Category Archives: Culture

Planned Parenthood defends infanticide [VIDEO]

Planned Parenthood has worked tirelessly to ensure the long term viability of abortion-on-demand in America. With a mantra of “between a woman and her doctor” they have earned the title of America’s largest abortion mill. Perhaps now they will also become America’s largest infanticide provider as well. Some are calling this “post-birth abortion,” but that is erroneous. It is infanticide just as surely as practiced by the worshipers of Moloch in ancient history.

Recently, perhaps inadvertently, Planned Parenthood spokesperson Lisa LePolt Snow gave a chilling application to Planned Parenthood’s slogan “every child a wanted child.” Speaking before a Florida legislature committee Snow made it clear that abortion survivors, in the view of Parenthood Parenthood, have no right to life (see video below).


A botched abortion survivor can be a perfectly healthy newborn. Botched abortions do not feature dismembered torsos; those are successful abortions. The result of a botched abortion is a patient rather than a victim.

What is Planned Parenthood’s response? The life or death of a survivor should be determined by the birth mother, her doctor and her family. “We believe that any decision that’s made should be up to the family…the woman, her family and the physician,” said Snow. She was not speaking for herself, but for Planned Parenthood. (It is up to interpretation for her, as a spokesperson for PP, to say “I am not an abortion provider.” She may not personally do abortions, but she is a de facto provider via her company.)

What is Planned Parenthood’s reasoning? A trauma center might be too far away to help the child.

So, to wrap this up, Planned Parenthood’s official stance is if a child survives the first attempt to kill it, the mother, her family and her doctor should decide whether to kill if for good. If they decide to let it live but the logistics of getting the baby to a trauma center are too inconvenient, well, it’s into the bucket for the baby.

Snow also references a “neutrality clause” which means any “law would not change the legal status or legal rights of anyone prior to being ‘born alive’.” Supporting the “neutrality clause” does not mean PP takes no position, the normal meaning of being neutral. It means PP supports the law being neutral toward a child’s rights as a viable fetus if it is scheduled for abortion. In other words the law cannot be interpreted as providing rights to a fetus so “every child a wanted child” can remain intact.

According to Planned Parenthood a child’s desirability determines if he or she should live or die, but, essentially, its desirability determines its very humanity.

So, kudos to Planned Parenthood for their logical consistency in defending infanticide. Those who support the right of children to be born have long argued that if life is not from conception (or at the very, very least implantation) assignment of “living” is arbitrary. Planned Parenthood understands this and is merely being consistent in their view. If a child can be killed in the womb, there are no convincing arguments, either logical or a moral, as to why a child cannot be killed on the table, abandoned in the trash, burned alive in an incinerator or poisoned in the nursery.

Well done, PP. Well done.

Asset forfeiture: When profit obscures justice

From a John W. Whitehead commentary:

Long before Americans charted their revolutionary course in pursuit of happiness, it was “life, liberty, and property” which constituted the golden triad of essential rights that the government was charged with respecting and protecting. To the colonists, smarting from mistreatment at the hands of the British crown, protecting their property from governmental abuse was just as critical as preserving their lives and liberties. As the colonists understood, if the government can arbitrarily take away your property, you have no true rights. You’re nothing more than a serf or a slave.


The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was born of this need to safeguard against any attempt by the government to unlawfully deprive a citizen of the right to life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. Little could our ancestral forebears have imagined that it would take less than three centuries of so-called “independence” to once again render us brow-beaten subjects in bondage to an overlord bent on depriving us of our most inalienable and fundamental rights.

The latest governmental scheme to deprive Americans of their liberties—namely, the right to property—is being carried out under the guise of civil asset forfeiture, a government practice wherein government agents (usually the police) seize private property they “suspect” may be connected to criminal activity. Then—and here’s the kicker—whether or not any crime is actually proven to have taken place, the government keeps the citizen’s property, often divvying it up with the local police who did the initial seizure.

For example, the federal government recently attempted to confiscate Russell Caswell’s family-owned Tewksbury, Massachusetts, motel, insisting that because a small percentage of the motel’s guests had been arrested for drug crimes—15 out of 200,000 visitors in a 14-year span—the motel was a dangerous property. As Reason reports:

This cruel surprise was engineered by Vincent Kelley, a forfeiture specialist at the Drug Enforcement Administration who read about the Motel Caswell in a news report and found that the property, which the Caswells own free and clear, had an assessed value of $1.3 million. So Kelley approached the Tewksbury Police Department with an “equitable sharing” deal: The feds would seize the property and sell it, and the cops would get up to 80 percent of the proceeds.

Thankfully, with the help of a federal judge, Caswell managed to keep his motel out of the government’s clutches, but others are not so fortunate. One couple in Anaheim, Calif., is presently battling to retain ownership of their $1.5 million office building after the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration filed an asset-forfeiture lawsuit against them because one of their tenants allegedly sold $37 in medical marijuana to an undercover agent.

Some states are actually considering expanding the use of asset forfeiture laws to include petty misdemeanors. This would mean that property could be seized in cases of minor crimes such as harassment, possession of small amounts of marijuana, and trespassing in a public park after dark.

As the Institute for Justice points out:

Civil forfeiture laws represent one of the most serious assaults on private property rights in the nation today. Under civil forfeiture, police and prosecutors can seize your car or other property, sell it and use the proceeds to fund agency budgets—all without so much as charging you with a crime. Unlike criminal forfeiture, where property is taken after its owner has been found guilty in a court of law, with civil forfeiture, owners need not be charged with or convicted of a crime to lose homes, cars, cash or other property.

Americans are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but civil forfeiture turns that principle on its head. With civil forfeiture, your property is guilty until you prove it innocent.

Relying on the topsy-turvy legal theory that one’s property can not only be guilty of a crime but is guilty until proven innocent, government agencies have eagerly cashed in on this revenue scheme, often under the pretext of the War on Drugs. By asserting that someone’s personal property, a building or a large of amount of cash for example, is tied to an illegal activity, the government—usually, the police—then confiscates the property for its own uses, and it’s up to the property owner to jump through a series of legal hoops to prove that the property was obtained legally.

Despite the fact that 80 percent of these asset forfeiture cases result in no charge against the property owner, challenging these “takings” in court can cost the owner more than the value of the confiscated property itself. As a result, most property owners either give up the fight or chalk the confiscation up to government corruption, leaving the police and other government officials to reap the benefits. For example, under a federal equitable sharing program, police turn cases over to federal agents who process seizures and then return 80% of the proceeds to the police.

Asset forfeitures can certainly be lucrative for cash-strapped agencies and states. In the fiscal year ending September 2012, the federal government seized $4.2 billion in assets, a dramatic increase from the $1.7 billion seized the year before. Between 2004 and 2008, police in Jim Wells County, Texas seized over $1.5 million. The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. collected $358,000 from civil forfeiture in fiscal year 2011, and $529,000 from federal equitable sharing. The State Attorney’s Office in Madison County, Illinois, made $500,000 from asset forfeiture over the course of eight years.

Often, these governmental property grabs take the form of highway robbery (literally), where police officers extract money, jewelry, and other property from unsuspecting motorists during routine traffic stops. As Mother Jones quips, “forfeiture corridors are the new speed traps.” Indeed, states such as Texas, Tennessee, and Indiana are among the worst offenders. Mother Jones continues:

You all know what a speed trap is, right? If you have a highway running through your small town, you can make a lot of money by ticketing out-of-state drivers who are going one or two miles per hour over the speed limit. How many victims are going to waste time trying to fight it, after all? But have you heard about “forfeiture corridors”? That’s a little different — and quite a bit more lucrative. All you have to do is pull over an out-of-state driver for supposedly making an unsafe lane change, have your police dog sniff around for a bit of marijuana residue, and then use civil asset forfeiture laws to impound any cash you might find. Apparently it’s especially popular on highways leading into and out of casino towns.

In typical fashion, these police traps tend to prey on minorities and the poor, as well as undocumented immigrants and individuals who happen to have large amounts of cash on hand, even for lawful reasons. One such person is Jerome Chennault, who fell prey to Madison County, Illinois’ forfeiture corridor in September 2010. En route to Nevada after a visit with his son, Chennault was pulled over by police for allegedly following another car too closely. When police asked to sweep Chennault’s car with a drug dog, Chennault obliged, believing that he had done nothing wrong and had nothing to hide and completely unaware that he had fallen into a forfeiture trap.

During the search, the drug dog alerted on a black bag in the back seat of the car which contained about $22,000 in cash. The money, Chennault explained, was intended for a down payment on a home. The dog did not find any drugs in the car, nor was there any evidence of criminal activity. However, instead of letting Chennault go on his way with a traffic citation, the police confiscated the cash, claiming that since the drug dog alerted to it, it must have been used in the commission of a drug crime. Chennault challenged the seizure in court, after months spent traveling to and from Illinois on his own dime, and eventually succeeded in having his money returned, although the state refused to compensate him for his legal and travel expenses.

Tenaha, Texas, is a particular hotbed of highway forfeiture activity, so much so that police officers keep pre-signed, pre-notarized documents on hand so they can fill in what property they are seizing. Between 2006 and 2008, for instance, Tenaha police seized roughly $3 million.

As Roderick Daniels discovered, it doesn’t take much to get pulled over in a forfeiture corridor like Tenaha’s. Daniels was stopped in October 2007 for allegedly traveling 37 mph in a 35 mph zone. He was ordered to hand over his jewelry and the $8,500 in cash he had with him to purchase a new car. When he resisted, he was taken to jail, threatened with money-laundering charges and “persuaded” to sign a waiver forfeiting his property in order to avoid the charges.

In an even more egregious case, Jennifer Boatright and Ron Henderson, an interracial couple travelling through Tenaha, were forced to forfeit the $6,000 cash they had with them to buy another car when police threatened to turn their young children over to Child Protective Services. Another traveler, Maryland resident Amanee Busbee, was also threatened with losing her child to CPS after police stopped her, her fiancé and his business partner when they were en route to Houston with $50,000 to complete the purchase of a restaurant. Boatright and Busbee were eventually able to reclaim their money after mounting legal challenges.

Comparing police forfeiture operations to criminal shakedowns, journalist Radley Balko paints a picture of a government so corrupt as to render the Constitution null and void:

Police in some jurisdictions have run forfeiture operations that would be difficult to distinguish from criminal shakedowns. Police can pull motorists over, find some amount of cash or other property of value, claim some vague connection to illegal drug activity and then present the motorists with a choice: If they hand over the property, they can be on their way. Otherwise, they face arrest, seizure of property, a drug charge, a probable night in jail, the hassle of multiple return trips to the state or city where they were pulled over, and the cost of hiring a lawyer to fight both the seizure and the criminal charge. It isn’t hard to see why even an innocent motorist would opt to simply hand over the cash and move on.

In an age in which the actions of the police—militarized extensions of the government—are repeatedly sanctioned by the legislatures and the courts, hard-won concessions such as the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in Florida v. Jardines that the use of drug-sniffing dogs to carry out warrantless searches of homes is unconstitutional comes as little comfort. After all, it was not long ago that this very same court sanctioned the use of drug-sniffing dogs in roadside stops, a practice that has proven extremely profitable for law enforcement officials tasked with policing the nation’s forfeiture corridors.

This commentary can also be found at Rutherford.org.

One thing children of Christian parents need to see

Our culture places a lot of emphasis on education. Without it, we are told, we cannot succeed.

Our churches place a lot of emphasis on attendance. Make sure your kids are in children’s church, at camp, in youth group, on retreats.

Our families place a lot of emphasis on activities. Make sure little Johnny is playing sports, or has guitar lessons, or all of the above. Make sure little Suzy is cheering, or playing soccer, or on the debate team, or all of the above.

what kids need from parentsBoth our society and our churches place a lot of emphasis on moral behavior. Be a good citizen. Treat others well. Be patriotic.

Parents who are also followers of Christ are bombarded with thousands of messages all clamboring up the mountain of attention. Each strives for a space on the priority list.

Amid the commotion and noise of life, one thing children must see from parents who claim the name of Christ is an authentic, humble, ongoing pursuit of God.

Kids are smart enough not to expect perfection, which means they are smart enough to recognize fraud. Kids are experienced enough to expect failure, and wise enough to expect an apology. Kids have witnessed enough to know everything is not what it seems, and hungry enough to want to see someone making an authentic effort to live what they hear on Sunday.

After a lifetime in church I have become convinced the number one reason kids leave church after high-school has almost nothing to do with atheism they face in college or a pastor who believed in 6-day creationism. I am persuaded it is because kids so rarely see lived out what they hear preached week-in-and-week-out by anyone authentically and humbly in an ongoing way. This includes–especially includes–their parents.

Parent, kids hear the all-week arguing magically transformed into the Sunday morning glad handing, “Good morning, brother. Isn’t God good?” And they know it is hypocrisy. They hear church members being gossiped about at home, yet greeting with a smile and laugh at church. And they know it is hypocrisy. They hear the pastor talk about faith, trusting with God and walking with Him, yet see their own parents worry over bills every week. And they wonder why God cannot be trusted. They hear the pastor talk about the need for Bible reading in the home, yet they have never experienced it a single time. And they know it is disobedience. They know kids are supposed to be disciplined in love, yet are only ever disciplined in anger. And they suppose God to be the same way.

In short, kids learn at home first and foremost whether the whole “God thing” is even real.

After 18 years of such is it any wonder so many leave church never to return. They aren’t walking away from God. They are walking away from an lifelong game of Candyland.

Parents, you will never be perfect. You can, however, be authentic. You can be humble. And you can pursue God as a deer pursues the cool, refreshing creek. Your kids will see. They will learn. They will remember. And they just might believe.

Pastoral challenges in the next 20 years

Joel Rainey is Executive Director of the Mid-Maryland Baptist Association. He is on the adjunct faculty of two seminaries, and the author of two books: Planting Churches in the Real World and Sidestepping Landmines: Five Principles for Pastor Search Teams. Joel works closely with numerous pastors in a state not known for its evangelical values. He is a strategic thinker on many things related to the kingdom of God.


On his blog, themelios, he recently wrote on the nature of pastoral leadership in the next 20 years. Joel asked a question once posed to him, “Are we really up to this?” This post is adapted from his writing.

American society is morphing at an unprecedented rate. This means more for the church than perhaps any other area as we claim God’s unchanging truth in changing times. Rainey asks whether pastors are “up to this”? I wonder if churches are.

If Rainey’s thoughts are on target, I think three things will happen as it relates to churches (and denominations) in the United States. First is capitulation. Many will simply agree with the surrounding culture that truth is maleable, subjective and suggestive. These churches will become indistinguishable from other societal organizations whose purpose is “to make the world a better place.” They bother not with sin, judgment or a cross. Second is separation. As in every generation these are they who are not of the world, but neither are they in it. They have no actual influence and their loudly sounded trumpets of culture wars fall mostly on deaf ears. Third is contextualization as the remaining churches seek to exegete culture, relate to it and bring the uncompromised gospel to everyone in a way that both illuminates their need and introduces the remedy: Jesus Christ. For these, mercy truly triumphs over judgment.

From Joel Rainey:

Scenario One: A pastor is called to a church with the expectation that he will “help us reach the young families.” Problem is, everyone in the church is over the age of 60, and more than 50% of the community within 10 minutes of the church is also in that age range.

By 2030, it is estimated that more than half of the U.S. population will be over the age of 50. This “graying” of America is presently going almost completely unnoticed by most churches, who tend to go after the prized “young families with children” category. Yet 80% of those over 50 live in a multi-housing situation (“55 and older” apartments, duplex communities, retirement and assisted living communities), and 98% of all multi-housing residents are without a relationship to Jesus. Are you keeping pace with the generational shifts that are taking place around your church, and how your church should respond to those shifts?

Scenario Two: Multiple families visit the church who do not speak English, politely nod and smile, and never return.

By 2025, Hispanics will outnumber African Americans by 3 to 2, and will comprise approximately 40% of the U.S. population. Over a decade ago, Oscar Romo noted that America, “hardly the ‘melting pot’ described by history texts, has become a land marked more by diversity than homogeneity.” In no area is this fact more clear than in the area of language.

Scenario Three: A married homosexual couple with three adopted children visit your church.

This is one of those issues when if you are a pastor, you need to go ahead and check all your political arguments at the door. What we believe society should or shouldn’t do in this situation is of absolutely no consequence, because they are doing it anyway!

[…]

Truth is, we live in a nation and culture in which our understanding of marriage has been devolving for decades.

Now that this is a reality, how will we minister to the parents and their children? How should our children’s departments be equipped to minister to the kids? How are you equipping other couples in your church to interact with and minister to these precious souls? How can you uphold clear Biblical standards in love?

Scenario Four: A young person who has visited your church for a while repents of her sin and receives Jesus as Lord and Savior. As you prepare for her baptism, you discover through her testimony that she was born male, but had gender-reassignment surgery a few years ago.

Scripture has no category for an “androgynous Christian.” There are Christian men, and Christian women, and the discipleship models spelled out for us in the New Testament tend to be described in conjunction with one’s gender.

[…]

Are you prepared for the Biblical, moral, psychological and bioethics questions that will necessarily be part of that conversation?

Scenario Five: More and more people, it seems, are asking you to perform funeral ceremonies for their pets. You have noticed over time that the grieving process for a family losing a pet, as well as the elements of the funeral itself (pictures, memorials, poems, etc.) indicate a much greater value on animals than in the past.

We are already witnessing attitudes in our culture that betray a gravitation towards increased “equalizing” of animals and humans, and too many in the church have bought into this idea. Are you prepared to lovingly confront the false idea that “all dogs go to heaven,” and re-assert the essential distinction between human beings, who are created in God’s own image and likeness, and pets, who are not?

Scenario Six: Because of growth, your church starts a “video venue,” and begins live-streaming worship and sermons via the internet. You notice that you have a growing “online” audience, many of whom log in every Sunday, and who financially support the ministry. Through connections with these people on social media you discover that, although they may live hundreds or even thousands of miles away, they consider your church their “church home.”

Today’s advanced and inexpensive technology means that churches are asking questions that would never have been considered even 20 years ago, and one of the biggest questions today has to do with the legitimacy of the so-called “internet church.” In the future, how will your church ensure that the Biblical principles and practices commensurate with a covenant community are observed in this environment?

Scenario Seven: You discover through casual conversation that a yoga class has been started by leaders in the church, that participants freely greet one another with “namaste,” and that Christian meditation has been confused with the emptying of the mind that is endorsed in many Hindu communities.

Over the past decade, there has been a huge increase in ancient pagan practices, much like those that occurred in the days of the Old Testament. The digital age, among other things, presents opportunities for the “blending” of faiths that was unheard of even two decades ago. In what ways should you be prepared to bifurcate for your people between what can, and cannot, be part of the life of someone who follows Jesus according to Scripture?

Scenario Eight: You receive a call from a mainline church in town. The size of their congregation has dropped to less than 20 members. They are fearful for their future, and they ask for your help.

It is simply a statistical fact that theological liberalism kills churches. As such, expect the mainline protestant churches in your town to continue slowly bleeding to death. Yet, the people in those dying churches need someone to love them by ministering to their needs and reminding them of what their faith once stood for. Are you prepared to raise up leaders who can utilize those facilities to start a second campus for your church, or start a new church altogether?

Scenario Nine: Parents come to you for counseling regarding their son, who has been diagnosed with multiple “generic” disorders, but doctors have been incapable of specifying the problem, and the child has been largely un-treatable by psychiatrists. You suspect the presence of demonic activity.

I truly believe that we will see a sharp rise in obvious demonic activity in the west, and I believe it will unfortunately be mis-diagnosed as a solely medical or psychiatric problem. As a result, too many children will grow up expressing the personality of a psychotrophic drug unless wise and godly pastors in the west learn to recognize the presence of demonic activity.

Scenario Ten: In this “brave new world,” God continues to seek worshippers, and Jesus continues to save people from sin, Satan, death, and hell in miraculous ways.

What I’ve described above is a culture that is emerging, and that is filled with people Jesus died to save. And it is in this environment when I hear evangelical Christians having the dumbest arguments!

What would you add? Is Joel right in his assertions?

The priority of biblical justice

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy, and faith. These things you should have done without neglecting the others. (Matthew 23:23, HCSB)

A friendly exchange over the weekend addressed whether abortion is “the human rights issue of our day.” It will be obvious to most that I believe abortion to be a human rights issue. My challenge concerned the use of the word the. Can we rightly hold the position that abortion is the human rights issue of our day? I contend abortion is an incredible injustice carried out not only in the United States, but worldwide. But I am not persuaded it is any greater moral evil than human trafficking, slavery in its various forms, governmental “disappearing” of those who resist injustice, or other types of oppression.

Since 1973 many Christians have elevated one injustice, abortion, to a level above all others. Emphasizing the “right-to-life” for unborn babies is important, but we have understood it less within a framework of biblical justice than as a constitutional right. As many Christians cannot articulate a fully biblical view of justice we have watched abortion become a political rallying cry for our two party system of mutual antagonism. Failure to declare the biblical breadth of God’s justice allows “woman’s right to privacy”–which should be discarded as a non-sequitur–to guide the conversation.
injustice engraved

Worse, the dearth of a justice framework has allowed some to reduce biblical justice issues as “social justice” or “economic justice” to mere politics. Both fit within the Bible’s call for justice, but neither sociology nor economy completely wrap their arms around biblical justice.

Calls to help the poor and disadvantaged are sometimes derided as left-wing distractions from the church’s primary role of evangelism. However, even a cursory search of scriptures reveals more than 130 uses of justice. It is used of God’s character, as a basis for asking for His intervention, as commands to His children, as expectations and examples. Justice is used in the context of helping the poor, taking care of business affairs, how orphans are treated, and judgments “in the gate,” ie, legal decisions. Consider this sampling:

Psalm 106:3-“Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times.”
Psalm 112:5– “It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.”
Proverbs 21:3-“To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”
Proverbs 21:15-“When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.”
Isaiah 1:17-“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”
Isaiah 59:14, 15-“Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter. Truth is lacking and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The Lord saw it, and it displeased him, that there was no justice.”
Hosea 12:6-“So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.”
Amos 5:24-“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
Micah 6:8-“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Hebrews 11:32, 33-“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets–who…enforced justice,” (all ESV)

In scripture justice does not supplant the character of God, it flows from it. Calls for justice do not obscure the gospel, they bear witness to it. If justice is a left-wing, commie pinko plot the only alternative is to call the Bible a left-wing, commie pinko book.

It is to the discredit of American Christians that we have so readily and uncritically embraced our political system. We join the rancor of the powerful and gorge ourselves on the rewards of an earthly throne. We are reticent to “speak truth to power” because our team may be back in power after the next election. We have swallowed worldly systems hook, line, sinker, rod, reel and boat. Thus, care for the poor, to use a single example, with its clear biblical imperative, is bounced about as a Democrat-Republican debate.

God forbid.


Surely the prophet Nathan scratches his head at what passes for prophetic these days. Preaching against abortion to a TV audience is not prophetic. Mother Teresa speaking against abortion before the president of the United States is.

The Holy Spirit is yet quenched if we create a ranking system for justice based merely on what tugs on our heart strings, rather than what offends God’s character. And it is this–offending God’s character–that reveals injustice.

A few months ago I mused on a broad expression of injustice:

Injustice is the deprivation of basic human rights, dignity or freedoms by those in authority through oppressive or unfair laws, customs or mores that allow the physical, sexual, or economic exploitation of men, women or children who lack power, position or voice, affecting individuals and groups, whether unique or systemic, hidden or known, all of which grows from contempt toward or ignorance of God’s standard of righteousness.

If this is a fair enough description, what follows is what it would mean to “do justice” or “enforce justice.”

Doing justice is using all righteous means to restore basic human rights, dignity and freedom to men, women or children everywhere, becoming their voice to address, rebuke or replace those abusing power so God’s standard of righteousness is recognized and reflected as much as it is possible within the fallen systems of this world until Christ brings the kingdom of God in its fulness.

To “do” or “enforce” justice is a clear call to God’s people. The extensive Old Testament groundwork is affirmed in the New. Where power is abused, and when the established authority, ie, government, is either complicit or ignorant, justice must be pursued.

We are not given the option to pick and choose between preferable justice issues. Doing justice is shining light in the darkness. It is being a city on a hill. It is the kingdom of God displayed on earth. And only a full framework of biblical justice prepares us to do justice when and where the righteousness of God should most be on display.

Some of my other articles on justice and injustice:
Our Comfortable Injustice-Part 1 and Part 2.
The gospel to the poor
When injustice is enough justice: Parsing theology into nothingness

A prayer from St. Patrick

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.
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I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

(HT: Klampert)

Exactly how much will some people lie? Jimmy Kimmel knows

Jimmy Kimmel has a segment on his show called “Lie Witness News.” It is similar to other person-on-the-street interviews with this caveat: the interviewer is asking completely bogus questions. Nothing about the questions is true because nothing about them can be true. “What did you think about the debate?” when the debate has not taken place. “Who are you voting for?” when no such office exists.

liar pinocchio

Image credit: Disney


As Kimmel wryly notes, “We found people who had strong opinions about these imaginary events.”

One thing this demonstrates is people will lie and sometimes continuously if it makes them looks smart. Or if they think it makes them look smart. While this is likely true everywhere, it is doubtless true on Hollywood Boulevard.

“Did you vote in today’s vice-presidential election?”

And then there is this one where one of the liars shows up on the studio audience. He does not escape Kimmel’s attention.

“Who Won Last Night’s First-lady Debate?”

Check out shade-grown, direct-trade Highlands Coffee

Russ Rankin has been a good friend for nearly a decade. He’s also a food and coffee aficionado of the first order. An attentive magazine or newspaper editor would have him write a periodic food critic column.

Conversations on justice led to the idea of him “reviewing” coffees for Kingdom in the Midst. For these posts Russ will only be reviewing coffees that reflect fairness toward growers and roasters. All coffees may not be “Fair Trade,” but they will be fairly traded. This is the first in an ongoing, occasional series. Follow Russ on Twitter or on Instagram (where he posts numerous photos of coffee and food).

Highlands Mission CooperativeFlor de Jinotega by Highlands Coffee (more about the organization below) is a classic high-mountain, shade-grown Central American coffee grown at elevations of 3,200-4,600 feet above sea level.
Whatʼs the big deal about shade grown? Coffee fruit growing under shade — like under jungle foliage or forestation — takes a longer time to ripen and mature. If picked and dried well and not over-roasted, shade-grown coffee will yield a very nice complex palette of flavor. This is truly the best way to grow coffee, but the practice is omitted by commercial growers because coffee shrubs kept in direct sunlight will grow their fruit faster. Itʼs more about the volume.

If your go-to morning coffee is a bold blend from the worldʼs largest coffee chain, or if you regularly pound black espressos (raising my hand here), your first inclination will be to say Flor de Jinotega coffee is weak. But donʼt dismiss it. Flor de Jinotega has a hint of sweet, nutty cacao and I found the flavor actually pleasantly grows as it lingers. It doesnʼt deliver an intense deep flavor, but has a smooth, wide, clean note. Thereʼs no bitter aftertaste; it is flavorful with an earthy, almost fruity nuttiness.

I probably would not choose Flor de Jinotega as my morning kickstart (see the pounding espressos reference above), but I would definitely love a French press of this bean after lunch. Followed by another one. Or three.

The Cause:
This coffee is sold by Highlands Mission Cooperative (HMC). Driven by a compassion to serve others and love as Christ, HMC and its partners are working together to improve the quality of life and to share Christʼs story of redemption and hope. By assisting and providing the “basics of living” — clean water, sanitation, health education, and nutrition, HMC helps the rural villages improve their quality of life. In sharing the love and joy found in Christ, HMC is able to nuture “community” and bring new hope and purpose to living.

HMC partners with The Society of Small Producers for Coffee Export (SOPPEXCCA) — a coffee cooperative comprised of 650 producers from the province of Jinotega in northern Nicaragua. Despite the severe challenges of natural and economic disasters, the self-sustaining co-op has become one of the highest quality coffee cooperatives in the country and produces, processes and markets its own coffee. SOPPEXCCAʼs 65 percent female membership and gender-equality blends makes this a truly exemplary cooperative. SOPPEXCCA became Fair Trade certified by Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) in 1998.

FROM MARTY: Sonya and I have been drinking Highlands Coffee for about a week and love it. We have become coffee snobs anyway, but the opportunity to support this local co-op really excites us. I recommend it compared to any medium-roast I have tried.

To order Highlands Mission Coffee (ground or whole bean), which sells for $12.00/lb + shipping, click here. To read more about Marty’s mission trip this summer with Highlands Mission Cooperative, click here.

Russ Rankin has been called a coffee snob, but really heʼs just a guy who appreciates quality and the adventure found in a good cup of coffee. He has drank coffee in the jungles of Sumatra that was pounded in mortar and pestle and roasted in front of him; heʼs enraged a man in Cyprus by accidentally complimenting him on his Turkish coffee (the two countries hate each other); and heʼs brought a French press and bag of Italian Roast along with him backpacking in the Himalayan Plateau so he wouldnʼt have to drink prepackaged powdered Nescafe. He loves the Americanos at a couple of great coffeeshops in Nashville, especially at one that he canʼt tell you about because itʼs a secret.

Fear not

Several years ago I was privileged to hear former professor Eugen Schoenfeld, a Holocaust survivor, address a north Atlanta audience. In the midst of telling a portion of his story he made a specific statement that stuck with me. Here is a paraphrase:

Always watch what your government does in times of fear. Hitler rose to power during a time of national calamity and fear in Germany: fear of the economy, fear of the impact of Versailles. In times of fear it is easy for the government to take civil liberties because we readily give them up.

Schoenfeld may have been referring to the Patriot Act, but I do not remember specifically. It would fit the bill.

The aftermath of 9/11 brought a period of uncertainty, vengefulness and fear. Our national disposition was one of disbelief. We expected a response and were rewarded.


In order to ensure 9/11 did not become the progenitor of many such events, the Department of Homeland Security was formed. Even though we should have known better, we gave away certain rights guaranteed us by the Constitution. If we did not give them away, we did little more than pout as they were take away from us. Warrantless wiretaps, secret courts, and expansive government powers have re-defined “the American Experience.” In some ways we have more commonality with banana republics of the 1970s than with the American Revolution of the 1770s.

None of this happened because we evaluated the ramifications. All of this happened because of fear. We gave up liberties enjoyed by generations of Americans before us because we feared for ourselves and the generations to follow.

If you keep up with the news at all you know that we have consistently seen the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution eroded until almost nothing remains. “Probable cause” has become the humorless punchline to an inside joke of the police state. In 2013 America it’s closer to 1984 than ever.

In addition to the governmental overreach accelerated in the last decade, we have witnessed–from a New Testament perpective–a moral shift perhaps not seen since the 1960s. Gay marriage, which was a fringe issue a decade ago, now has the support of almost all Democrats and a new crop of leading Republicans. Within the year it could be legalized in all 50 states. Homosexual behavior, once was mentioned in hushed tones, if at all, is now the theme of movies, TV shows, and sympathetic news stories. At the current pace there will soon be no closet from which to “come out.”

The Democratic National Convention cheered abortion like a drunken pep rally might cheer another keg and barely voted in the most generic mention of God in the platform. The Republicans mention God, but could not define Him in a month of Sundays. Their most openly religious presidential candidate openly advocated for pre-emptive assassinations based on an Iranian person’s occupation.

Our concept of religious liberty, indeed the concept our country has held since the first feet left the boat, has been reinterpreted. Religious thought is as widely supported as ever…as long as it only affects your personal life. Try to bring it into the public square and voila it is branded “hate speech.”

These are times of extreme change, and nearly unbelievable societal morphing. The result seems to be a lot of fear and worry among Christ followers.

It is for times like these multiple scriptures were written. The Old Testament addresses fearful times: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

As does Jesus: “Do not be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

“Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

As does Paul: “For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love and sound judgment.” 2 Timothy 1:7

As did an angel: “‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar.'” Acts 27:24 (Note the governmental aspect.)

As did Peter: “But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear or be disturbed, but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” 1 Peter 3:14, 15

So, in the familiar refrain of the King James Version: “fear not.”

Fear not is most applicable when fear is most actual.

Fear not means little when there is little to fear.

Fear not is most personal when fear is most probable.

Even though there may be much we can fear, we are still commanded to have no fear. I mean, really, what is the worst thing that can happen? Total economic and societal collapse ending in death. For followers of Christ death is a doorway to the presence of our savior, so what is to fear?

What might be worse? Jail? Torture? Suffering? All–ALL–of these things have been suffered by our brothers and sisters in Christ since He ascended to heaven. Not only that, for centuries Christians have learned to rejoice in that suffering.

The worst thing that could happen to me in all the universe would be something God could do to me. And the worst thing God can ever do to me, because of Jesus Christ, is show me mercy. An Paul asked:

Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! [Romans 8:35-39]

Who knows? We might even begin to live like the church again rather than cogs in political machinery.

All scripture from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

I am going on a mission to Nicaragua. Can you help?

God has provided me with an awesome opportunity. He has opened a door for me to go on a mission trip this summer with the Highlands Mission Cooperative to Los Loma Del Nance, Nicaragua. My trip will be this summer, led by my good friend Dan Brothers.

Nicaragua

Almost never a shortage of kids. [Image]

One of the things my team will be doing is installing bio sand water filters. The village of Los Loma Del Nance currently receives clean water for 3 hours every 8 days. All of their drinking water must be stored in open containers. The bio sand filter will filter out particles, sediment, and bacteria and allow them to use alternate sources of water for drinking. Given that the number one health problem in the world is the lack of access to clean drinking water, this is a wonderful opportunity to show these people Jesus’ love.

In addition to the filter project we will be hosting Backyard Bible Clubs for the children in the community. We will end our week with a community gathering on Saturday with a time of fellowship, worship and sharing. There may also be an opportunity for me to participate in ministry training with some local leaders.

No less a blessing is this mission opportunity will be with my youngest daughter, Abigail.

I have two needs related to this trip. First, I need prayer. Would you consider praying for me to have faith in God for power, health, effectiveness and that I would be sensitive to any cultural challenges I might face? Pray that God not only moves in the lives of the Nicaraguan people (I would love to see some come to faith in Christ), but in my life as well as I fully expect God to change me during this trip.

Second, I am looking for financial supporters. Would you pray about being a financial partner with me? Travel costs are not cheap, and having friends (or strangers) help bear this burden will be crucial to my participation. However you decide to support me, whether financially, prayerfully, or both, I will be thankful. I will be publishing a specific prayer list as the mission date approaches.

The total cost for this trip (round trip from Nashville) is $2,200 which includes airfare, visa, immunizations, and accommodations.

I will need the money in these stages:

$250 before March 15th
$876 before May 1st
$174 before June 1
$900 before June 15th

Donations are 100% tax-deductible through Highlands Mission Cooperative. To donate online, please go to the Highlands Mission Cooperative donation page then follow the directions. Make sure to indicate “Marty Duren” in the “special instructions to seller” box during the payment process.

If you need to mail a check, make payable and mail to:

BIMA
P. O. Box 1155
Flowery Branch, GA 30542
ATTN: Highland Mission, Marty Duren

You will be issued a receipt from BIMA at the year’s end. Any amount received above $2,200 will either help cover unforeseen expenses or be given to support another team member.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this letter. Even if you cannot participate in financial support, I would really appreciate your prayers for me and our team.