We are divided as a Country and as Christians.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”  Abraham Lincoln is most known for that quote, but actually Jesus Christ said if before Abraham Lincoln even thought of it.  

Our Nation is more divided today than I have ever seen it in my lifetime. It is worse than during the turmoil of the 60’s when Vietnam and Love-Ins were festering topics.

How are we divided well let us count the ways: 

We do not listen to one another any longer. If someone does not agree with us we question their motivation. Immediately anyone who does not agree with our religion or our politics or our views in general are judged stupid and evil. We are no longer willing to have reasonable discussions and reach a consensus on what we have in common and work from there.

There was a time when Republicans and Democrats had difference in opinions on how the country should be run. But, we did not hate one another and try to destroy one another. We had political differences and that was it – simple.  The elections came and went and the losers accepted their loss and we moved on as one supporting the elected candidates. What is ironic is there are far fewer differences in the two parties than ever before and we do our best to destroy each other before and after the election and nothing productive is ever accomplished.

One only has to follow social media to see that we no longer have thoughtful, and respectful discussions. We no longer are interested in trying to win anyone over to our way of thinking, instead with our words we do all we can to turn them away by attacking their sincerity, intelligence and faith.

What happen to LOVE!  Mention homosexuality to some Christians and you will see the most vicious, vile rhetoric come from their heart and their mouths. The Orlando massacre shined a light on the bigotry of some lay and some ministers within the church. For example, “I wish one Saturday night a group of people would organize all around the country and go to every gay bar in America and kill ever single queer in there and that would stop them from leading our children and grandchildren astray”, “They were not afraid in that restroom in that queer bar in Orlando. They were too busy having sex to be afraid”, “My only problem with the dumb terrorist in Orlando was he did not kill them all.”  The list goes on and on and on and the people vow up and down they are CHRISTIANS.

I think some Christians are going to be shocked when they reach the Pearly Gates and find them padlocked. I do not think the words some Christians are using in speaking of homosexuals are the words God wants them to use.  

I realize some Christians say they are  tired of being made into the bad guys. They’re tired of being called the bigots, the haters, etc. I was told by one Christian,  “If I do not speak out loud and clear now to stop the homosexuals one day I may lose my right to do so.” I do not think it is the agenda of homosexuals to prevent Christians from believing as they wish or to take away their right to free speech, but it is their agenda to be able to speak and live as they believe. There are bigots on both sides of the issue and if you do not want to be called a bigot then do not act like one.

At the Indiana Statehouse, Rev. Ron Johnson Jr. of the Indiana Pastors Alliance addressed a roaring crowd: “We’re not here today because we’re angry. We’re not here because we hate people. “We’re actually here,” he said, “because we love Jesus.” He went on to say, “How can government force people to act against their religious consciences — against an unshakable belief that marriage is between a man and a woman?” Has the government ask any Christian to do that?  There are laws about discriminating in a PUBLIC business. The government has only ask that we respect the rights of others to believe as they want, just as the Christians opposed to homosexuality do. 

I heard similar arguments at my Grandmothers church, First Baptist Church of Pratt City, Alabama against integration and interracial marriages. The only words coming from his mouth that I agreed with was, “I’m not asking for special protected class status. I’m asking to be left alone, for crying out loud.” Rev. Ron Johnson that is all the gay community really wants.

For some evangelical Christians, who are led by ministers like the Indiana Pastors Alliance there is no compromise. Expanding the state civil rights law to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes would effectively feel like a betrayal of their constitutional rights.

Not all Christians share their views. Some Christians agree with enacting nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people, including a coalition of mainline Christian denominations and a group of 141 faith leaders who signed onto a letter of support. Bishop William Gafkjen, who oversees Indiana and Kentucky congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, said he doesn’t feel that adding to the civil rights law threatens his religious freedom.

Christian’s are more divided today than ever before in my lifetime. There has always been some that thought if you did not belong to their church or denomination you could not go to heaven. There has always been some that thought they were the only ones that knew how to interpret scripture. But, there are some Christians today that are nearly or they are militant about their opinions.

If you believe me to be wrong then next Sunday after church start a conversation with those you just worshiped God with about immigration.  If one person does not explode like a stick of dynamite has been ignited in them - I would be shocked.  A recent National Public Radio report noted, “Immigration is shaping up to be one of the most contentious and emotional topics in the 2016 presidential race.”  Even among us Christians.

We seem to forget that all Americans have immigrants in their genealogy if they take time to go back far enough.  The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 banned racial criteria for immigration. From that time on, people would be admitted “on the basis of their skills and their relationship to those already here” and to find refuge from oppression. The problem is not immigration the problem is that our immigration laws are not being following by our politicians. The law never intended to allow illegal immigration into our country.

 There are approximately 11.3 million persons in the U.S. today without authorization—without some kind of Visa or Green Card. Of these, roughly half came here on a Visa or Green Card that has now expired, and half came into our country by crossing the border without authorization. The problem is not all immigrants the problem is illegal immigrants and whose fault is that they have freely crossed our borders and overstayed their visa’s without any repercussion. If I was from a depressed country and could get to the Promised Land legally or illegally I would. I would especially do so when the President of that country encouraged it. Now this is the question that will set fire under some - would it be legal or illegal today for the Jewish people to take the land of the Canaanites, which is now Palestine? Would the Jewish people at that time be consider illegal aliens today?

The Bible has many references to immigrants—in fact, foreigners, strangers, and aliens are mentioned more than 150 times.

In Leviticus, God says: “When immigrants live in your land with you, you must not cheat them. Any immigrant who lives with you must be treated as if they were one of your citizens. You must love them as yourself, because you were immigrants in the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 19:33-34).

The question of immigrants is complicated today by the extreme radical Muslims. I think the main solution to that problem is strict enforcement of our Immigration Laws. I am not convinced discrimination against any one particular group of people is the answer.

All people that desire to enter our country should be vetted and required to meet stringent guidelines regardless of their religion or country of origin.  I think people should prove they can contribute to the betterment of the United States in the future in order to enter and that seems harsh to a lot of liberal thinking Christians. I think there should be set time limits as to when they must demonstrate they have a command of the English language.  But, I am no longer for discrimination against a certain group of people.  I once was because I feared radical Islamic Muslims.

I disagree with many other Christians on taking in refugees. I am for HELPING and protecting refugees in their own homeland. I do not think as Christians we can stand by and not offer assistance, but to bring their problems to our shores when we already face so many problems I simply cannot support it. If we do allow them to enter the United States I think we have a Christian obligation to treat then as  fellow citizens of the United States.

TO BE CONTINUED

Why pray for the dead?

The question of purgatory and praying for the dead was a major issue between Catholics and Protestants in the 16th century. The Council of Trent in 1563 reaffirmed the existence of purgatory and the usefulness of prayers for the dead, yet it cautioned against superstition concerning it.

The Catholic teaching regarding prayers for the dead has nothing to do with buying the dead out of purgatory, but unfortunately that is what most non-Catholics believe?  The Catholic Church’s teaching about purgatory (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1030-32) says that all sin has a life of its own and may have bad effects even after the sinner repents.  Repentance includes a desire to repair the damage done by one’s sins, but repentance may not be complete before the person dies, therefore Catholics pray for completion of repentance.  I do not agree totally with that teaching.

I will say this in defence of the Catholic doctrine on purgatory I would not say beyond a doubt that no type of purgatory exists.   I want to believe our loved ones go straight to heaven, but the truth is I do not know that for a fact.  The Bible provides evidence that there can be no imperfections in heaven.   According to the Catechism, most of us who don’t merit hell still need purification before we can enter heaven. 

I believe if there is any type of purgatory it would have nothing to do with punishment of sin.  It would only be a place to put the final touch on our perfection or holiness.  I will go further to say I do not believe it has anything to do with suffering or paying a sin debt.  Christ paid in full all our past, present and future sin debt. 

I do not believe anything we do after a person dies will affect the deceased relationship with God or their status in heaven.  I believe our salvation is determined on earth prior to death, therefore heaven or hell is determined before death.    

Christians and non-Christians alike have both heard the Bible verse ‘to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord’ (2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Plus 9), but what does those verses really mean?  Does it really mean as soon as we breathe our last breath we are face to face with God?  I think those verses have a much deeper meaning.  Is Paul saying - if we are in our earthly bodies we are away from the Lord.  Yes, the Lord is always with us, but not where we can stand face to face with Him and that makes the difference.   I question that Paul was talking about a time line in those verses, but instead was assuring us that when we die we will come face to face with God.  Will that happen immediately, one day later, two days later or upon Christ coming again.  I do not know for sure.  I do know for sure it will happen and believers will come face to face with God. 

Protestants believe Hebrews 9:27 when it affirms that..."it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment."  Protestants feel that prayers for the dead are useless.  They believe once you die judgment follows immediately.  They believe there is no state in between death and judgment called purgatory.   I am comfortable with that teaching.  But, I also find some aspects of Catholicism appealing due to its historicity and great respect for traditions, authority, and the early Church Fathers.

 I guess in the end it is up to each Christian to decide this issue, since there is no definitive answer in the Bible.  Catholics believe in Scriptures authority and its traditions.  Protestants believe in the sole authority of Scripture alone. There are many things in Scripture that remain a mystery to me and will remain a mystery until I am face to face with God.  These mysteries do not create a faith problem for me.  I think some scriptures remain a mystery for all, but some do not want to admit that they do not have it all figured out and are not in control.

Some may be scratching their head and saying I still do not have an answer.  I still do not know what he believes about praying for the dead.  Sorry, I am not sure I know.   I came to believe over fifty years ago that God did not call me to think for you or to tell you what to think.  I sincerely believe God called me to challenge you and provoke you to study scripture not just read it.  Pray over scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to a conclusion.  

The practice of praying for the dead in my mind naturally implies that we can influence the present state of those who are dead and I do not believe we can.  I do believe we are justified by faith in Christ, and we stand or fall based on our faith at the time of our death.  I believe our righteousness comes from the righteousness of Christ and that makes it hard for me to believe a place like purgatory would need to exist.  I do believe regardless of what you believe about praying for the dead it will not affect where you will spend eternity.   I hope that somewhat clears up my beliefs, but what I believe should not be a defining factor in your deciding what you believe. 

God wanted and wants us to be in unity.  He gave us the church and man was not satisfied.  God then allowed us to have Plan B - denominations.  We were not and are not yet mature enough to come together on the things we have in common and allow our difference to teach us and allow us to grow.  When we surround ourselves with only likeminded people we stifle our growth, but it seems we are more comfortable with likeminded people.

Is it biblically correct to pray to Mary?

This discussion is difficult for me.  I am sure there are friends that I will offend.  I never had a problem with the subject until I moved to the Philippines.  Down through the years I encountered a few people whom I felt might be abusing the devotion to Mother Mary, but in the Philippines it began to really concern me.  It seems to me many good Catholics have become confused when it comes to their devotion to Mother Mary.

The practices of many Catholics depart from the "official traditions" of the Roman Catholic Church.  The Roman Catholic Church does not "officially" teach Catholics to worship Mary, but rather to honour and revere her. However, through my observation, it is clear that many Catholics do in fact worship Mary. This is the result of the Roman Catholic Church not doing a good job of teaching and explaining our doctrines.  Many Catholics are completely ignorant of what Catholic doctrines and practices truly mean and signify.

I do not believe that Mother Mary is co-equal with the Father, Son or Holy Spirit and attending Mass any Sunday in the Philippines you would wonder if fifty percent of the people realise she is not.    I know there is a movement among some Catholics around the world to make her co-equal, but as of this writing the Pope has not seriously considered it.  I do not believe any Pope would ever approve it.  I think what disturbs me the most is it seems to me more prayer and devotions are offered to Mother Mary in the Philippines than to the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity.

 I have always heard that many Evangelicals and Protestants think the word pray means worship.  So it makes sense that they think Catholics who pray to Mary actually worship her.  The problem I now have is that I have come to believe that a vast number of Catholics no longer pray to Mother Mary they worship Mother Mary and the clergy seem to look the other way.  I honestly believe some of the clergy I have met in the Philippines worship Mother Mary themselves.

Let's look at the word pray in the dictionary.  Here is what Webster's says about the word pray: (1) to utter petition to God ... (2) to make a fervent request: PLEAD (3) to beseech: implore (4) to make a devout or earnest request.  The word worship is not included in the definition of pray.   A prayer to Mary is clearly not a petition to God.  Mary is not God, and I know of no knowledgeable Catholic who has said she was.  Clearly worship is not the first meaning of pray.

When Catholics pray to God they "utter a petition to God" and when they pray to Mary they make “earnest request for prayers” from Mary.  Catholics believe Mother Mary is a prayer warrior. 

There is a difference between veneration of Mary and worship of Jesus. This was formalized in writing back in 757 AD at the Seventh General Council:

1.Latria - adoration that is given to the Trinity alone occurs 5 times in the Bible, but always refers to God (John 16:2, Romans: 9:4, 12:6, Hebrew 9:1,6).

2. Hyper-dulia – veneration (showing respect) to Mary as the mother of God.

3. Dulia - honour paid to saints and angels occurs 5 times in the Bible (Romans 8:15, 21; Galatians 4:24, 5:1; Hebrew 2:15).

There are plenty of Old Testament references that distinguish veneration from worship. "Then Moses went out to meet his father- in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him…" (Exodus 18:7) and (1 Chronicle 29:20, 1 Samuel 24:8).  Moses did not worship his father-in-law, but he did show respect to him.

Some evangelicals say consecration shows that Catholics worship Mary.  The word consecrates means to entrust. I entrust myself to my closest friends, but only Jesus Christ is my Saviour.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe said, “Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.”  The question is not how much Jesus loved Mary.  The question is how much some Catholics love Mary; do they love her more than the Holy Spirit?  I am sure Jesus loved Mother Mary, but does Jesus love her more than He loves you and me, I doubt that.  I also think you can love Mother Mary too much if you have turned to worshipping her instead of venerating her, showing her reverential respect. 

I have a 5 foot statue of Mother Mary in my private prayer garden.  I do not worship Mary, but I do have the highest respect for her and when I look at that statue I think of her son Jesus Christ and I think of the physical and emotional pain she must have gone through as His mother.  It leads me to ask God to give me the same courage and strength.  I have no intention of removing the statue for it is comforting to me.  I do not pray to Mother Mary or any Saint.  I pray to the Father, through the Son (asking Him to mediate for me) and I ask the Holy Spirit to lead me in prayer.  Christ made it possible on the cross for us to go to the Father.

I believe it is wise for Catholics not to allow themselves to focus on Mother Mary to the point that it distracts them from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  I do not think Mother Mary would want that.  I want to add my time thinking of Mother Mary has never been a distraction for me.  In fact it does the opposite it helps me focus more on Jesus Christ. 

Mary's role was not to jump on center stage and take the place of Jesus.  I do not believe she ever wanted to be in the spotlight.  I do think some men in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church wanted to give her a role that she did not want and God never intended for her to have.  It always perplexes me when men are not satisfied with God’s plan and want to substitute their own.

1 Timothy 2 does not say that God wants us only to communicate with Jesus. It says there is only one mediator between God and man, which is a different thing. The passage does not say do not ask people to pray for us.  The chapter not only allows intercessory prayer by third parties, but it indicates it is helpful.  “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone ...This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth? (Tim. 2:1-4).

Now one question that will arise is how can Mother Mary hear the prayers of all who are praying to her and distinguish between them for she is not all knowing as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Good Question!  I do not know the answer.  My only suggestion would be when a saint enters into the joy of their Master, they are "put in charge of many things" (Mat. 25:21).  Is listening to prayers one of them, I don’t know. 

Evangelical and Protestants will say, "I don't pray to dead people." Catholics don't think people in heaven are dead.  Catholics believe people in heaven are alive (Matthew 19:29, 25:46, Matthew 10:17-22, Mark 10:30, Luke 10:25-30, Luke 18:18-30, John 3:15-16).   We read in the Bible Lazarus was alive by Abraham's side (Luke 16:22).   At the transfiguration we read Moses and Elijah were alive beside Jesus, (Matthew 17:3).  There seems to be a lot of aliveness in Heaven in Revelation, (Revelation 4:10).  I do not believe people are in some type of comma until judgement day and I do not think the majority of Evangelicals or Protestants believe that either.

Some Evangelicals and Protestants think that asking a person in heaven to intercede for them is condemned in Deuteronomy 18:10 -12.  The Catholic Church believes that Deuteronomy 18:10 -12 speaks about the occult, soothsayers, sorcerers, spells, ghosts and spirits.  I think the same. 

Some Evangelicals and Protestants are uneasy asking Christians in heaven to pray for them because the final judgment hasn't occurred.   What does that have to do with the matter we are discussing?   I have never been to an Evangelical or Protestant funeral where they did not say, "He or she is with the Lord now."  They obviously believe as I do as soon as we die believers go to heaven.

This discussion could go on for many, many more pages.  But, I feel the need to bring it to a close.  I do have a problem praying for people after they have died.  I do not believe there are any second chances after death, but I will discuss that later. 

The problem I have is not having reverence for Mother Mary it is I am afraid some Catholics are abusing the tradition and have stopped praying to and reverencing her to WORSHIPPING her.  I think religious leaders have a responsibility to see that their followers do not do that.  Yes, it is easier to turn a blind eye and I have at times.  In the Philippines culture and tradition have deep roots, but religious leaders first responsibility is to teach God’s truths. 

I leave you with this thought Jesus said, “Whoever does the will of God is brother and sister and mother to me.”  Jesus is not denying his relationship with his biological family; he is pointing out what makes us part of God’s family.  The belief that “blood is thicker than water” no longer applies.  For Jesus the waters of baptism that transform our identity as God’s children become a stronger bond in the Spirit than blood ties.  Water becomes thicker than blood in God’s family.  Spiritual and not physical kinship is the basis of relationships in the new dispensation.  Believers, who receive Jesus through faith and through baptism and are willing to do the will of God, become the true family of Jesus.