Deceived

It's sobering to see, or hear, the boasts of past deceivers. And listening to the rants of Saddam Hussein, Jim Jones, Hitler, Rev. Moon, or others of their ilk, it's striking that sometimes, carried away in their own oratory, such men will reveal the frightening truth to their followers.

With the retrospect of history, it's incredible to hear such men baldly proclaim their evil intent: that (for example, paraphrased) "Truth is the enemy when it contradicts our beliefs !" Or, "I am to you, in all ways, as your God !" Or, "The New Man must steel his heart against the weakness of pity and forgiveness !" Or, "If the nation fails to triumph, better that it be destroyed than survive !" Or, "If we find ourselves at the mercy of those who oppose us, we must all die together !"

More incredible is that when the deceivers reveal the evil truth to their followers, the adoring crowds shout their approval and clap enthusiastically, with joy on their faces ! They wildly cheer the announcement of their own destruction, with fanatic devotion to their destroyer !!

More even that Hitler, Jim Jones, Saddam Hussein or Rev. Moon, the flesh-and-blood AntiChrist will be attactive in every way, a winning personality, the height of human intelligence and attainment. Jesus Himself says that in the days of AntiChrist his spirit of deception over the entire world will be so strong that, "if it were possible," God's Own chosen ones would follow him (Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22).

I don't consider we're in those days yet. But according to Jesus, they are coming. Should God decide to allow AntiChrist's run during our day, most Christians are in trouble.

A year ago, the vast majority of America's (white, anyway) Christians were easily persuaded, by mere human politics, to follow the priest of a false Christ. How then will undiscerning Christians be able to resist the full spiritual force of Satan's master-deceit ?

When God Himself gives over to "strong delusion" the hearts of all who "do not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved," how can those so sovereignly deluded avoid destruction ? Would they be dissuaded even by their beloved destroyer revealing the truth, announcing "I AM the Beast of Revelation !!", or "I AM come to destroy you all !!" ?

That day is not yet. God still holds out hope to the rebellious and the deceived. Whoever will, can lay hold of that hope. Christians, Repent.

Never Say Die ?

I posted a short comment today on Facebook (sewer of mindlessness that it is, I post there on occasion), that it was the 50th anniversary of C. S. Lewis' death.

It raised an interesting question: what terminology is correct for such a Christian's death ?

That he was ushered into God's Presence ? He lived in the Lord's Presence.

That He entered God's Kingdom ? He was already a citizen of God's Kingdom.

That he "died" ? He began to live fully.

I didn't find a good term for a saint's death.

God's Schedule

A republican Congressman who voted that public assistance-recipients be subject to drug-testing was arrested this week for possession of cocaine.

I don't feel outraged at his hypocrisy. Like "pro-life" Republican Congressmen who force their wives and mistresses to have abortions (as at least one is PUBLICLY-known to have), or others who take millions in government agricultural subsidies while cutting poor food-recipients off government aid, it only convinces me God's schedule is proceeding.

God hates hypocrites. He hates especially hypocrisy that victimizes the poor. He hates the vicious pride of hypocrites who characterize 47% of their fellow-citizens (some say a higher percentage) as worthless parasites. He hates the lying hypocrisy of those who pride themselves that their nation's every cent proclaims "In God We Trust," and spend billions of dollars on military "strength" to keep America safe.

God hates the proud, liars, those who trust in their own murderous strength, and hypocrites. He hates politicians who so vaunt themselves. How then does He regard those who parrot the politicians' attitudes as "Christian" ?

God's enemies even now war against the King of Glory with implacable fury. But His justice is even more implacable, and His mercy and His power are irresistible. He promises to deliver those who trust in HIM completely, and to destroy utterly those who hate Him.

It's God's comfort and encouragement to know that His schedule for the hypocrites and liars is inexorably proceeding: and "Lo, their doom is sure."

Praise You, Father ! Glorify Yourself in crushing underfoot all who take Your name blasphemously in their mouth to cover their evil deeds !!

Our Spiritual Warfare

Every day that I see "Christian" e-mails, Facebook posts, and blogs, I want to re-affirm the Spirit's leading.

Because we follow Jesus, we are subject to fierce and continual spiritual attacks by those who hate Him.

The lines of that warfare are simple and absolute. Jesus identifies Himself as "the Truth," and His enemy as "the father of lies."

When we choose to follow Jesus, we choose to follow Truth.

That choice determines our stance towards every "issue of life." Indeed, II Thessalonians seems to make our "receiv[ing] the love of the truth" the whole determinative between life ("salvation") and death ("perish[ing]").

Every day's flood of "Christian" e-mails, Facebook posts, and blogs shows many "good" people, Christian people, even friends and family, are working for the enemy, spreading his lies. It's very discouraging.

The Spirit's unvarying witness of encouragement is that Truth (Jesus) conquers and rules over all His enemies.

AMEN, Lord Jesus !! Maranatha !!

Christian "Political Correctness"

"Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye." (Matthew 7:3-5)


I've been hearing for 30 years...everyone in America has been hearing...the repeated incantation of "political correctness" as a criticism of...you name it. Criticism of anything in our national life that smacks of bending-over-backwards fairness or sensitivity to the feelings of others. The take-away is that "political correctness" is stupid because it sometimes goes to ridiculous extremes. That it is specifically liberal stupidity, because that faction makes the biggest show of its civic inclusiveness. And that "politically correct" treatment of "them" (here's the real sting) victimizes US and deprives us of our "rights."

Somebody else can hash out the relative value and the relative threat of "political correctness." That's not my concern, and indeed seems rather pointless.

What seems very much to the point is that Christians (who often squawk the loudest against anything they perceive as "p.c.") operate by their own politically-correct mindset. Doing so is, in fact, part of how we're expected to signal our membership in the "Christian" club.

Far from a comprehensive catalog, and in no particular order, the attitudes and thoughts of "politically correct Christianity" include:


that the world's "conservative" faction is our friend:

that Christianity is ITSELF, in fact, "conservative;"

that "liberals" and all their works are therefore evil;

that "liberals" are flesh-and-blood enemies of Christianity;

that "the media" is "liberal," and always lies (Fox "News" excepted);

that America's "activist courts" are "liberal" and anti-Christian;

that "conservative" political and legislative action can bring America back to God;

that God is served when we support "conservative" candidates and causes;

that our "liberal" enemies are out to take away our God-given "rights."


"Christian p.c." is a complex of many other pervasive attitudes. I could mention the "American Christian Heritage" historical lies of professional "conservative" operative David Barton and others; false patriotism, and adulation of the military; contempt for science as "anti-Christian;" and unthinking acceptance of unscriptural "conservative" positions on every other current "issue" (gun-control, global-warming, small government, etc., etc.). Those attitudes all have their political repercussions, of course, and may even (as with Barton's lying "history") be intended primarily for political ends. They are not, however, strictly political beliefs in themselves: so I don't regard them as core "Christian p.c."

Each above belief of "Christian political correctness" is quite simply false, and based on a lie. That in itself should give any thinking Christian pause, knowing who Jesus said is "the father of lies." I've written many times in this blog about most, if not all, of those lies. I hate lies, every denial of "The Truth," as must anyone who believes Jesus IS The Truth. But that's not my point here.

The fact is that "political correctness" is predicated on a righteous ideal: kindness to others. But as with all human-devised systems, its implementation becomes ineffectual, ridiculous...and ultimately destructive of the righteousness it intends. But that's not my point either.

The point is that Christians despise "political correctness," and those (whom they perceive as their "liberal" enemies) fostering it.

At the same time, Christians follow their own lock-step "political correctness" in the image of the world's "conservative" faction; and regard "Christian p.c." as a prerequisite for membership in their religious club.

The first (but only the first) problem there is that Christians accept in themselves what they condemn in others. Jesus rightly calls that hypocrisy. (Matthew 7:5)


May the American Church repent its gross hypocrisy !!

Two Kinds of People...

No human being is one-dimensional. Any single person, at any given moment, may be kind, judgmental, anxious, funny, assertive, clever, careless, vulnerable, out-going, suspicious, angry, reserved,... It's every individual's free-will choice. We can also choose to scale and combine any of our responses in any given circumstance, or in relation to any specific other individual(s).

But we like to believe other people are one-dimensional. That their responses are wholly pre-determined by our (OUR !!) perception of them as "one of those people." They always talk that way, think that way, and act that way because they are (take your choice, or add your own) Italian-American, "conservative," a druggie, Catholic, a union-member, white, a mother, an academic, an immigrant, wealthy, a hunter, a New Yorker, oriental, a veteran, an attorney... And because they are "one of those people," they will never be (like us) honest, well-intentioned, trustworthy, loving, right-thinking, decent people.

God...Himself the Creator of all human beings, all their diversity, and of free-will...has a different criteria. He looks among the billions of human hearts to find one which is completely His; who knows Him, loves Him, obeys Him.

"There are only two kinds of people." We have our human thoughts and ways of sorting them out. God has His. If it's not already completely obvious, He tells us straight-out that our thoughts and ways are not His at all (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Can two walk together unless they are agreed ? (Amos 3:3) They cannot. But God delights to walk with any who will agree in His thoughts and His ways.