IFTAR REMARKS

Last week the President hosted an Iftar dinner at the White House to celebrate the end of Ramadan.  His REMARKS ruffled feathers.  Here is part of what he said:

"Throughout our history, Islam has contributed to the character of our country, and Muslim Americans and their good works have helped to build our nation...every day Muslim Americans are helping to shape the way that we think..."

Are those comments accurate?  Does criticism of the remarks demean Muslims?  Let's reason together.  

1.  IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THE REMARKS, DOES THAT MARGINALIZE MUSLIMS OR IMPLY GOD DOES NOT LOVE MUSLIMS?  

Of course not!  God loves every face that He made.  He is the Author of love and impartiality, and He proved as much @Golgotha when His death was offered for the men shouting hateful insults at Him...for men like the thief who were "late to the game"...and for men who had responded to His message and loved Him back.  Jesus' death was once for all who will sign onto His generous offer.

Jesus says "to as many as receive Him, to THEM He gives the right to be called children of God".  And so you might say that this life is a sorting ground to see which ones want to go into forever with Him.  Men cannot accurately read other men's hearts, but we CAN fully trust God's justice to sort 'em out.  Our responsibility is just to throw out the lifeline.  (Note:  It is encouraging to read that in the last decade, Muslims have been coming to know Christ in record numbers.) 

2.  THEN WHY DO THE COMMENTS RUFFLE FEATHERS?
The words distort history.  The President said historically Muslims have contributed to the character of our country.  But we know America's character to be built on a different foundation.  It was not Muslim names on the Declaration of Independence...nor Muslims who founded places to care for the sick or schools to enlighten.  Instead, Judeo-Christian tradition was what shaped the way that we think and became the basis of our legal system.  Our law is based on the Ten Commandments of the Bible, not Muslim law or the Koran.

Harvard's motto:  "Veritas" (truth)

It is an insult to God's honor to give His credit to another.  America's structure (both government and private sector places of service such as hospitals and universities) were begun by Christians because their faith views others as image bearers and therefore valuable.   

Inscriptions on D.C. government buildings bear testimony to our beginnings.  And education?  Public schools were born because it was considered critical that man be able to read so they could read the Bible.  Higher education like HARVARD and YALE and PRINCETON were all founded by Christians because they needed seminaries to equip men for the ministry.  

God says He will share His glory with none other. Shall we give applause to Whom applause is due?

3.  BUT DON"T ALL PATHS LEAD TO GOD?  
Our pluralistic society thinks so and political correctness says so.  Trouble is, God Himself spent the whole of Scripture to say that following Him was the "narrow way".  That sounds pretty exclusionary.  God repeated over and over that in this world of faux gods, He alone is El Elyon, the Most High God.  Claiming first place is another dividing line.

What makes this issue such a head-scratcher is that inclusivism sounds so righteous.  On the third grade playground we learned to include everyone and that was a good thing.  But in religious matters, pushing many gods into the blender denies the uniqueness of God's Son.  Did Allah have a son whose death bought our redemption?  If a philosophy insists that everyone is right...then truth takes a hike because they can't ALL be right at the same time.  

Inclusivity can become an idol when God's Word isn't consulted.  It is far from the humble position it would seem to be.  When we embrace a position that God has not embraced, haven't we set ourselves over God?  

God does not show partiality, but He does divide.  He spoke in Luke 12:53 about how loving Him could result in the division of the family unit.  He said in John 17:16 that believers aren't of the world any more than He was of the world.  Then at the end of time, a final division is coming.  The Lake of Fire is reserved for those who stubbornly insist on their own way rather than His way.  That fire will not be because HE couldn't/wouldn't save, but because THEY have that awesome thing called "choice".  What have you done with these words?

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except by me."  John 14:6





   

DEAR CARLOS DANGER,

Everyone loves mercy and forgiveness because they would want it for themselves.  If your wife has forgiven you (again)...why should we worry?

Sir, it is scary how your compulsion drives you.  It is a force that you have proven powerless against.  And it cost you your job, reputation, and almost your marriage.  Then you went out and while giving People magazine an interview about how hard you were trying...you degraded yourself by launching more continuous, nasty talk/pictures to other women.

What does that tell us about you?

It says you are tottery and unable to stand.  Your life is segmented and you have no fear of the abyss.  You are DANGERous to yourself and to others, Carlos.  How dare you shame your son's name and spit on grace?

What dos that tell us about your wife?

Is Huma humiliated?  She must be, but she seems strangely untwitchy and tearless.  She basically has said "I trust Anthony.  I forgave him (implication: the public should forgive him, too)."  Mr. Weiner, the trouble with that is we don't know how we can trust your wife's judgment.

Yes, she says she loves you.  But a wife who loves her husband wants to see him recover.  By coming alongside you and making possible access to this high profile position, she makes possible what would seem the last thing a compulsion would need.  You need more than five minutes of therapy; you need time to build trust and demonstrate faithfulness and earn your wife's support.  She has said she trusts you but all the while you were dumping on her trust.  If she wants your best, Mr. Weiner...if she is to protect the integrity of her family...she needs to REALLY help you by not enabling you.

Pull aside, Huma.  Work on your marriage.  Your husband is not fit for service.

"But if anyone is deficient in wisdom (knowing what God wants you to do), he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.  But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like the wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways." James 1:5-7 

RACE AND HEROES

Know the name Ken Hutcherson?

Ken is a huge former linebacker known in the NFL as "The Hutch".  He has a heart that is even bigger than his form.  After football, Ken went to Bible college and in 1985 he began Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland, Washington.  He's been their pastor ever since.

The Hutch is an exemplary example of a man who was born in the racially hostile South (being born in Anniston, Alabama in 1952) who has  overcome prejudice.  He chose to put God first and be filled with the Spirit rather than bitterness.  Then God honored Ken's choices and has used his life to draw many others to Himself.  THERE'S a life with satisfaction.

Did Ken need a strong arm to insert himself into his life position?  He didn't need a Sharpton/Jackson strong arm.  The Hutch needed the power from above; none can stand against that power.

So the Hutch bowed, offered his life, asked for direction, and got it.  To be a child of God is to have hope.  To be followers of Sharpton/Jackson is to think you have no hope apart from the power they offer.  They stir the pot for profit.

Much has been made of the race remarks by the President last Friday.  People go ga-ga over his "emotional honesty" in sharing feelings about hearing a door lock click and watching a lady clutch her purse.  That IS hurtful.

But if he felt that rejection and would not want other black youth to suffer...wouldn't it be helpful for him to explain how he overcame the feelings?  After all, the President's story is mostly written, and we know that even though he COULD have been Trayvon, he WASN'T.  Why?  Obviously the President made choices that actually end up proving what a great country we have because his path ended up at the tippy top.  His is not a hopeless story.  So what were the application points from his remarks?  What hope did he offer?

The President told law enforcement to hold trainings to reduce mistrust (profiling).  He said we should examine laws to see if they are designed to encourage tragedies like the one in Florida.  He said we should THINK how to bolster/reinforce African-American boys.  And he said we should soul search about race.

THE PRESIDENT MAY HAVE MISSED A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT SPEAK DIRECTLY TO BLACK YOUTH.  Most of his application points are directed at other segments of society.  And frankly, the other segments have dealt with race.  Proof?

Many places around the globe still have slavery (including Northern Africa, China, North Korea and others). Even the American Indian had slaves; they went to war with other tribes to gain captives.  Who else in all the world has fought a war to free slaves?  Who structured their laws to repair what injustices had been done to their citizens?  The United States of America.

Here are a few race reflections:

1.  Yes, we pull our purses close and would be spooked by an approaching trio of black youth.    If we are not to feel threatened, then blacks should do something about the violence numbers.  Whites cannot change statistics in the black community.

We hear that blacks (only 13% of the nation's population) are involved in over 50% of the murders.  LISTEN TO DR. KING'S WISDOM.  Dr. King would be appalled at the numbers out of Chicago.  Why are we talking about Florida when Chicago is murder central for black youth?

2.  If we believe that solid citizens learn their civility at home, then MARRY the mothers of your children and live together in a family unit.  When God ordains a unit like the family, there is a reason.  Government's "good intentions" have destroyed the black father as head of his household.

3.  If you don't want to be profiled, then pull up your pants and lose the gang identification.  Think it's unfair that a hoodie is considered profile-worthy?  Even if it is unfair, dress to protect yourself and consider it a small price to pay to live in the best country in the world.

4.  One-third of the current black population has been aborted since the 1973 Roe-Wade decision.  The regard for life comes from the awareness that we are all made in the image of God.  When we come to know how intricately God made us, how much He went out of His way to include us, and that He has a plan to prosper us...then our love for God overpowers all other opinions.  Self worth is not affected by what others say, but what the Maker of all the races says.  Consider His word to build self-esteem.

The interesting thing about this can of worms is that President Obama could have done more than just speak melancholy delight.  He could have inspired!  And he could DO something about their unemployment, which is the omnipresent need for these kids.  Our minority youth need heroes and a lifeline to show them how to do life and the wisdom to know there is a way to flourish even in poverty.  It is the poverty of the spirit that eats away at the bone.

Ken Hutcherson is hero material but how many even know of him?  With a record of getting things right, perhaps men like The Hutch deserve a listening ear...

JUSTICE OR POWER

The Zimmerman trial was not judged on race, but the trial reaction picks the scab off the race sore one more time.

Loud voices like Sharpton/Jackson have been asked if it was a fair trial.  The trial was televised from beginning to end for the whole world to see.  These civil rights "leaders" have to say it was fair because they cannot find anything unfair.  They just don't like the verdict.

The verdict was "innocent" even after a judge disallowed facts about the content of Trayvon's character, and even after the intimidation of riots in the streets.  A jury of women, who were supposedly more given to the plight of someone losing their child, agreed unanimously.

But that is not enough for Sharpton/Jackson.  They take to the streets to demand…what?  Justice?  The Department of Justice already completed it's comprehensive report that there was NO SIGN of racism on Zimmerman's part.  So is their demand for justice...or for power?

Let's consider truth.  It is true that when Rachel Jeantel took the stand, it became painfully obvious what Trayvon Martin's world was like.  He was a teen pushing hard against authority and visually repeating that same message with gold teeth, pictures of him flashing guns, marijuana, school expulsion, stolen property, and living away from family with his father's "fiancee".  Worse, his language was a picture of that chip on his shoulder.  Trayvon's tweets are as appalling as his Twitter name ("No_Limit_Nigga").  If you want your hair to stand on end, google Rachel's deleted tweets.  These kids spoke profanely and displayed hateful thoughts openly.

Rachel planted one of those hateful thoughts in Trayvon's mind the last few minutes of his life.  She said on the Piers Morgan CNN interview that when Trayvon was running, she told him maybe the guy was a rapist and in her words "Trayvon ain't that way".  She told him for sure not to run home because his little brother was there.  She implied that Trayvon threw the first punch and said Trayvon didn't intend to kill Zimmerman, but only to give him an "*ss whoopin'".  It must have been hard for GZ to determine he wasn't about to be killed since Trayvon told him he would die that night, and had already broken his nose and banged his head.

If Rachel Jeantel were green and moved next door to you, it wouldn't be her color that was troubling, but her choice of a sorry lifestyle.  You wouldn't want your children to hear her language and you wouldn't feel safe when her friends congregated because their foul Twitter talk was all about sex, drinking, getting high, and hostility toward others.

What about Rachel's future?  Who would hire her?  Who will help this young woman blend into society and become a productive citizen?  Someone in the black community needs to speak up and tell these kids their feral belligerence is killing them.

This video LINK is a comprehensive look at the media's duplicity in the Trayvon Martin story.  Thanks to the mainstream media, the world judged George Zimmerman before his trial and contributed to today's unrest.

And this LINK lifts another rock to expose more truth in this unfolding story as the revelations just continue to dribble out.  It is the story about Chief Charles Hurley of the Miami-Dade School Police Department...and how his actions related to Trayvon's death.

Surely this tragedy of the death of Trayvon Martin has been used and abused.  It was the bright/shiny thing that has taken our minds away from the bigger tragedies of the REAL prejudice of blacks killing other blacks in places like Chicago.  Since Trayvon died, over 480 blacks have been murdered in Chicago and it's hard to know why neither Al Sharpton nor Jesse Jackson advocate for those victims.

EGYPT'S DO-OVER

Americans have watched in amazement as Egyptians have taken to the streets to express their displeasure over President Morsi.

Egypt has 82 million people and many of them were in Tahrir Square this week. Their election was just a year ago, yet Egyptians already want a do-over.

WHY?

Morsi campaigned in a white hat but  when he gained power, he cut off all voices but his own.  The people recognized that feel of an autocratic regime all too well.  So the people voiced opposition to Morsi's heavy-handedness...but also he was just incompetent, he hurt their economy, and he was persecuting people who thought differently than he did.

STILL, THAT WAS A COUP.  DON'T WE HAVE LEGISLATION TO STOP FOREIGN AID IN CASE OF A COUP?  AND WASN'T PRESIDENT MORSI DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED?

Apparently the kind of coup where you wake up one morning and your president lives somewhere else and the army is in charge...is a bad coup.  The coup where the military head (General El-Sissi) gives the president a chance to answer to the people...and then sits on a platform with heads of the three major factions in the country (military, secular, and religious) is a good coup.

HOW DOES EGYPT GET A DO-OVER?

The privilege comes from a strong military holding the country together.  We have helped keep their military strong and that has caused a large flap in America lately.  The gifting of fighter planes and weapons began to seem like a shot in the foot when Morsi took off his "reasonable" clothes and showed his Muslim Brotherhood heart.  It was like we were funding our own demise...and had Morsi prevailed, we might have been.

HOW CAN WE PRAY FOR EGYPT NOW?

*Pray that cooler heads would prevail during this transition and obviously, that terrorist plots be found out.  No one expects the Muslim Brotherhood to roll over and play dead.

*Pray that God would raise up a man who can help Egypt recover.

*Pray thanks that the Army has been the stability of their times as Egypt decides how to self-govern after years of being told what to do.

*Pray thanks that General El-Sissi is not trying to put himself in power.

*Pray thanks for the thirst for liberty which the Lord places in every man's heart.

*Pray thanks that Egyptians repudiated tyranny with peaceful means.  We see the magnitude of that meekness (peace under control) in the Middle East.

IS THERE A LESSON FOR AMERICANS ON THIS FOURTH OF JULY?

It is an encouragement to see democracy at its best; when a candidate runs on one platform and governs on another, people can peacefully assemble to call to account.  It's encouraging to see the stability that a strong military (given over to serve and not dominate) brings to the table.

And as our fireworks go off, Americans should see Egypt and reflect on the incredible blessing of our liberty.  Men reasoned and then structured our form of government on top of God's timeless, bedrock principles which kindly have a built-in blessing factor.  America, America...God shed His grace on thee!