Decaying of America “Part II - Spirituality/Religion”

I wrote about our infrastructure and now I would like to discuss Spirituality/Religion. I think Millennial's are less religious today than earlier generations. This is my opinion because studies only go back a couple of years. It may be that it is a temporary phase in their life’s because they are not settled yet, they have not experienced serious illness or deaths and that is usually the time people call on religion to comfort them.

I have read studies where two million young people were surveyed and it revealed twice as many high school seniors and 3 times as many college students described their religion as “none”. In the eight grade and tenth grade 40% surveyed said they had no religious affiliation.  It appears to me that young people have a weak interest in religion or God.  What shocked me is 75% of students in the twelfth grade said they had never attended a religious service and had no interest in doing so. This has a definite effect on our society. I have heard it argued that young people have replaced spirituality for religion if that is the case why did 20% of college students say they were not spiritual.  They also said they are not motivated to meditate or pray. I feel confident in saying young people in America are moving away from religion not towards religion.

Millennial's are less religious than young people have been in six decades.  It amused me that parents stated they are fighting a losing battle to get their kids to church and when ask if they attend church they replied, “No we are too busy or it is the only day of the week we have off”.  In other words, they do not lead by example.

I think a major problem in society today is we focus more on self and less on social rules.  Premarital sex is at an all-time high.  Today’s attitude is if it is good for me the hell with you.  Americans are more focused on individual freedoms than they are social rules.   A more individualistic culture will always be less religious because it means belonging to a group, which means you will adhere to their teaching and practices. Religion also requires respect for authority and Americans today are less likely to respect authority.  America everyday gets to look more and more like Northern Europe where marriage is optional and religious participation is low.  In 2013 41% of babies were born to unmarried mothers.  If you do not think this effects society, think again – homes without a father figure, homes with one parent trying to provide financially in this day and time has little time for children, many have to depend on government aid which is a drain on government and generally education is not stressed as much.  I am not talking about all single parents some do as well as when there are two parents in the home and sometimes the home is better off without the father. But, those that are single carrying the load of two parents need to be seen as heroes. The consequences of discarding a sacred moral code to govern the actions of individuals are far graver than most people realize.

A year before the U.S. Constitution was ratified Edward Gibbon published the final volume of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He listed five things and one that made the list was Religion.  He believed the lack of religion led to an insatiable craving for pleasure and the breakup of families. He wrote the root cause of Roman societal collapse was their loss of individual morality. You see he believed the laws of morality were as unchanging as the laws of mathematics and physics.  George Washington said, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.” I think if America falls it will be due to our failure in the area of morality. 

Gibbon and Washington believed the safeguards of society were not the military or productive merchants or prosperous consumers but, high morals and sincere religion. Yet most politicians and educators today reject that belief.  They say that what people do in the privacy of their own homes has no connection to national security or national well-being. For the most part Democrats, Liberals and a lot of Republicans (Rhinos we call them) have rejected the idea that national stability depends on the laws or morality

At one time people knew what character meant. It meant things like honoring your parents, not murdering, not stealing, not lying, not coveting and not committing adultery.  But, in the 60’s a Supreme Court Justice said it was impossible to define character.  That was a radical departure form the past. In short it meant keeping the Ten Commandments, the laws of the Bible were not important..

John Adams wrote in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, “The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount contain my religion.” During the 18^th Century the United States and Britain held its citizens, families and leaders to a high moral standard.  I realize they had flaws and vices.  Many believed only if they were God fearing would they survive.  Today our educators and politicians want us to believe the founders were not religious men. 

The family structure use to produce good fathers, mothers, teachers, ministers, judges, engineers, orators and statesmen.  Policy makers then understood the connection between family breakdown and societal problems like alcoholism, drug addiction, welfare addiction, juvenile delinquency and violent crimes.  Today a large percentage of our policy makers are adulterous, alcoholics, liars, cheats and thieves. 

At the turn of the 20^th century, educators in the United States and British Commonwealth began to reject the idea laws of morality were not unchangeable.  People began to think what was right in the past may not be right now or in the future.  They believe morality is always changing to suit the times.  What is right for me, may not be right for you, but it is right for me. They embraced Sigmund Feud.

Today only about 3% wait for marriage to have sex, before 1912 it was 80%. Only 20% of Christians wait until marriage to have sex.  The majority of the younger generation do not even see fornication as being wrong. They rationalize a difference between love and sex.  Sex is just pleasure and love is commitment. 

In 1890 there was one divorce for every 18 marriages and today the number is one divorce for every 2 ½ marriages.  You do not think premarital sex and acceptance of pornography has not contributed to the failures of marriage?  Do you not think the lack of morality has not contributed to premarital sex and pornography? 

Children who grow up without a father figure are four times likelier to be poor, nine times likelier to drop out of school, 11 times likelier to commit violent crimes and twenty more times likelier to be arrested.  NOW I KNOW THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS.  There is a direct link between the fracturing of families and major societal problems which have a definite effect on the nation.  According to projections by the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, rising entitlement spending and paying the interest on the national debt will consume 99% of all tax revenue in the next decade.  That means only one thing can happen the national debt will sky rocket.

Niall Ferguson a Financial Historian said when the debt exceeds the cost of protecting your borders is when countries usually fail. I guess we do not have to worry about that one because the Liberals and Democrats will not allow us protect our border.

In closing, there are no moral truths because there is no longer a religious basis for morality. The Bible was more than the enlightenment to the original settlers, the Bible was one reason America’s Christians were different from most European Christians.  Regardless of what anyone may say the Bible did have an influence on our Founding Fathers. Today Americans are taught to rely on their feelings to determine right behavior.  It makes me cringe when a child needs correcting and instead of telling the child what is right and wrong the parents say, “Sweetie how do you feel about that.”

If you acknowledge that American society is in decay, it is your obligation to fight to undo the harm that has been done.  If you cannot acknowledge that American morality is in decay then you are the proof that it is. 

Adultery/Cheating is no joking matter

What can we expect of millennials when many of our politicians, celebrities, athletes, ministers, judges and police think adultery - cheating is just normal behavior.  You know ‘boys will be boys’; there are so many women and you (have) so short a time; if you are able to support all your illegitimate children that is all that matters; Who isn’t entitled to happiness; etc.  I bet there are 10,000 more reasons to attempt to justify adultery/cheating. 

The thing I really do not get is the double standard.  Men can cheat and women cannot.  A woman cheats and she is immoral.  A man cheats and he is a hailed a model of manhood.  Destroy the women for extra affairs and make jokes about the men doing the same thing.

I am one of those people who thinks adultery – cheating is not acceptable and should not be joked about.  One undersecretary even said, “President Duterte can make jokes about extramarital affairs of government officials, (a crime under Philippine law and grounds for suspension of government officials), since he himself is not married at the moment.”  He is not legally married, but he is supposed to be in a committed relationship, with a child by his partner. 

President Trump defends Bill O’Reilly and Roger Ailes of FOX news for his sexual remarks because he has done the very same thing.  The same thing is true of President Duterte you cannot condemn others when you are guilty of the same sin/crime.  I do not care what your position in society is cheating on relationships is wrong.  It is demeaning!   Yes, the priest that takes a vow of chastity and cheats on that vow is scum, so bishops stop acting so sanctimonious.  

How would you feel if your spouse cheated on you? Some of you may know this from experience, but I think we can all imagine it—it hurts! You've been betrayed and lied to and you feel angry, depressed, unworthy, second-rate, unwanted. You want to lash out at the same time you want to crawl inside yourself and hide. Your spouse chose to seek out intimacy of one sort or another with another person  - not you. I think that "sucks" and anyone that does it is an self-centered, pompous ass. 

Infidelity is very hurtful, and does real psychological, emotional, and spiritual damage to one's partner.  I may be a bit old fashion, but I think hurting people is wrong, period!  Be honest and admit the relationship is over and each go their own way, but do not lower yourself to become a sleaze ball.

Yes, we should forgive, but forgiveness should come with a stipulation that you at least TRY to stop doing the wrong you are doing.  Only a fool keeps forgiving the same wrong over and over without expectation of change. 

Justice Assistant Secretary Aimee Neri said, “Duterte, as mayor, would show his displeasure when he hears a policeman is cheating on their wife”.  I am sorry, but I am not smart enough to comprehend that remark.  The employer should abide by the rules he dictates to his or her employees.  A father should abide by the same rules he holds his children to.  A man should not ask more of his wife or partner than he is willing to give his wife or partner. 

“This is a world of hypocrisy. Who among you here does not have a mistress?” President Duterte said in a speech aired live on television one Tuesday night, adding it was “a non-issue”.  I have known many men and women that have been faithful to their partners.  Unfortunately, my father was not one of them and each time it destroyed a little of my mother.  I loved by father, I was respectful of my father, I appreciated the material things he provided us, but I did not RESPECT my father. 

Just as Presidents Trumps remarks do not speak well of American men, President Duterte's remarks do not speak well of Filipino men. 

Instead of the stand the Catholic Church is taking on President Duterte they should realize the necessity of divorce and stop standing in the way of the Philippines joining the 21^st century.  Stopping divorce is not going to stop adultery and for some weird reason I think adultery/cheating is worse than divorce.

I realize in most Western countries, adultery itself is no longer a criminal offense, but may still have legal consequences, particularly in divorce cases.  The fact that it may no longer be a crime does not mean it is not morally, spiritually and socially wrong.   Adultery almost always constitutes a ground for divorce and may be a factor in property settlement, the custody of children and the denial of alimony. 

 Adultery is illegal in approximately half the world including about half of the United States in which jail time and fines are imposed, at least in theory.  The laws are seldom enforced, but at least all of society has not lost their moral compass.  These sensible people may think adultery does not deserve jail time or fine, but that there is still something wrong and immoral about it.  It seems to me where adultery/cheating is acceptable other types of corruption are more acceptable.

 An elderly actor and lawmaker in the Philippines is remembered for siring at least 72 children by 16 different women, only one of whom was his wife. Thirty-eight of the children bear his surname.  His other achievements in life are not remembered or worth mentioning.  I see nothing honorable about his behavior.

It is almost comical the Philippines is now the only country in the world that denies divorce to the majority of its citizens; it is the last holdout among a group of staunchly Catholic countries where the church has fought hard to enforce its views on the sanctity of marriage. Pope Francis, who visited the Philippines, has urged his bishops to take a more forgiving stance toward divorced Catholics, but this is a moot point in the Philippines: There is no such thing as a divorced Catholic in the Philippines. 

The Catholic hierarchy takes particular pride in the country’s status as the last holdout on divorce.  Do they also take pride in the number of Filipinos who find themselves in an unhappy relationship and simply move on to the next one? The women, of course, are expected to deal with the children. “For these women, the survival mechanism is to find another guy to support her and her kid”.

In the Philippines only 30 to 40 percent of the urban poor now bother to get married in the first place.  Thanks to the Catholic Church.  Cultural traditions make wedding too expensive. You are expected to have a big celebration, and they simply can’t afford it and the realization that once you enter into a marriage there’s no getting out.

Thanks to the Catholic church’s opposition to divorce and its opposition to virtually every form of contraceptive it has created millions of “illegitimate” children. No one knows the number, but one study suggests that about 30 percent of births in the Philippines go unregistered, often because of the stigma of illegitimacy.

So please tell me how adultery/cheating has made the world a better place.  Please tell me how it is a joking matter.

Is she a justice crusader or an immoral woman?

The atmosphere of the Philippine government at the moment is like a circus or tabloid newspaper. I do not know if the world is watching or not, because I do not know if the average citizens around the world care what is going on in the Philippines.

I believe the way the government deals with their drug problems is an internal matter and others should stay out of it. If the Philippine people are happy with the way their President is dealing with the problem then so be it. When they have had enough they will solve the problem for themselves. When the Philippine people had enough of Spain they booted them out, the same is true of the United States and President Marcos. I do not want outsiders (especially the United Nations) telling Americans how to run their country or what is best for our country.  

I admit I am confused by what the Philippine President says from day to day. One day he wants the U.S. military out of the Philippines and the next day he says he will allow them to stay. I am an expat living in the Philippines and frankly I do not care if the U.S. military is here or not. I would like to know if I am going to be able to stay or not. I am nearing eighty and in bad health. I have been advised by my doctors that I most likely could not survive a trip to the United States and I will be quite happy to die and be buried in the Philippines.

Today, I read posts in social media from some Philippine women about the Senator DE Lima's sex films. They feel that showing the films would shame her and that she should not be shamed because she is a woman. One said, “When you shame Senator DE Lima you are shaming all women.”  One said, “When you shame Senator DE Lima you are shaming all mothers, sisters, aunts and nieces in the Philippines.” How could that possibly be so? My mother, sisters, aunts or nieces have never made a sex tape. How could they be shamed by a sex video that Senator DE Lima allowed to be made. They are not responsible for what Senator DE Lima did and it in no way reflects upon them?

Is the sex video a fake? I do not know, but they appear to be real and if you take her private visits to the prisoners inside the maximum security prison and her attendance at parties sponsored by prisoners and her pictures hanging on the wall of prisons rooms it does not look good for Senator DE Lima. It certainly appears that she made bad decisions.

At the time Senator DE Lima was Secretary of Justice (Attorney General) why would someone in that position allow prisoners to sponsor private parties and invite outside guest to raise money? Why would someone in that position allow prisoners to have their own private quarters with offices and conference rooms and computers? Why would someone in that position visit those private quarters and attend those parties? I wish I could say that I never doubted Senator DE Lima’s sincerity, but I always have, even when she headed up the Human Rights Organization in the Philippines. Her motivation has always been in question by me.

How does it help the people of the Philippines to cover-up her transgression. Does anyone deserve a pass simply because they are a woman, elected official or celebrity? I personally do not think so. In fact I think people in those position, women and men, should be held to a higher standard.

Corruption within the government has been allowed by the people of the Philippines for so long I do not even know how you would begin to clean it up. Perhaps President Duterte’s way is the only way. I am certainly not comfortable with extra judicial killings or vigilante killings, but if the whole system is corrupt how do you clean it up? I still believe President Duterte is doing what he thinks is best for the country. I also can feel his frustration for his countrymen, especially the poor.

I was ask today if Senator DE Lima has ever admitted to doing any wrong and I honestly do not know if she had or not. I have not heard her do so. I could easily forgive anyone that admitted they were wrong and ask forgiveness. It is difficult for me to ignore wrong or the perception of wrong when the person will not admit to their wrong doings or that they may have committed acts that would lead others to perceive she or he had done wrong. Senator DE Lima has not presented any argument thus far that would persuade me that she is not guilty.

God blessed the Philippines with lots of potential. God blessed the Philippines with beautiful landscapes. There is absolutely no reason a country with educated young people to be a Third World Country. Do you blame the people or the corrupt politicians? 

I have learned in my near eight decades on this earth that as long as you allow any human being to take advantage of you they will, so I must ask why have the Philippine people allowed EDSA to be in vain. There will be a price to pay, sacrifices to make for the people to gain control of their government and they must decide is it worth it or not. One thing I am sure of you cannot keep electing the same corrupt politicians and expect things in your life to get better. THINGS only get better in the politicians lives when you keep electing them over and over again. I have never believe politics was meant to be a lifetime career. 

I want to state the same thing is happening in the United States. We are not electing politicians that give a darn about the people of the United States. They are not in politics to devote their lives to service of the country or the people they are in politics to advance their own personal interest. Of all the people in the United States we cannot find two people better qualified than Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump to run for President. I suppose people that are honest, truthful and moral no longer are interested in associating day in and day out with thugs and criminals.  It is up to the young people in the Philippines and the United States to bring about change in politics for us old people have screwed it up for you.

In closing I cannot wrap my mind around where or when did Senator DE Lime go bad. Was it the result of one bad decision or an accumulation of many bad decisions or was it she forgot what she set out to do and allowed vengeance for one man, the Mayor of Davao City, to take control of her? She had everything going for her and her legacy could have been similar to Senator Santiago, but instead the final chapter of her life story will read like a cheap novel. 

There is a lesson for us all in this story and that is our decisions do matter. Every decision will play a role in our life story be they good or bad. Not only do our decisions/actions matter the perceptions others have of our decisions/actions matter. If she would have only stopped for a moment and given thought to what she was doing perhaps she would not have taken the wrong path and the same is true for us. Once you start living a lie you will live that lie until you die or be destroyed when the truth comes out. 

It seems Christians complain as much as unbelievers

For the past two years it seems all I have heard in media and from friends is about the downward spiral of the secular culture. All I hear when I get around my Christian friends is about the U.S. presidential candidates, the turmoil over transgender bathrooms and in the last few weeks the tragedy in Orlando. I agree there are many problems in the world today, but society has always, since the beginning of time, faced many problems. It is good to think through and process the implications of these societal problems. But as believers in Christ I am beginning to wonder if we differ in any significant way from our culturally conservative, but unbelieving neighbors? It seems we complain as much as the rest.

It’s easy to complain about how society is disintegrating around us. It’s easy for us old enough to recall the 1950's middle-class America and imagine that everything would be better “if only we could go back to the nation we once were.” But Christians are called to be salt and light. It seems many Christians have no problem “being the salt”, but have some difficulty “being the light”.  We complain, criticize and judge as much as the unbelievers and offer few suggestions.

Do we still believe God is all knowing and is not surprised by any of the wickedness in the world? Do we still believe God is sovereign over evil and yes even using it for our good and the glory of his name? Do we still trust God? Have we given up hope - if we have we have lost faith in God.

Christians should be praying for our leaders, our nation, our families and neighbors. We should be trying to make wise and informed decisions with the help of the Holy Spirit. We should be willing to serve and to sacrifice. We should not be judgmental, prejudice, know it all bigots.

We are commanded to rejoice, even though, for a little while, we are grieved by various trials. For we are not without hope. We have an imperishable, perfect, unfading inheritance waiting in heaven for us. (1 Peter 1:4–6). God’s promises to us should make us different than the unbelievers that surround us. There is light at the end of the darkness, but I am witnessing some Christians who know the most about God, loving and doing the least – why? We should be doers, endeavoring great acts of love for others regardless if they believe as we do or not.

Griping, grumbling, whining, murmuring or belly-aching regardless of the word we use to describe it always has the has the same symptoms. The dictionary defines it as “an expression of unhappiness, dissatisfaction, or discontent.” Complaining is the outward expression of discontent from within.

In the Old Testament God always considered complaining as an act of unbelief directed toward Him. When they complained about their circumstances, their type of food, and even at Moses, God was displeased because they weren’t thankful for what He had provided them. He was disappointed that they refused to trust in Him to provide, protect, and direct the order of their lives. “Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp” (Numbers 11:1). Do we think God views our complaining any differently? Regardless of whatever circumstances may cause discontent or dissatisfaction, complaining is always an expression of unbelief towards God.

Complaining is unbelief in God’s Word which says “...all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). If we really believes that the Lord is in control of our life’s, and is working “ALL THINGS together for our good,” we will stop complaining and start thanking the Lord for the plan He is working together for us.

The Apostle Paul warned Christians to avoid the danger of complaining. “...nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer” (1 Cor. 10:10). In this Paul indicated that complaining actually gives place to the Devil in our lives and opens the door to destruction by Satan (the destroyer). The Devil thrives in an atmosphere of complaining. Complaining can literally invoke a curse of destruction as it did in the lives of the Israelite's who were destroyed in the wilderness.

Complaining is common-place in the lives of unbelievers who have no trust in God, but Christians should be people of faith, filled with gratefulness and thanksgiving. 

Complaining doesn’t change anything or make situations better. It amplifies frustration, spreads discontent and discord (which God hates - Proverb 6:16-19). Are we acting any different than unbelievers when we gripe and complain?

“What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain.” ― Maya Angelou

Maybe we should begin to ask ourselves if morality is declining or changing. It is false to say that over the centuries Christianity has not adapted to a changing morality – do we still own slaves, are women still property of men, do women not wear jewelry and makeup, etc.? THINK!

What about those little "white lies"?

In Catholic moral teaching, lying is the deliberate attempt to mislead someone by telling an untruth. The Catechism is quite clear how the Catholic Church views lying and the damage they believe deception causes.

Even though the Catholic Church opposes all types of deception most Catholics, like everyone else, routinely engage in “little white lies”. My mother had a problem with “little white lies” because she thought it was sometimes better than telling the truth in order to protect the feelings of others. 

I would often tell her a lie is lie and there is no exception for “white lies” because when you tell “white lies” your goal is to deceive.  She told me hundreds of times throughout the years it is better to say: “The meal was delicious!” – When it wasn’t. “The dress looks beautiful on you – When it did not. “Your perfume smells great – when the odor was foul. “I love your new hair style” – When it was horrible.  It was her way of not being confrontational and keeping peace.    

In recent years I have become faced with a personal dilemma about the sting operations used by those doing investigative reporting. Are those involved justified in lying about who they are and what they are doing to obtain what they perceive to be a better good?

I do not dispute the good that has come from some undercover sting operations, but do the results justify the means. Are pro- life groups justified in lying in order to discover the truth about Planned Parenthood? There have been debates among faithful Catholics on whether lying is ever justified in a good cause.

The Lord denounces lying as the work of the devil. The devil lied to Eve in the Garden of Eden— he convinced Eve to eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil by lying to her.  Is that story literally true or not? I do not know, but I know it teaches a moral lesson that is valuable in 2015. It demonstrates what God does not want us to do.

The Catechism says lying is always wrong. There are no “good lies” that are fundamentally different from “bad lies”; all lies share the same nature—to lead the person to whom the lie is being told away from the truth. The purpose of speech is to communicate known truth to others.

There are not degrees of sin in the eyes of God – sin is sin. I admit it is difficult for humans not to justify lying to save the life of an unborn child and it is difficult not to lie to prevent hurting someone’s feelings. But, let an elected politician lie to us we can find no way to justify his or her actions.

Christ instructed us that the devil is “the father of lies,” if we believe that then who is the father of abortion? It’s the same devil and the he doesn’t care if we sin with good intentions or bad intentions his only goal is to get us to sin.

Every “willful untruth” does harm to someone—it harms both yourself and the person you’re lying to.

Paragraph 2489 of the Catholic Catechism has been cited many times by those who want to “justified deception”.  It states no one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it.

Using that argument to justify lying can present us with problems. We can keep our mouths shut and say nothing by which we do not reveal the truth to those that have no need to know – not GOSSIP! But paragraph 2489 of the Catechism does not allow us to open our mouths and deliberately deceive another person by telling untruths. It appears how we apply paragraph 2489 makes a difference in determining right and wrong.

Some would argue that if you do not tell the truth as you know it and choose to remain silent that is as great a sin as lying to deceive others. I do not know about that. If you say, “I do not have an opinion one way or the other and you do that is a lie”, if you say I do not know when you do that is a lie”, so I suppose they are correct.  I guess the safest thing to do is say, “I would prefer not to get involved” or “I would prefer to keep my opinion to myself”.

Every decision leads to a new moral or immoral act – God has given us the free will to decide for ourselves.

Paragraph 2488 of the Catechism presents another dilemma it states, “The right to communicate the truth is not unconditional”. It states everyone must live in such a way that his or her life conforms to the Gospel teachings of fraternal love. This requires us to judge whether or not it is appropriate to reveal the truth to someone who asks for it.

What should we consider when revealing the truth: The good and safety of others, respect for privacy, the ‘why’ for our being silent about what should not be known and our use of a discreet language. Our duty to avoid scandal often commands strict discretion. We still must remember regardless of our motives deliberate deception is always a sin.

I confess I personally do not believe anyone is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it. I have certainly used priestly privileges (not seal of confession) to avoid discussing issues about others or to tell someone I do not think it is my place to comment on that subject.

I also want to add I do not think any form of ‘gossip’ should be acceptable to a Christian. We should not participate in gossip or listen to gossip. A friend who is a habitual gossiper is reason enough to end a relationship.

 We always have options we can remain silent when asked certain questions; we can change the topic; we can excuse ourselves from the conversation. But we cannot lie. If you know Joe is a thief you cannot say “Joe is not a thief.” We can never confirm a known lie to be the truth.

A good lesson to keep in mind comes from paragraph 1789 of the catechism: “One may never do evil so that good may result from it”.

In closing I would like to say: a non-believer can be a liar or be a person that never lies. The moral issue of lying or not lying is not unique to Christians. I believe myself to be a person who fears the Lord, walks by faith and yet I would lie in a life-threatening situation in order to oppose evil. There are several stories in the Bible where this happened to faithful servants of God.

I cannot say it is ever biblical correct to lie, but I am willing to say it is possible. The Bible nowhere explicitly approves of lying and as a minister I struggled through the years about how to teach on lying and some other issues.

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to Him: “… haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that hurry to run to evil, a lying witness who testifies falsely, and one who sows discord in a family” - (Proverbs 6:16–19).

You have to decide the moral issue of white lies based on the circumstances at the time. But, whatever you do, do not foolishly listen to sermons on Sunday and fall victim to guilt because you assume the speaker telling you what to do is practicing the same in his or her personal life. They make daily moral decisions just like you do. 

Many people think they are a Christian, but are they?

If you conducted an informal opinion poll near where you live, and asked ten people to explain what it takes to make someone a real Christian. You might get ten different answers. Ask yourself, "Am I a real Christian.

Maybe you were raised in a Catholic or Protestant home. No matter what your background, I encourage you to take an honest look beyond the myths about what makes someone a Christian.

Let's explore what some say makes us a real Christian:

1.    I've been a Christian all my life; I was born in a Christian home. But since when does where you're born determine what you are? Someone may have been born in a stable, but that doesn't make him a horse. Nor does being born in an airport make someone an airplane. Grace Poe who is running for President of the Philippines in 2016 was born in the Philippines, but some say that does not make her a Filipino. Those same people may say they are a Catholic Christian because they were born in a Catholic Nation. Be thankful for where you were born and for the family and church in which you were raised, but don't assume that automatically makes you a Christian.

2.    A Christian may know that he or she is valuable in God's eyes because He made us and loves us, but you could develop a certain sense of well-being and self-worth apart from knowing what the Bible teaches us about thinking right in an un-right world. So thinking positively about life in general and about yourself in particular doesn't automatically make you a Christian.  Living a clean and moral life doesn't make anyone a Christian. Many atheists live a decent, straight life.

3.    Last Sunday four out of ten Americans went to church. But does that mean that all these people are Christians? Of course not. Even some thieves go to church. Some people go to church because it's a social habit. Others attend because their family makes them go. Some Catholics go to Mass on Sunday out of an obligation. It is true that Christians go to church and take an active part in church life, but attending church doesn't make you a Christian.

4.    Many of us were taught since childhood to give a portion of our income to charity or to the church. Whether rich or poor, we feel it's our "Christian" duty. But that's not what makes somebody a Christian. Yes, Christians give to others more than anyone else. They help the needy and less fortunate. But you can give away everything you own and still not be a Christian.

5.    Maybe you were baptized as a child or young adult. That doesn't necessarily mean you're a Christian. Many violent inmates in penitentiaries were baptized years ago, but few people would automatically consider these inmates Christians. Maybe you take Communion every Sunday if you're a Christian, that's great! But, both baptism and Communion are Biblical and God commands Christians to observe both. But, receiving either one won't make you a Christian.

6.    Eight out of ten people in America say they believe God exists. But are they all Christians? You can be a Muslim and believe in God, but "believing in God" does not make you a Christian. Belief, on its own, makes no difference. That is why belief, by itself, doesn't make someone a Christian.

7.    Many people talk about Jesus Christ and even speak well of Him. They may be teachers, ministers, church leaders, or "just plain folk." But, they may not even believe that the Bible's message about Jesus is true. Are these people truly Christians?

8.    Someone can pray and still not be a Christian. Hindus pray all the time. Muslims pray five times a day. Praying in itself doesn't make someone a Christian.

9.    Christians love the Bible. Some of us read it daily. But just reading the Bible doesn't mean you are a Christian. Karl Marx read the Bible even though he eventually rejected the Bible's authority, and during his adult life called himself an atheist, a communist--anything but a Christian. Nikita Khrushchev, the former premier of the USSR, read the Bible. Yet later he made it his ambition to bury the church. Just reading the Bible won't make you a Christian.

If thinking positively, living morally, going to church, giving to others, receiving a sacrament, believing in God, talking about Jesus, praying, and reading the Bible doesn't make you a Christian, then what does? What is a real Christian?

Being a Christian is believing in Jesus Christ as your savior and making every effort to live a Christian life – the life Jesus Christ called us to live. If you are knowingly fooling around with sin; if you are playing with immorality; if you are not being truthful in your business; if you are dishonest in your school, in your work, in your play, in your home -- then you are not trying to live the life Jesus Christ called Christian to live.

When you come to Christ, He forgives your sins and purifies your heart. That doesn’t mean you suddenly become holier than everyone else. On the contrary, you become more conscious of your shortcomings. But, God makes you righteous and gives you the power to live a more righteous life.

The way of life in Christ is also the way of love. Today, the word love has been robbed of meaning. It's used to describe a person exploiting the emotions of another for his own satisfaction and selfishness. But that is not love. True love wants the very best for someone no matter what it may cost us.

The way of life is also the way of obedience to God. I have written in the past that I do not believe perfection is possible, but Christians make an effort to be obedient to God in all things.  Christians give God authority over their lives. We will go wherever He wants us to go, do whatever He wants us to do and we do not care what it may cost in terms of comfort or reputation.

Life with Christ was not only God's original design for us; it is the way God intends for us to live today. A real Christian knows without a doubt he or she has eternal life. A real Christian knows without a doubt that they are a child of God. A real Christian believes God created everything - Christians may disagree how that creation came about, but we do not deny God is the creationist of all. A real Christian must have a spiritual birth. This happens when we repent of our sins and put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

I again encourage you to take an honest look beyond the myths about what makes someone a Christian, re-evaluate your Christian life today.

The Supreme Court did not rule on how Christians must view homosexuality.

The U.S. Supreme Court has delivered an historic decision that same-sex couples have the right to marry in the United States.  Their decision reflects a shift in U.S. public opinion concerning same-sex relationships.  Prior to the Supreme Court decision, nearly two-thirds of Americans favored extending the rights of marriage to same-sex couples.

It is important to note that the Supreme Court interpreted the U.S. Constitution, not the Bible.  The Court did not try and discern God’s will, or what constitutes Christin ethical or moral behavior and Christians should not determine their morals from public opinion polls.

The Supreme Court ruling did not define how Christians should or must view same-sex marriage.  Churches are still permitted to refuse to marry same-sex couples, and to see the love of a same-sex couple as incompatible with Christian teaching.

I know that many if not the majority of Christians will disagree with me, but I will state my personal views anyway – I am not sure that CHRISTIANS should expect non-Christians to think and live like Christians. I think it is far better to let our lives do our preaching than to try and force others to accept our beliefs. As a Christian I do not expect the government to force my Christian values or morality on me. Of course, I would love for all people to think and act like Christians “SHOULD”. It would be a better world in which to live, but I know laws will not change a cold, hateful, bitter, selfish, bigoted heart only a work of God’s Spirit will.  I think Christians should work for just laws that are fair to all and protect the rights of the minority, bring dignity to people and work for the common good of the nation and world.

What is the will of God concerning same-sex marriage?  Franklin Graham made it clear he opposes same sex marriages in uncertain terms and made it clear in his opinion it is a sin. I do not claim to be as versed in the Bible as Franklin Graham after all he had a great mentor – Rev. Billy Graham, but I know the Bible is complicated and intelligent people who read it with an open mind will find things that they might question. Some things found in the Bible seem to me to reflect the culture of the authors more than the will of God.

Women in the Bible were often seen as second class citizens. Slavery was found to be morally acceptable in the Old Testament and slave-owning Christians in the early church were not asked by the apostles to set their slaves free.   Priests were commanded to burn their daughters alive if they became prostitutes, and rebellious children were to be stoned to death. Women who were raped were required to marry their rapist.  And when Israel went off to war she believed God called her to destroy every man, woman, and child among the nations she conquered.  The Apostle Paul teaches that women are to pray with their heads covered and to not wear their hair in braids.  Women were not permitted to teach a man, and Paul notes that it was “shameful” for a woman to even speak in church.

We are not always able to discern God’s will, simply by quoting a handful of verses from the Bible.  If it worked that way we would still embrace slavery, polygamy, and concubines.  Victims of rape would still be forced to wed their rapists. All denominations would still be like Catholics and not allow women to serve as pastors and would require women to remain silent when it comes to church doctrine.

I am not going to argue the point if God makes us gay or straight.  I do know sexual orientation is developed in most of us at a very early age if not from birth.  Could it be possible that God looked at His gay and lesbian children and said, “It is not good that this one should be alone; I will make them a helper as their companion”? That is what God said in Genesis regarding a man and woman.

Spousal relationships are more about sharing lives together as one another’s helpers and companions than sexual.  It is about holding hands, sharing dreams, helping one another when one or the other is struggling.  It is about shared memories, companionship, and a warm embrace. The Supreme Court has said that this kind of committed love should not be legally denied to same sex couples.

The Catholic Church even after the recent synod in the Vatican says that gay and lesbian couples cannot enter into this kind of covenant.  They cannot receive God’s blessings upon their love within our church and from our priest because, according to our doctrine, to share their lives together as companions (engaging in sex) is “incompatible with Christian teaching.” They claim this knowing that many of our priests are homosexuals.  We teach that God says gay and lesbian people should be alone.  I really wrestle with this doctrine.

Pope Francis has instructed our cardinals, bishops and priest to welcome and love gay and lesbian people.  Catholic Christians should certainly be able to do that and remain brothers and sisters in Christ in the same church.  Unlike Protestant churches we will never be able to leave it to each parish to make their own individual choice for this would require a new type of governance and that will never happen in the Catholic Church and I do not think it should.

The famous love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13, was Paul’s answer to divisions.  In verses 4-8 he taught the Corinthians what love looks like, “I will show you a still more excellent way:  Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrong doing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.  Love never ends.”

In Philippians Paul offers these words to end the division: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.”

We must always remember that those with whom we disagree are human beings, children of God and it opens the door for us to see them not simply as adversaries, but as friends.  And this may lead us to work harder to find solutions to those issues that divide us.

The real issue for the church is not homosexuality, but the Bible. What kind of book is the Bible?  How has God spoken to us through the Bible and how does He continue to speak through it.  The answers determine how we read the handful of passages in the Bible that seem to speak to homosexuality. 

Rev. Adam Hamilton says:  some scriptures express God’s heart, character and timeless will for human beings and some express God’s will in a particular time, but are no longer binding and some never fully expressed the heart, character or will of God. I agree with him!

I certainly believe we are for all times to love God and love our neighbor and do unto others as we would have them do unto us.  I do not believe males must be circumcised or  that most of the other hundreds of passages found in the O.T. regarding the Law must be obeyed. I do not believe God ever spoke the words found in Leviticus 21:9 which requires  - if the daughter of a priest becomes a prostitute she must be burned to death or in Exodus 21:20-21, God permits slave-owners to beat their slaves with rods provided they don’t die within the first 48 hours after the beating “for the slave is his property,”  or God commanded the destruction of every man, woman, and child in 31 Canaanite cities and later killed 70,000 Israelites in punishment for David taking a census. These passages seem to me to be completely inconsistent with the God revealed in Jesus Christ who cared for prostitutes, commanded that we love our enemies, and gave his life to save sinners.

I question what category does same-sex intimacy fall into?  Consider Leviticus 20:13 in which God is said to command: “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them.”  Anyone who has a child that is gay would rightly ask, “Did God ever really command that gay and lesbian children be put to death?”  They might also ask, “Does God really see my child, or the love they share for their partner, as an abomination?”

Do these passages we use to condemn homosexuals describe God’s heart and timeless will, or do they address specific forms of same-sex activity in ancient Israel and in the first century world, or perhaps they may not captured God’s heart and character at all?

How we answer the questions of what scripture is, how when and why it was written, and the way in which God influenced its human authors shapes how we make sense of issues like homosexuality.

Does the Bible Prove the Existence of God?

 I recently heard about a book called “Has Christianity Failed You.”  I heard about the book on a Christian program being broadcasted by a Christian station.  A few days later I ran across a piece on You Tube where an atheist was questioning the material in the book.  I have not read the book, as yet, but it seems that the atheist challenging the book believes the author used only the Bible to try and prove the existence of a God.   He states that it is impossible to use a book, which many do not believe in, to prove the existence of a God. He states that the author would first have to prove the book he is using, the Bible, is accurate in every detail.  I agree with that.  Unless you have allowed yourself to have a personal relationship with God, I do not believe the Bible, is enough to allow you to completely believe in God.  A personal relationship is one where you have felt the intervention of God in your life on a personal level.  Atheist and many Christians wrongly deny these personal God interventions and write them off as coincidences.

The atheist takes segments of the Bible and used them to try and prove his point that there is no God, particularly a Christian God.  I believe both men to be wrong.  I do not believe you can prove the existence of a God or non-existence of a God with ANY book.  All books are written by men and all books are influenced by men and all men have an agenda when writing a book.  Unless you have allowed yourself to have a personal relationship with God you open yourself up to always have your faith in God challenged by the words of men verbally or through books. 

The thing that attracted me most to the Catholic faith is that they do not require one to believe in the literal translation of the Bible.  They acknowledge many of the stories in the Bible like Noah’s flood, the creation story, Jonah and the fish story, the tower of Babel and others are stories, but valuable stories that one can learn from.  Unlike Fundamentalist Christians, Catholic’s are not required to believe that these stories happened literally, word for word, as man told them and later wrote them down.  If you profess to believe the literal translation of the Bible you open yourself up to be made a fool of by atheist.  The Bible can become a weapon that is used against you, instead of a tool that can draw you closer to God.

In my ‘old age’ the thing that disappoints me the most is the Catholic Christians that I meet who believe they are good Catholic Christians simply because they attend Mass, perform Catholic rituals and believe in the Bible.   The same is true of Protestant Christians. Many Protestants believe if they attend church, profess to believe literally in the Bible and tithe they are good Christians. Christianity is more than satisfying the requirements of men.  Christianity is following the teachings of Christ that were implanted in us by God when God sent the Holy Spirit.  I would say the majority of Catholic Christians and Protestant Christians do not have any idea what God wants of them they simply act like a sponge and assorp all the teachings as proclaimed by their leaders without ever questioning them. 

We should not be doing something simply because the Bible or man tells us to do it.  We should be doing the things we feel God is leading us to do.  Morality is doing those things that bring happiness, health and wellbeing to self and others and by our doing these things we make our community a better place.  Immorality is doing the opposite.  Many moral teachings are in the Bible and we should follow them, but as atheist always point out there are some immoral things listed in the Bible and we certainly should avoid them.  I am not going in to all these things in detail, but I certainly believe it is immoral to own slaves and the Bible grants some the authority to do so. I believe my God believes it is immoral to own slaves.

I believe my God judges me to be as good a Christian Catholic as possible, but according to many in the Catholic Church my present beliefs would prohibit them from believing I was.   I have studied the history of the Catholic Church and I know for a FACT there have been many evil Popes.  I do not believe my God wants me to follow ANY man blindly be they pope, bishop, priest, religious leader or self-proclaimed SON OF GOD like Pastor Apollo.  At the moment a reproductive bill is before the Philippine Congress and Senate and the Catholic hierarchy is standing in the way of its passage.  I believe their stand to be immoral and I believe God through the Holy Spirit has led me to this belief.  Just last week charges were brought against a Filipino priest for rape and his bishop protects him by bringing him into his home and is protecting him from being arrested as any other citizen of the Philippines would be.  I believe this is immoral and it certainly by no means passes my definition of morality. 

 People need to attempt a personal relationship with God and use that to define God and not rely totally on the Bible, religion, denomination or men.  Regardless of what anyone says my faith in God can only be affected by my personal relationship with God and no man or woman can change that.