Category Archives: Culture

Apologetics, Books, Culture, Debate, Evolution, False Religion, History, Humanism, Intelligent Design, Movies, Promotionals, Videos

Hitchens vs. Wilson: A Collision of Lives

I have to say, I cannot wait for this to come out on DVD! Enjoy the preview, especially the music and the camera work. 🙂

Here is some more information about it:

Christopher Hitchens and Douglas Wilson squared-off in a recent series of debates over atheism. Hitchens is an atheist with an acerbic wit who thinks Christianity to be a blight on society. Douglas Wilson is a Christian who wants to show the reasonableness of the Christian faith. The video above is a trailer for a forthcoming documentary that describes the debates. (HT: Denny Burk)

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

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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

Culture, Culture News, Current Events, History, Politics, Prayer Requests

America is still a RACIST country

I as sit watching the presidential election results tonight. I cannot help but feel that America is demonstrating just how racist the country is today, as it was 100 years ago. America will never be done with its racism until the day comes that it doesn’t matter what color a man  or woman is who gets elected into the Presidential office.

May God be glorified as he continues to unveil His judgment upon this land! Pray that God might have mercy upon this country and tear the racism out of this place and cause those tonight, who voted because of the color of a man’s skin, to repent of their sin and anti-Christ spirit.

Apologetics, Creation, Culture, Debate, Mp3s, Podcasts, Promotionals, Science, Theology

Socrates in the City

Socrates in San Francisco is a very good venue that is bringing in some very big names to discuss important life issues that we all need to think about as we continue to learn more about God and to answer the big questions that our life experiences bring to mind. I’ve attached the audio from their first event (from earlier this year) with Dr. Francis S. Collins Speaking on, The Language of God: A Scientist-Believer Looks at the Human Genome.

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Their most recent event was a conversation/debate between Dr. N. T. Wright and Dr. Bart Ehrman on the topic of “A Good God? A Dialogue about the problem of Suffering and evil.” I encourage you to check back soon to see if they have posted the audio for the event. I will post it here as soon as it is available.

Here is what they say they are all about:

The Greek philosopher Socrates famously said that “the unexamined life is not worth living.”

Taking this as a starting point, Socrates in San Francisco sponsors events in which San Franciscans can begin a dialogue on “Life, God, and other small topics.”

Leading thinkers in science, philosophy, literature, religion, and the arts are featured in lectures and onstage conversations about the “big questions.”

Culture, Culture News, Current Events, False Religion, History, Islam

Islamic takeover of U.S. already under way

Even though I do not believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim today, what will it mean to the Western World if a Muslim-named man becomes president of the United States of America? Well, some say it will be good and help Muslim’s reconsider their negative view of America. Possible… but there is an even bigger problem that comes right along with that understanding: Islam wants to expand and fill the whole earth with their religion and it will not benefit us to have someone with Muslim ties in his past who might just help the whole Muslim world along as they seek to takeover the U.S. The problem is not appearance, instead, the problem revolves around the fact that Muslim people will fight until their way of life is implemented on everyone around them in whatever culture they move to.

The below article is a very telling story of what happened to Lebanon, a former nation of Christian principles and a liberty, and what is already beginning to happen here in our own United States of America. Do not be fooled, Islam is the greatest enemy to freedom in this world today.
Here is an excerpt from the article:

An expert on terrorism is warning the United States should be fighting Islamization, which she believes already is under way. And author Brigitte Gabriel should know: She watched it happen in her native Lebanon.

“Lebanon used to be the only majority Christian country in the Middle East,” Gabriel told radio talk show host Andrea Shea King in a recent hour-long interview “Most people today do not know that. We were the majority, the Muslims were the minority, but as the years went by, the Muslims became the majority because of their birth rate, but also because of our open-border policy.

“We welcomed everyone into our country,” Gabriel said, and people didn’t realize that the “minority,” the Muslims in the society, “was not tolerant” and “did not believe all people were equal.”

“They tried to impose their way of thinking on us, and they succeeded,” she said.

The result, Gabriel said, was that a radical terrorist organization tied to Islam, Hezbollah, now rules in Lebanon.

As WND reported, Gabriel is fearful that terrorists believe now is the time to strike at America, while it is distracted by financial tension and election turmoil. She expressed the concerns during an interview with KSFO’s Barbara Simpson, when she also discussed her new book, “They Must Be Stopped: Why We Must Defeat Radical Islam and How We Can Do It.”

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Culture, Current Events, Eschatology, History, Law and Faith, Politics, Theology

American News Media: “Americans are Stupid”

If there’s anything that I come away with tonight regarding the third and final Presidential debate, it is this: The national news media outlets have told, more clearly than ever, that the American people are stupid and scared and that they will end up electing the candidate who can speak with the most eloquence and stay the calmest during a debate.

“As long as you look ‘presidential’ then we think you are going to win!”

That is basically what I heard every single news outlet and media pundit say tonight after the debate. But are they right? Is the fact that so many of us are facing uncertain times and wondering about job security and retirement going to dictate that the majority of States elect a president who presents himself the best and talks a good talk and says he walks a good walk?

Honestly, I don’t know… I’m sitting here writing this and I’m wondering how so many people could be in favor of giving all three sectors of elected government over to the control of the Democratic party this coming November? I’m sitting here wondering if I will actually be able to blog about these things in just a few years time if the Internet becomes regulated and our freedom of speech is taken away from us by an unchecked liberal ideology that “scared” people decided to give control of their lives over to one early November day in 2008?

The liberals in this world are not interested in free speech unless it benefits them. They are not interested in freedom unless it’s the way they say things should be. This is why an Obama Presidency will be one of the most uncertain times that America will have ever had to face. If the Senate and the Congress decide to roll out all the party favors with a Democratic President who will sign things into being… what it there to stop this country from having its foundation of freedom destroyed and the most socialistic laws implemented in its history? Remember, the Constitution is only a force if you have “checks and balances.” But when all the means are controlled by one ideological center that wants to enforce its rule of law on everyone… then no old piece of paper will make a difference anymore than rotting crap will be avoided by people who could care less about cleaning it up.

Well, enough of my lamenting… Because I do have hope… And it’s NOT in this country called America. I have hope that one day, no matter what may come in the near future to American politics, I will inherit a New Heavens and a New Earth where righteousness dwells and suffering and sin are no more! Through the power of God’s Spirit I can accept whatever His sovereign hand will bring me and I can press forward toward the upward goal of knowing Christ Jesus, the true Lord and Ruler of this world! Because of His Kingdom and His Rule at the right hand of the living God, I can rest in His promise that He is making all things new. Even though I may one day lose my freedoms that have been so good to have in this amazing country, I will still bless the name of Yahweh and I will always proclaim… Maranatha, Lord Jesus! Maranatha!

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)

In Christ and In Defense of the Faith,
Glenn Jones

Culture, Culture News, Current Events, Debate, Politics, Promotionals, Videos

Sarah Palin won the debate

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I cannot express how happy I was to see all the political pundants thrawrted in their predictions/fears about how much trouble Sarah Palin might have tonight in the Vice Presidential debate with Joe Biden. They were WRONG in so many ways!  🙂

I must say, it was brilliant on her part to tell Biden that he kept pointing to the past about the Bush campaign. It really is that simple, you cannot compare Bush with McCain in a way that can actually make someone say that it’s going to be four more years of the same. It just won’t happen and everyone knows it because of McCain’s record and his Vice Presidential pick for nomination. It’s a whole new ball game and the other side just won’t admit it. But I digress…

Palin did her job well tonight, and for the most part Joe Biden did well too. The only problem with Biden is that he just kept up the whole liberal mindset that harps on redistribution of wealth, fairness, man-made global warming, and universal health care. This is junk! Pure JUNK! And it really does stink. The liberal idealogy of the Democratic party is a terribly unfair system and it would have us all under it’s thumb if we, as a nation, decide to let it happen this November. Be care who you pick for President this Nobember, it could mean the beginning of the end of all your freedoms. That is something that I, and most of the people I know, would never want to happen.

Here are some resources and comments on the debate tonight from others:

Here is a link to the debate transcript. And below you will find a video of the debate on youtube: