Things Are Not as They Seem
Sometimes things are not as they seem. They appear to be one thing, but in reality they are something far different from how they project themselves.
The United States is currently facing two immense cultural battles that fit in this category of intended deception. What’s an “intended deception?”
That’s the dictionary meaning of a LIE. So what are some areas where we are being lied to–where things are not as they seem?
HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE
Seattle’s staunchly liberal newspaper, the Seattle Times, which is in business because it wasn’t as blatantly liberal as the now-defunct Seattle P.I., is in the forefront of pushing the acceptance of homosexual marriage in the state of Washington.
On November 3, Washingtonians will have the opportunity to REJECT Senate bill 5688 through Referendum 71 which would elevate homosexual marriages to equality with marriage through expanded domestic partnerships. On the support side, the Times has been running one-to-two articles a week for some time championing the homosexual cause. An October 4, 2009 front-page lead article on the issue was entitled “Stakes High in Fight over Gay Rights.” To their credit, the article fairly quoted people on both sides of this monumental 21st century debate.
The Times’ Opinion Page was another story. It’s lead editorial said, “The Times recommends Promote Families: Approve Referendum 71. The article went on to applaud homosexual “unions” with the following semantical posturing:
- They called homosexual-led “families” simply “ordinary people with ordinary family lives.”
- They said SB 5688 was about “equal treatment for all Washington residents going about their private lives.”
- They said their cause was about “responsible adults in committed relationships.”
- They said passage of the new law was about “loving couples–our relatives, friends, and neighbors–who own property,, operate businesses, and take care of their children.”
I think you get the idea. This is all about loving, committed, ordinary folks who, by the way, simply want to change the five thousand definition of marriage–and have the state pay for it in benefits.
But on this paramount issue of our lifetime, “things are not as they seem.”
Homosexual marriage is not about family, marriage, love, or commitment. It’s about using legal means to permanently change the moral code that undergirds our civilization. It’s about full acceptance and promotion of homosexual behaviour–which according to every religion on earth is immoral, unnatural, and destructive to people–both in this life and in the next.
For five millennia–and especially two thousand years of Western culture, wise civilizations have accepted the truthful premise that the only responsible form of sexual behavior, designed specifically by our Creator and Savior was between a man and a woman in a covenant relationship we call marriage. All other forms of sexual choice are immoral–and include fornication (sex by unmarried people), adultery (sex with some else’s spouse), homosexuality (men with men or women with women), pedophilia (adults with children), and bestiality (humans with animals).
Homosexuality is not singled out in this list. It is just one form of sexual perversion–“making crooked something that is straight”–which is where the words “pervert” and “straight” originate. The only difference in our world today is that it is the homosexuals who are demanding that civilization change its tried and tested moral code and allow them to be viewed as “normal.”
But homosexual behavior is not normal. It’s lowers your lifespan (to an average of 42 years), it is one of the most promiscuous forms of sexuality (four times that of heterosexual perversions), it doubles your chances of depression, it is often grossly ugly and vile in its forms, and in terms of a person’s relationship with God–separates them from his forgiveness and grace through a refusal to turn away from sexual sin. Never mind that homosexuals cannot produce children, and so they must get them from others–often breaking up real families when one of them comes “out of the closet.”
No, this issue is not about “loving, normal couples.” It is about permanently condoning and legalizing immoral behavior. And because I love people, I cannot accept the lies that will destroy people and our civilization in the name of tolerance.
That’s why I’m encouraging all Washingtonians to not accept this charade of fairness and decency and vote to REJECT Referendum 71.
GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE
The Obama administration is pushing radical legislation in our nation that would permanently alter the way health care is received and practiced in the United States. The progressives and their allies would have you believe that this issue is about:
- Compassionately providing health care for all American citizens.
- Cutting the costs of health care and not adding to the nation’s deficit.
- Providing better healthcare than the current system which is the best in the world.
- A right to qualitative healthcare that we all deserve and should demand.
- Not providing for abortions, giving coverage to illegal citizens, nor increasing rationing for health services.
- Not limiting benefits for Seniors via cuts in Medicare.
But again–when it comes to the truth about the health care bills now being voted on and discussed in the United States Congress, “things are not as they seem.”
Though I’m sure some well meaning people might believe the ideas listed above, the real force behind the move to government health care is the power to control–not the desire to provide. This health care debate is all about government power to squelch freedom in our beloved nation.
Here’s the plain and simple truth:
- Government run health care will decrease innovation and service and greatly multiply deficits.
- It will not be better than private care–it will enforce mediocrity on all.
- There is no right to healthcare–only to life (they can’t murder you), to liberty (they can’t enslave you), and to happiness or property (they can’t heavily tax you.) Everything else is a privilege and differs among human beings due to their gifts, choices, and circumstances in life.
- The bills being considered will include abortion (they say it’s just a medical procedure), provide for illegals (it’s all about votes!), and will lead to rationing (there aren’t enough doctors who will remain at their posts).
- The only way the government option (control) will work is to sqeeze $500 billion dollars out of Medicare.
The essence of this debate is not about health. It’s tyranny versus liberty, control versus choice, government further perverting its role from being rightful protector of God given rights to assuming the role of God in “providing” an all powerful Nanny State to its slaves, er, citizens.
There’s that word perversion again. Perverting marriage and perverting government’s role in our lives.
Things are not as they seem.
I pray to God that our eyes will be opened.
If You Liked the FEMA Trailers, You’ll Really Like Domestic Partnerships
The following article by Pastor Joe Fuiten of Cedar Park Church in Bothell, Washington gives an interesting slant on the subject of Domestic Partnerships or Homosexual Marriage. If you are not convinced by 5000 years of history, religion, or logic that marriage should not be changed, then maybe this stunningly simple yet elegant argument may help you. It reminds me of the wise words of President Ronald Reagan: “Government is not the answer to our problems; government is the problem.”
May these words speak to your heart and help you understand why you must vote to REJECT Washington State Senate bill 5688 on November 3. RB
By Joe Fuiten
I was on vacation recently in God’s great creation in the deserts and mountains of Oregon and Washington. I had time to reflect on what God had made as opposed to what the government makes. I wrote this little parable about what I might hear from people around the state. I imagined these conversations to reflect what people must be thinking about this proposed domestic partnership law that they are calling “everything but marriage.”
Parables of Government “Fixes”
Rancher’s Wisdom …
My first stop is at a ranch in Ellensberg. I ask the rancher if he understands the legislature’s attempt to fix marriage. He says, “When a rancher fixes a bull we call the outcome a steer. When government fixes marriage we call the outcome domestic partnership. I’m voting “Reject.”
Sensible Realtor …
I asked a real estate broker from Richland is she understood the issue of domestic partnerships and how she intended to vote. She said, “People can’t get a loan to buy a new house and even if they could, there is nobody there to buy their old house. When the government fixed the economy we started choking on a $1.8 trillion deficit for just this year. With the government trying to “fix” marriage we will choke on domestic partnerships.” She will be voting “Reject” on domestic partnerships.
Fisherman’s Woes …
I was camping on Nason Creek near Lake Wenatchee so I wandered nearby to find out where my camping neighbor was on this. As I came up I could see that he had one of those shiny new “green” cars. When I commented on it he said he had traded in his old gas-guzzling pickup during the cash for clunkers program. He only had a small tent because that was all he could get in his new car. He stood there a little unhappily with his red polo shirt neatly tucked into his pressed jeans unfolding his telescoping fishing pole. He said “We do this God’s way or the Government’s way. Consider the difference. In God’s way, I am looking at this beautiful pristine brook lined with magnificent trees. I look up the creek and see the tree covered mountains in the distance. God is so extravagant that he left the river running all night and it lulled me to sleep.
In the Government’s way I have here my $24 freshwater fishing permit. Hanging from the mirror of my “green” car is my authorization paper to have a vehicle out here. For the last two hours I have been reading my 144 page rule book put out by fish and wildlife department. My fishing line is topped off with a barbless hook. After two hours I finally discovered the Government closed God’s beautiful creek here year round. It’s the same with your question. God’s way is marriage. The government’s way is domestic partnership. That’s why I will be voting “Reject” on domestic partnerships.”
Simply Redneck …
After going upstream I found a redneck walking around in his wife-beater t-shirt. I asked where he stood. I think he said “The government is full of domestic partnership,” or something like that.
My little reflections are probably not a scientific sample but it does appear that people understand they need to vote “Reject” if they don’t want domestic partnerships.
Religious conservatives make up somewhere between 35-42% of Washington’s electorate by my estimate. By ourselves, we don’t win anything. However, we could win based on the way people are thinking about government. We could have a whole section of people willing to vote along with religious conservatives.
If you like FEMA Trailers …
The government effort toward domestic partnerships feels a lot like FEMA. Domestic partnerships are government manufactured homes. You can live in a FEMA trailer if you want, but it falls far short of what God has in mind and it should not be the ideal toward which we strive.
On a spending spree …
A lot of people don’t think the government has done very well in fixing the economy. The budget deficit and wild spending spree are evidence of that.
The Fanny and Freddie Mess …
They don’t think the government has done very well in fixing the mortgage mess. Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac are evidence for that.
Given the multiple disasters of government they really don’t trust the government to fix marriage, which is why they will vote “Reject” on domestic partnerships.
If you combine the religious conservatives with those who are distrusting government there may be a majority who will vote to reject domestic partnerships. It comes down to a choice between God’s way or the Government’s way. If you prefer God’s way you will vote “REJECT.”
The New Protestants
;)
Switzerland recently celebrated the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin, one of the leaders the Reformation–a movement that greatly altered the history of the world. Calvin was a second generation reformer, following in the wake of Martin Luther and others, who took on the religious and cultural corruption of the 16th century with a Christ-centered viewpoint that eventually produced free nations, human rights, free enterprise, moral reforms and a global Gospel explosion.
Calvin and Luther were protesting the corruption of their day and pointing the way to renewed societies that honored Jesus Christ and cared about their fellow human beings. They became known as Protestants-Protesters–who wanted to limit kingly and ecclesiastical power and release the power of Christ in individual hearts. That Reformation gave us our modern world of just laws, not powerful men; Freedom, not slavery; Abundance, not universal poverty; Faith and hope, not servitude and despair. In the 21st century, I believe a new Reformation is beginning. It’s made up of millions of people who see their culture gasping for life, their freedoms being eroded, and chaos looming on the horizon due the growing tentacles of state power and control. Call them the New Protestants. And they’re not going away. Like Luther and Calvin, may they be victorious. These new Protesters are showing up at “tea parties” around the American nation. Many raised their voices at town hall meetings. Others have formed 24/7 prayer groups to cry out to God for spiritual and moral renewal. Some of them are young and passionate. Others are seniors who are disciplined and determined. They come from every economic strata, all fifty America states, and are truly a rainbow coalition of many races and cultural backgrounds. What are they protesting? Here’s a partial list:
- The thirty year holocaust of abortion
- The break-up and re-definition of marriage
- The main-streaming and glorification of immorality.
- The growth of Big Goverment and loss of liberty.
- Heavy taxation and regulation.
- Economic and ecological fascism.
- The corruption and unconcern of those in high places.
What unites them is an almost unspoken set of values that once made America great–and will bless any nation on earth that chooses to embrace them. Those values come from the Bible and are empowered by Jesus Christ in the heart of individuals. The New Protestants are much bigger than any group of organization. But one expression of their vitality took place this summer and is specially worthy of note. On June 30, 2009, representatives of some of America’s largest faith-based groups gathered in Washington, D.C. to announce that they will organize and mobilize their grassroots constituencies in a common cause–to formally announce the formation of the Freedom Federation. The Federation encompasses individuals of different races, faiths and backgrounds who are committed to the preservation of freedom and American values, founded on the Judeo-Christian tradition. The Freedom Federation is not a separate organization, but an association of like-minded national organizations with large and unique religious and political constituencies.
The Freedom Federation is committed to defending and extending core values expressed in the Declaration of American Values, the organization’s founding document. These include the right to life, the institution of marriage, parental rights, religious liberty, an environment free of pornography and indecency, the right to property, freedom from excessive taxation, and national sovereignty. The statement is posted on the Vision America website at www.visionamerica.us. Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on a Wittenberg Door in 1517. The Freedom Federation unveiled their ten values on June 30, 2009. The Declaration of American Values represents a cultural revolution that you are invited to join. Here are the basic points of agreement:
The Declaration of American Values
We the people of the United States of America, at this crucial time in history, do hereby affirm the core consensus values which form the basis of America’s greatness, that all men and women from every race and ethnicity are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We adhere to the rule of law embodied in the Constitution of the United States and to the principles of liberty on which America was founded. In order to maintain the blessings of liberty and justice for ourselves and our posterity, and recognizing that personal responsibility is the basis of our self-governing Nation, we declare our allegiance:
1. To secure the sanctity of human life by affirming the dignity of and right to life for the disabled, the ill, the aged, the poor, the disadvantaged, and for the unborn from the moment of conception. Every person is made in the image of God, and it is the responsibility and duty of all individuals and communities of faith to extend the hand of loving compassion to care for those in poverty and distress.
2. To secure our national interest in the institution of marriage and family by embracing the union of one man and one woman as the sole form of legitimate marriage and the proper basis of family.
3. To secure the fundamental rights of parents to the care, custody, and control of their children regarding their upbringing and education.
4. To secure the free exercise of religion for all people, including the freedom to acknowledge God through our public institutions and other modes of public expression and the freedom of religious conscience without coercion by penalty or force of law.
5. To secure the moral dignity of each person, acknowledging that obscenity, pornography, and indecency debase our communities, harm our families, and undermine morality and respect. Therefore, we promote enactment and enforcement of laws to protect decency and morality.
6. To secure the right to own, possess and manage private property without arbitrary interference from government, while acknowledging the necessity of maintaining a proper and balanced care and stewardship of the environment and natural resources for the health and safety of our families.
7. To secure the individual right to own, possess, and use firearms as central to the preservation of peace and liberty.
8. To secure a system of checks and balances between the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches within both state and federal governments, so that no one branch – particularly the judiciary – usurps the authority of the other two, and to maintain the constitutional principles of federalism which divide power between the state and federal governments.
9. To secure our national sovereignty and domestic tranquility by maintaining a strong military; establishing and maintaining secure national borders; participating in international and diplomatic affairs without ceding authority to foreign powers that diminish or interfere with our unalienable rights; and being mindful of our history as a nation of immigrants, promoting immigration policies that observe the rule of law and are just, fair, swift, and foster national unity.
10. To secure a system of fair taxes that are not punitive against the institution of marriage or family and are not progressive in nature, and within a limited government framework, to encourage economic opportunity, free enterprise, and free market competition.
If you agree with these principles, then you’re one of the New Protestants–in name.
If you pray, speak up, act, care for people, and vote–then you, too, can become one in deed–and join this encouraging and growing Reformation.