Current Events, False Religion, Islam

Rape victim, 13, stoned to death for adultry in Somalia

Chris McGreal, Africa correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Sunday November 02 2008 12.27 GMT

An Islamist rebel administration in Somalia had a 13-year-old girl stoned to death for adultery after the child’s father reported that three men had raped her.

Amnesty International said the al-Shabab militia, which controls the southern port city of Kismayo, arranged for a group of 50 men to stone Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow in front of a crowd of about 1,000 spectators. A lorryload of stones was brought to the stadium for the killing.

Amnesty said that Duhulow struggled with her captors and had to be forcibly carried into the stadium.

“At one point during the stoning, Amnesty International has been told by numerous eyewitnesses that nurses were instructed to check whether Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow was still alive when buried in the ground. They removed her from the ground, declared that she was, and she was replaced in the hole where she had been buried for the stoning to continue,” the human rights group said.

“Inside the stadium, militia members opened fire when some of the witnesses to the killing attempted to save her life, and shot dead a boy who was a bystander.”

Amnesty said witnesses originally reported that Duhulow was 23-years-old, based on her appearance. But the human rights group found out from her father that she was a child.

Duhulow’s father told Amnesty that when they tried to report her rape to the militia, the child was accused of adultery and detained. None of the men Duhulow accused was arrested.

“This was not justice, nor was it an execution,” said Amnesty’s Somalia campaigner, David Copeman. “This child suffered an horrendous death at the behest of the armed opposition groups who currently control Kismayo.

“This killing is yet another human rights abuse committed by the combatants to the conflict in Somalia, and again demonstrates the importance of international action to investigate and document such abuses, through an international commission of inquiry.”

Amnesty said al-Shabab had created a climate of fear in which government officials, journalists and human rights activists faced death threats and killing if they spoke against the militia.

Books, Devotionals, Mp3s, Prayer, Promotionals, Reforming, Theology

Free Audiobook of the Month – November

Free Audiobook of the Month:
Calvin: Of Prayer and The Christian Life

Prayer as Calvin describes it is not giddy, and he goes on to give Scriptural definitions of proper thought, engagement, and attitude. What do the roles of patience and self-denial play in the role of the Christian life and what does Christian piety look like? What should our views be of the present life and the future life? These two sections of The Institutes guide us ever so thoughtfully and gracefully into his theology and practice of Christian living.

Just use the coupon code NOV2008 during checkout. Add the download format of Calvin: Of Prayer and The Christian Life to your cart and then enter the coupon code NOV2008 when prompted during checkout.

Culture News, Current Events, Law and Faith, Politics

Culture News: Arizona and Florida ban ‘gay marriage’

Arizona and Florida ban ‘gay marriage’
The Christian Institute
Wednesday, 5 November 2008

Voters in Arizona and Florida have supported measures to defend the definition of marriage. A similar vote in California looks set to go the same way.

Meanwhile, voters in Arkansas have agreed with proposals to restrict adoption and fostering to married heterosexual couples only.

…In Florida, 62 per cent of voters supported an amendment to the state constitution that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

In Arizona, 56 per cent of voters supported proposition 102 which seeks to amend their state constitution so that only a union between one man and one woman would be valid or recognised as a marriage in the state. (Continue Reading…)

Covenant Theology, Dutch Reformed, Eschatology, New Testament Theology, Promotionals, Protology, Reforming, Systematic Theology, Theology

Bavinck’s Covenant Christology

Covenant Christology: Herman Bavinck and the Pactum Salutis
By Rev. Mark Jones, Leiden Universiteit

For Herman Bavinck (1854-1921) ‘the doctrine of the covenant is of the greatest importance.’ Behind the temporal covenants of works and grace stands the pretemporal pactum salutis (counsel of peace/covenant of redemption). The pactum salutis is an intratrinitarian covenant between the Father, Son and Spirit that provides the eternal, inviolable foundation for the temporal covenant of grace (foedus gratiae). The Reformed orthodox in particular, since the sixteenth century, used the pactum salutis as an argument for the ad intra trinitarian grounding for the ad extra work of salvation. Thus, soteriology is decidedly trinitarian, that is, ‘salvation is an undertaking of the one God in three persons in which all cooperate and each one performs a special task.’ Consequently, this doctrine is the starting-point for any Christological discussion of the person and work of the Mediator, Jesus Christ.

In defending and giving expression to the pactum salutis, Bavinck is conscious that this doctrine has a fairly long and illustrious history among Reformed covenant theologians. And though this doctrine is ‘rooted in a scriptural idea’, Bavinck suggests that not a few of the Reformed were guilty of ‘scholastic subtlety’ by quoting various Scriptural passages (e.g. Zech. 6:13, translated by the Latin Vulgate as consilium pacis) that did not have reference to the pactum salutis. Thus, while clearly appreciative of his Reformed heritage, Bavinck is not uncritical of various formulations of the pactum salutis.

In order to understand why Bavinck gives such prominence to the pactum salutis, something of this doctrine’s history must be understood, which will show, among other things, that his theology reflects the broad parameters and concerns of the Reformed interpretive tradition.

(Continue Reading…)

[HT: James Grant]

Culture News, Current Events, Debate, History, Politics

Culture News: California Voters Pass Ban on Gay Marriage

This is great news in light of the disappointing people the U.S. elected this year! Here is the brief article from FOX News:

LOS ANGELES — California voters have approved a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage that overturns the state Supreme Court decision that gave gay couples the right to wed just months ago.

The passage of Proposition 8 represents a crushing political defeat for gay rights activists. They had hoped public opinion on the contentious issue had shifted enough to help them defeat the measure.

It also represents a personal loss for the thousands of couples from California and others states who got married in the brief window when they could. Legal experts have said it will have to be resolved in court whether their unions still are valid.

Apologetics, Culture News, Current Events, Eschatology, History, New Testament Theology, Politics, Reforming, Theology

The Judgment of God continues…

As America has seen fit to usher in a man who will act in the ways that will destroy the foundations of this country’s constitution, the rights of individuals and states, and the freedoms that we have enjoyed for so many years… I cannot help but look to God in Jesus Christ for my only hope and joy and comfort!

God’s judgment is being revealed against all ungodliness and wickedness of mankind through the election of Barack Obama as President of the United Stated of America. America and the Church in America will receive the judgment that God sees fit to bring upon it in the coming months and years. Freedoms will be reduced and Government will seek to grow bigger and make more and more people dependent upon it. We can only hope that people will feel in their hearts that freedom and liberty are more important than peace and safety “at all costs.”

May God have mercy upon this country and may God glorify Himself and show forth the rule of Jesus Christ over all powers and principalities that seek to make themselves greater than He.

Thankfully, this is a day of change that will work against the glory of America and work for the glory of God in Jesus Christ! Amen.

In Christ and In Defense of the Faith,
Glenn Jones

Apologetics, Culture, Current Events, Law and Faith, Politics, Prayer, Reforming, Theology

Honor the President

I would like to point everyone to some very good posts that came out yesterday on election day regarding how we, as Christians, are to respond to the new President. Justin Taylor says:

With Ohio being called for Senator Obama, it appears that he will be our next President.

It’s very easy to forget–especially for those of us who are on the younger side–that it was only a little over 40 years ago that there were Jim Crow laws in the US. Just a generation ago, many African Americans were segregated from whites in public schools, transportation, restrooms, and restaurants.

Tonight, the United States has elected a biracial man to serve as its leader.

It would be an understatement to call this a watershed cultural moment in our country’s history.

No matter who you voted for–or whether you voted at all–it’s important to remember that, as President, Barack Obama will have God-given authority to govern us, and that we should view him as a servant of God (Rom. 13:1, 4) to whom we should be subject (Rom. 13:1, 5; 1 Pet. 2:13-14).

There are many qualifications to add to these exhortations–for example, see this excellent post by John Piper–but it’s still important to remember that these are requirements for all Bible-believing Christians.

John Piper Says:

How does the Bible instruct us to pray for “all who are in high positions”? It says,

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Timothy 2:1-4).

A few observations:

1. Giving thanks “for kings” is hard when they are evil.

And, as Calvin said on this passage, “All the magistrates of that time were sworn enemies of Christ.” This shows us that anarchy is a horrible alternative to almost any ruler.

We should give thanks for rulers because “non-rule” would unleash on us utterly unbridled evil with no recourse whatever.

Again Calvin: “Unless they restrained the boldness of wicked men, the whole world would be full of robberies and murders.” The better we understand the seething evil of the human heart that is ready to break out where there is no restraint, the more thankful we will be for government.

2. The effect we pray for is “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly, and dignified in every way.”

Dignified means “serious and reverent,” not stuffy. I suspect what Paul means is not that we can’t live godly and serious lives during times of anarchy. We can. I suspect he means that peaceful and quiet lives, which are the opposite of anarchy, are often wasted in ungodly and frivolous actions.

So he is praying for a government that would give peace and quiet (not anarchy), and that Christians would not fritter away their peaceful lives with the world, but would be radically godly and serious about the lost condition of the world and how to change it.

3. Using our peace for radical godliness and serious action will lead to more effective evangelism and world missions.

This last observation is confirmed by the hoped-for outcome Paul mentions. Paul says that the reason God delights in such peaceful, Godward, serious action is that he “desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

More people will be saved if our government restrains the horrors of anarchy, and if Christians use this peace not to waste their lives on endless entertainment, but seriously give their lives to making God known.

Culture, Culture News, Current Events, Eschatology, Politics

Thoughts about Obama’s speech as President-Elect

2 Comments

Obama said that a united America elected him. That is not true. Good rhetoric, but not good reality.

Obama promises that America will become greater. That is not true. America will fall and in 4 years its people will be looking for a new leader once again who will promise them a full pocket book and a fat belly.

Obama calls for greater sacrifice and service. Those things are good in relation to certain things, such as Christian ministry, but what do they mean for us as Americans? Redistribution of wealth? Fewer freedoms for the sake of “fairness”? The destruction of state’s rights? Tell us Mr. President-Elect.

Obama says a new dawn of American leadership is at hand and that America will defeat all those who seek to divide and destroy the world. That is not true. America can never defeat those things, even with a new “dawn” of American leadership. Only God in Jesus Christ can do those type of things. But it will not be for America that God does them. It will be for the Kingdom of God.

Obama is essentially saying this: America can change (i.e. – “yes we can”) and overcome their shortcomings WITHOUT Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. This is the folly of all nations, especially America. In fact, today, the American dream is the spirit of anti-Christ in this country today. That can be seen in Obama’s speech with crystal clear clarity. And, might I add, Barack Obama is its newly appointed prophet, priest, and king.

Ending his speech, Obama said that anyone who doubts America will be responded to with a spirit of a people saying “yes we can” and that America must summon a new spirit now that a new “dawn” has come. But, I ask, what spirit can be summoned at the call of man? The only spirit I know of is that spirit which is sinful within the hearts of mankind. That spirit is already summoned and it is the spirit that will not confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

This nation is so strong, this “democracy” so proud, but it will never see the glory it wants. It will always fall short because it is only the glory of the Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ that will be seen on the Last Day. May we never forget that as we see the sinful hearts of humanity trying to build another Babel… that that goal will never happen. Unity for the people of the world will never come in that way.

There is only hope in Jesus Christ and that hope is most clearly seen through His Kingdom that is being preached through His Gospel by the Church throughout the world! For the glory of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! Amen.

In Christ and In Defense of the Faith,
Glenn Jones

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life."

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