to stand up, be forceful, and advocate for manly virtues, the virtues of heterosexual marriage, good education and the rest. May I be so bold to say we need to educate Leftists, Secularists, Atheists, about what sin is. When I saw the attack on "Duck Dynasty" personality Roberts for his using the term "sin" to describe certain behaviors, we Christians needed to stand up and say what "sin" is. Sins are those things that distance us from God. There are things that work. Happily in this case, there was enough of a backlash to make things right. Roberts got his job back, but more on freedom of speech than on the deeper issue of working to diminish or remove sin from our lives.

I said in my previous post that scripture, Old and New Testaments, are the best guides for living. Here's what scripture says about the family.

"...God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons." (Sirach 3:2). We have pretty much rejected this.

"Wives, be subordinate to your husbands,  as is proper in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives,  and avoid any bitterness toward them. Children, obey your parents in everything,  for this is pleasing to the Lord." (Col 3:19-21) This is a seriously misunderstood verse about women; it doesn't mean what secularists and atheists that are the elites and bullies say it does. Sadly many Christians don't understand either. I guess this is another blog that needs to be written.

"Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another… put on love,  that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts…And be thankful." (Col 3:12-15) This has been replaced by cohabitation and divorce...those are not a solution to relationship problems.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." (Col 3:16) The rules and guides for living found in scripture, a record of things that have worked for thousands of years are rejected and replaced by Elitists that live in the meme, in the moment advocating the materialist values of their anti-Semitic, anti-Christian world view. It doesn't work. It has a 100% failure rate 100% of the time. The things that work bring us closer to God. Reject the natural order of God, the rules and behaviors that work and we get the mess mentioned above.  

When we talk about sin, we know what Leftists, Secularist, Atheists  are rejecting what works, and the  result of that thinking destroys family, faith, hope, charity, liberty. It's destructive and demeaning, mean and intolerant. They think that taking out notions of sin and tradition and replacing it with laws and rules, forcing behavior through those, rather than providing wisdom and guidance for a sinless heart and loving behavior as the best way. No. Fails every time. Some powerful men rejecting the natural order of things with their own laws and rules will always lead to the morass we live in now. Parents and children must find a church so all can communicate with all generations, give and get guidance and wisdom. A counterculture that only benefits. 

As the new year begins this day, Jews and Christians must be more vocal, and push back against the intolerant elitists, bullies and liars that are destroying civilization while saying they are saving it.

Christmas and Criticism

One of the things about criticism is one should be or do better, or have something better to offer than what one is criticizing. Every year at this time intolerant, narrow and closed minded anti Christian bigots mouth off. The way they mouth off is rude and aggressive. One would think if attacking Christianity, which strives for love, hope, charity, peace, caring and compassion, the criticizer would show the same and then some.

Unless, I guess, these people are advocating for hate, selfishness, war, personal conflict, and not giving a damn about anyone else.

If these secularists, humanists, atheists and the like think they are superior human beings because the reject God, that they can live better lives, how does the disrespect and rudeness they attack Christians and Christmas every year a reflection of that? How does mockery show superior knowledge and behavior?

There are, and have been through time, billions of us who have felt in our lives the presence of God. The personal influence, the miraculous transformations in our lives, the linkage of everything in the design of the universe, are all so apparent to those billions of people through time. In the lives of those, incredible philosophy, writing, thought, architecture, music, charities, hospitals have been created.  

What have the insulting and mocking secularists, humanists and atheists contributed but more hate, narrow mindedness, intolerance and bigotry? What personage among them has changed thinking and history, even a little bit, as Jesus and the Apostle Paul?

Because they have nothing to offer, they demand crosses be taken down all across the land, Christmas and Easter be taken off the calendar, nativity scenes be removed from the public square (that term implies it belongs to all citizens, not just atheists), no mention of Christ in public, no prayer in public. All as if removing and denying the existence of something that brings love and goodness to billions of people is a good thing, then offering intolerance and hate as a replacement benefits culture and relationships improves people and civilization.

I'm going to be rude in turn here. The people that think that are stupid.

Those Vile Ten Commandments

Connellsville Jr High, Ten Commandments

Secularists, Statists, Atheist Fundamentalists, and that whole cabal of anti-Christian, anti-Semite bigots are once again attacking the Ten Commandments, this time on a school ground. The monument was put there in 1957, outside of what is now the  Junior High auditorium; at the time Connellsville High School. It was donated by the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

The group suing is the Freedom From Religion Foundation which goes around the country, even to remote areas, finds religious symbols, and sues to have them removed. The ACLU, the well known anti Christian lawyer cabal, is their representative.  

The school said they would move the 5 to 6 foot monument to a nearby church, which was rejected by the intolerant bigoted hate groups, because it would be still be in view of the students while they were on school grounds. Really and truly? They need to demand the church be destroyed too then.

One would think these commandments, rules to live by, would be a good thing. The first of these about putting God before all else; think about that as not worshiping things in the material world such as money, sex, property, etc. It seems these bigots approve of putting the material above all else...relationships, love, caring.

Taking the Lord's name in vain. What you think is what you are. If you defile language, you're defiling yourself. Marcus Aurelius: "Our life is what our thoughts make of it." That, what to them is a horrible Book, predated the statement in Proverbs: "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he".  It seems these people reject having good clean thoughts.

Remembering the Sabbath. Take a day off, get some rest. I guess they don't want a day off. I recommend they work seven days a week, walk the talk.

Honor your father and mother. It's better to disrespect your father and mother?

Don't murder. Hmmmmm, murder is a good thing?

Don't commit adultery. So good ahead and cheat on your spouse, it's acceptable.

Don't bear false witness against your neighbor. By rejecting this I suppose lying and gossiping about your neighbor is a good thing.

Don't covet you neighbor's stuff. Being envious and wanting your neighbor's stuff is a good trait?

It seems Atheists and Secularists are pro adultery, pro murder, pro theft, materialist above all else, think and say vile things, advocate for a seven day work week, and be disrespectful of your parents.

Well, that's a good lifestyle.   

Secularists', Atheists' Anti Christian Hypocrisy

Can't give attribution, don't know where it came from.

A Flowerbed Formed Like a Cross Is Offensive? Really Atheists?

So offensive!

Earlier in the week, some bigoted, intolerant Atheists got their wish in Columbus, Georgia, and got a flowerbed in a park that was shaped like a cross removed. That horrible icon of love, sacrifice and salvation is sooooooooooo upsetting to these thin skinned knuckleheads, a fellow secularist, in the form of a judge, had it removed.

Citizens that wanted the cross there went to the city council and told the council to put it back. You know, citizens that politicians are supposed to be serving. The Christian-hating members said no. They citied a law saying a cross or religious symbol can't be on federal land. Problem is, no such law exists, just as there's not separation of church and state in the Constitution. Christian symbols by the way, are on practically every federal building and on currency.

Often these kind of people, government officials and politicians, do support Sharia Law.  Let's see how much they pine for Judeo-Christian law when women are turned into slaves to be beaten and stoned, there are minarets all across he land, and they have to bow to Mecca five times a day. Oh yeah, beheading if you don' convert and obey.

These secularists forget all the values they hold dear, or claim to, are Judeo-Christian. Equality, Justice, caring for one another, freedom of speech, and all the rest come from scripture, God's law, natural law. They're only hoping if the excise Christians from culture and politics, they'll be the ones that rule the roost. Don't count on it. Any State, Communist Soviet Union, Communist China, Communist Cuba, and any other anti-Semitic, anti-Christian government only leads to death, prison and enslavement. They kill their own willingly.

Don't have to be a Christian, but you should respect them, beyond tolerance. The freedoms you have are because of them. The values you claim to have, come from them. 

Religious Intolerance From Atheists

The Left is forever lecturing Conservatives and Christians to not ram our beliefs and values down their throats. No less is so than the "new atheists" whose level of bigotry and intolerance is worthy of Lenin and Stalin.

At one time being an atheist meant not believing in God and that was the end of it. Now they proselytize in a way worthy of Islamofacists.  Since they have no moral argument, and regular citizens don't pay so much attention to them, they use the communist front group ACLU to bully and berate legislators to pass laws excising religion from the land.

One could say this is unconstitutional since it violates the establishment clause; the government can't force a religion on the citizens.

They've been working forever to get the cross taken down from Soledad Mountain in San Diego. There's a cross in the middle of nowhere for lost soldiers Joshua National Park, another in the middle of forest they're trying to take down. One has to make a concerted effort to get to these places. Then there's the annual anti Christian campaign every Christmas.

Adding to this in the past few weeks are some more attacks, showing yet more intolerance and bigotry.

Prudhomme’s Lost Cajun Kitchen in Columbia, Lancaster County, PA has a Sunday promotion, that if you bring a church bulletin you get a 10% discount. An intolerant anti-Christian bigot atheist, John Wolff has filed a law suit that this violates the separation of church and state. It rankles every time I hear this since there is no such thing in the Constitution. I have a Leftist friend who is super smart in so many areas, that actually believes the establishment clause says the government protects citizens from religion. Wolff belongs to the hate group Freedom From Religion Foundation. Wolff by the way, does not live in the town the restaurant is in, and he's never eaten there.  Full article here.

In England several Catholic charities and hospitals have been shut down because Church leaders refuse to obey the secular anti Christian government's healthcare mandates. The same is beginning to happen here. This story happens in PA too; what's going on there?

Chosen 300 is a religious charity that feeds the homeless in Philadelphia.  The group feeds the homeless on the streets, and tries to get them indoors. They bring God's word to them too. The article doesn't state the move to stop them from feeding the homeless is generated by atheists, but I can bet if this were not a Christian group, there would be no beef. I can't imagine a Christian, Republican, TEA Party, or Conservative group suing to stop feeding the homeless. Article here.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation raises its head again in this third and final story. Steubenville, Ohio has a cross in its city logo. The intolerant hate group is suing to have it removed.  Horror of horrors, not only is there a cross but a chapel that is located on the property of  Franciscan University of Steubenville. As is often the case, cities do not have enough money to legally defend themselves from anti-constitutional, anti-Christian attacks and often have to back down. Someone has stepped up and will finance the defense of the logo. Article here.

While Leftist hate groups like  Freedom From Religion Foundation and Leftist gay groups claim to be all about tolerance, their actions prove they are not. They are willing and able to bankrupt cities and drive companies out of business, causing people to loose their jobs. The biggest example of this is Leftist attack on Chick-fil-a, trying to drive them out of business because the CEO said he believes in the Biblical definition of marriage. There it is. He's a Christian, so his company must be destroyed, he must be destroyed, and all the citizens that work for the company must be force into unemployment. Just because they don't agree with Atheist\Secularist's belief system.

Yet they are blind to their own hate and intolerance. It's the plight of Leftists everywhere. I've said before in this blog, if leftists say the opposition is doing it, or thinking it, then in fact they are the guilty ones, and lack the self honesty to admit it. 

Saint Nicolas, Santa Claus, Atheists, and Christmas

Saint Nicolas

This is the time of year when most of us celebrate God, Love, Family, Sharing and Giving. It’s also the time of year when Atheists and Bigots celebrate Intolerance and Hate. To do that, there have to be a lot of lies. The one that is gaining momentum is Santa Claus is a Christian religious icon. This was news to me. Don’t find him mentioned in Scripture, the Desert Fathers didn’t write about him, no mention of him at Pentecost, none of the early church leaders, none of the early apologists wrote about him. Martin Luther didn’t write, preach or teach about him.

The connection given is Saint Nicolas that became St Nick that became Santa Claus. This can’t even be a tenuous connection; there are not two more antithetical characters to be found. We have a jolly fat ad man and a reportedly mean yet pious tough guy that was really skinny.

Nicolas was born about 280 years after Jesus in the town of Patara. He got in fights. Reportedly at the Council at Nicaea, Arias, who didn’t think Jesus was Divine, ticked Nick off and Nick rose, walked across the room and popped him a good one, knocking Arias down. For his passionate display, he’s sent to the dungeon. He got really skinny there.

His being a really thin and hard man had much to do with the amount of times he was beaten and tortured during the “Great Persecution” of the early 300’s CE. When Constantine came to power, and Christianity was made acceptable, he fought against corruption and injustice. Didn’t make many friends for that either. He certainly didn’t have any children fitting into this story. Two events are reported to have happened relating to children. One was his giving money to a father with daughters, and the father used to money for dowry’s to keep them from having to make a living as prostitutes. The other story is about a tavern keeper that robbed a man, kidnapped his three children and hid them in a pickle barrel. Nick found them and returned them to their father.

This causes some cognitive dissonance; in the Middle Ages he became known as the brawling saint, but became the patron saint of children. An odd confluence.

Early Santa Claus

Santa Claus came about by merging a lot of pagan, Nordic and other mythologies to create a composite character, along with some novels later on.

Atheists and other intolerant people, if they want to continue being intolerant bigots, is just say they hate Christians and Christianity, and reject the ideals of Love, Charity, Sharing and Giving. They are Christian ideals after all; pagans, those that existed before Christianity didn’t have these ideals (with the exception of the Jews). That they exist at all goes primarily to Jesus the Christ and the Apostle Paul. Christians spread these ideals from Jews to Gentiles. Pagans then just hated Christians and Christianity so much there was a lot of killing, imprisonment, torture and slavery of them. Fortunately, our modern pagans live in a Judeo-Christian culture that forbids such things. (Such things do still go in Islamist countries though. Try badmouthing Allah and Ramadan to them.)

Atheists, bigots, intolerant ones; once a year people that celebrate something you despise, and you attack attack attack and lie. The rest of the year you have it your way. Give it a rest. 

Fr. Barron Comments on Atheism

Comments on how engaged atheists are challenging religion, and how it's a call to religionists to know who these people are and what they're saying, and the counter arguments provided by religious philosophers.

http://youtu.be/OOJjI5Yv5TU

I've written about atheists before here and here. There are several more, to be found searching 'atheists' in the search bar.

Atheists, Boycotts, and Christmas

 Is it wise to boycott or even engage atheists anymore in their annual attack on Christianity during the Christmas season?

The Fort Worth chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference is beginning a boycott of the buses of the Ft Worth transit authority because of signs from an atheist group with the message, “Millions of Americans are Good Without God" they are putting on the buses.

I don’t know how effective this boycott will be since most bus riders are of limited means, and the bus system is all they’ve got to get around. There’s also counter campaign signage going on the buses, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season”. That should suffice.

I heard on a talk show some atheist putting up billboards denouncing the Season and Christianity’s celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus. He was challenged to show some courage and go to Muslim communities and put up anti Muslim and anti Allah billboards. Of course he won’t because he and his fellow bigots are cowards. Islamophobes.   

Regarding the atheists’ idea of being good without God, where do they think the values of fair and loving treatment of all people come from, all the values of truth, fidelity, not stealing, not murdering and all the rest? The Judaic-Christian value system. All the things atheists value as good are faith based, religion based. This annual attack has little to do with Christianity, it has a lot do with something lacking in their own lives, and rather than being responsible for their own state of beliefs, they lash out, attack and try and make themselves victims.

Neo-atheism is about expressing intolerance and bigotry, about establishing victimhood. One of the women on TMZ went on a rant about hating the season, that it shouldn’t exist, that she would rather work on Christmas Day, that she shouldn’t get paid for having that day off and some other stupid stuff. She attacks the culture and its celebration, rather than taking responsibility for her own actions. She can work that day. She writes for an entertainment online magazine and TV show, and she can still be home and write. She can go work at a homeless shelter that day, or any other charity that’s open then. She can take her pay and give it to someone in need; she doesn’t have to accept the pay. It’s obvious she’s a Statist anti-Christian bigot; she should just own up to it, and take responsibility for her own actions during the Christmas season rather than attacking and wanting to end what brings millions of people love, happiness, family, sharing and joy.

That should be true of all atheists. Traditional atheists have it right. They don’t believe in God. That’s it. They’re done. This using non-belief to attack a cultural and religious tradition is about something else altogether. They need to look to what’s in their own hearts. 

Daily Kos Blogger Demands Abolition of Organised Religion

This is a rant from a character calling himself\herself "Blue Moon", totally rejecting the Constitution, tolerance, wisdom and good sense. Most atheists I know or read, reinterpret the Establishment Clause as meaning freedom from religion, not that the State can't impose religion. This Daily Kos writer wants to see established religion abolished. Statists must abolish religion because it's the only thing standing between liberty and totalitarianism. Examples are Soviet Union and Red China; atheist nations for a reason.

"The church of pedophiles that brought you Cardnal Law and the current head, Ratzinger dares open its filthy mouth again? To preach about morality?" The Apostle Paul, when writing about homosexuality, was actually talking about grown men sodomizing little boys. That was predominate in the pagan world of the time. He wanted this to stop because it was inhumane. This atrocity existed well before the modern Catholic Church, and Catholics are just as furious as anyone else that it happened, and that the Church turned a blind eye to it. The Church is not a "church of pedophiles"...that's just a stupid statement on the face of it. Let's turn an open eye to the judges in this country that let pedophiles and rapists go free to do their despicable acts over and over and get released over and over. Should we abolish the Judiciary?

"The Reverend Phelps dares picket servicemen's funerals? And tell us all that "Heath [is] in Hell?" And call Lady Gaga a 'proud whore'?" Phelps is the evil stupid man that leads the Westboro Baptist Church. His is an independent anti-Christian church, is not affiliated at all with anything other than their own hatred and stupidity. This is the hate group that stands outside of cemeteries protesting the military dead being buried. They've been fully shunned by the Christian community. This whole article is the standard deceptive practice of Secularists. Select out one bad actor, and paint the whole community with that brush.

"A variety of crazy wackos calling themselves the "Tea party" peddle vicious racism masquerading as christian faith." There is no connection, not one, between Churches and the TEA Party Movement. The is no evidence of racism in the TEA Party other than the claims of the racist Democrat Party, racist Obama Administration, racist NAACP, racist Black Congressional Caucus, and racist New Black Panther Party, (supported by the racist Attorney General Eric Holder). Of course the Left is losing the arguments about everything, so as a distraction lay in the claim all their opponents are racist. Of course, this statement paints all members of organized religion as racists.

"It is time to begin working actively to bring about the end of organized religion. At the beginning of the 21st century, it is a wonder that a group of ignorant, bigoted and hateful men (yes, mostly men) can preach against scientific progress and try to take this country and the world a few centuries back. It is time to face the truth -- THERE IS NO GOD." Actually, there's scientific progress because of organized religion, and European civilization was saved during the "Middle Ages" by organized religion. This writer is ignorant or willfully lying. The "New Atheists" religion is attacking organized religion. It's not enough to just say they don't believe in a higher power and move on. I'm interested to find out that the church is mostly men. With all the women ministers and church leaders, I found this "fact" astounding. Especially since the national president of my congregation is a woman. How'd that happen?

"**the church tells you that as long as you go to confession and pray to God, all the wrong-doing will be forgiven. Therefore, religion teaches us an inconsiderate, irresponsible behavior to our fellow humans. No, I do not want someone who wronged me to ask forgiveness from God. I want them to come to me, to face me and ask for forgiveness from me, not some abstract and supposedly all-forgiving god." Actually, to be forgiven, one must ask for it from the person offended, and there must be penance. Secularists project what they believe or want to be true, and state it as a truth.

"It is time to organize and take legal action against religious institutions. There are many avenues available to pursue lawsuits against churches and such. It is time to turn up the heat in the media and the blogsphere against this unnecessary and harmful atavism of the past." What is this character going to sue for? Specifically. $Billions given to those that suffer from AIDS in Africa? Homeless shelters and food kitchens that millions of volunteer hours and billions of dollars are offered? Hospitals (which were founded and developed by the Church)?

This character does not know the Constitution or wants to shred it. He's an intolerant bigot, who claims to have moral and ethical values. He doesn't, but the one's he does claim to have are all based in the values set forth by organised religion. The Pagan Society he wishes for instead of what we have now, advocated sodomizing little boys, women were used only for sex and breeding, two thirds of civilization were slaves, to name just a few things. Christianity lead the movement to abolish slavery, Jesus had many women as his confidants, and the early Church was lead by women. I'll take this culture that respects women, where slavery is abolished, and sodomizing little boys is absolutely rejected (except to Secularist judges).

There is too much in this uninformed, lying, intolerant, bigoted article to address in a short blog. Full article here.

So what's the beef? Are any Secularists or atheists forced to worship, go to church, or pray? Are churches forcing, or are able to force, anyone to do anything?

Willful Misrepresentation of the Bible

Atheists and other Secularists willfully misrepresent the Bible, taking stories out of context to prove whatever point they want. In my discussions with these people, the foundation of their argument is that what’s in the Bible is what’s advocated by Believers. So all the rape and sodomy, lies and other bad behaviors is what Believers justify as acceptable in their [atheists] view. A couple examples would be the story of Sodom and Gomorrah when Lot offers his daughters to the mob outside his house to protect the travelers he had as guests, or the story in Judges (Chapter 19) when there was a similar situation, and again daughters were offered. Ultimately, and oversimplified, these are stories of what happens when we turn our backs to God. In many of my discussions with atheists, they forward these stories as advocacy for demeaning and raping women, and other stories as advocating despicable behavior; as if religious people have that market cornered.

Here is a story from pagan, polytheistic society. Using the same advocacy principle, is this about it being sanctioned behavior?

Plutarch writes this story circa 730’s BCE:

“[Archias] could not win over the boy (Actaeon, with whom he was infatuated), so he decided to kidnap him. He gathered together many friends and servants and went on a ‘komos’ (a group of drunken men in the streets at night after a party) against the home of Melissus [Actaeon’s father] and tried to extract the youth. But the father and his people fought back, and the neighbors as well ran out and engaged the attackers in a tug-of-war, so that Actaeon was pulled apart and killed. Archias’s party then made themselves scarce.”

Usually these “komos” or “revellings” were tolerated. Would one, using the advocacy principle, say that this was advocating murder, homosexuality, pedophilia, or rape? I’m positing the absurd to show the absurd. This is only a story of a bad event. The stories at the beginning of this piece were also stories of bad events, representing unspeakable behavior by everybody involved. From the Judeo-Christian perspective, they represent what happens when humanity turns their back on God.

The Apostle Paul, stating what we get when we have a society rebelling against God:

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”

An atheist friend criticizing Christians’ behavior said she wished Christians would read their own Bible. I wish atheists would. Christians do read it at whatever level they can, and often fall short of the ideal of Christian understanding, belief and behavior. Often we misunderstand the Bible. That’s easy to do; it’s really complex, and rich, and full of everything about life. But they don’t willfully lie about what’s in it; and if it isn’t willful lying, then the criticizers should take some time to understand what’s being said themselves, before attacking what they don’t understand.