False Teaching

There's a term for what they do.  It's called "binding the conscience" and it involves either declaring a sin where there is none, or implying that salvation depends on obeying the Law.  It is one of the most dangerous things a Christian can do to another, because it attempts to create doubt about salvation.  I only wonder why so-called Conservative Christians aren't out front condemning this false teaching.

Here are a few examples that directly attempt to bind the conscience of Christians who are politically liberal:

Tony Perkins (November 2011):  "Any Christian that voted for Obama in 2008 should be repenting in the next election."

James Dobson (Larry King Live, 11/22/06): "But it's interesting to me that those, again, on the more liberal end of the spectrum are often those who have no value system...."

Ann Coulter (interview with Christian Post, 10/2/12):  "I'm sure there are people who consider themselves Democrats, maybe even liberals, who are good Christians, but if so I do not think they understand the tenants [sic] of those two organizations."

There are plenty of other conservatives who have done the same in a less direct way, but still unmistakably implying that a Christian can't be a liberal (or vice versa).  Franklin Graham, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachmann, and others come to mind.

Fortunately, scripture is not on their side:  "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus...." (1 Timothy 2:5).  Whenever some right winger tries to bind the conscience, take comfort in this verse.  Anyone who is trying to make you doubt your faith is "turning to a different gospel" (Galatians 1:6).

And, forgive my mild sacrilege by "adding" to Romans 8:38-39:  "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor Tony Perkins nor James Dobson nor Ann Coulter nor Franklin Graham nor Rick Santorum nor Mike Huckabee nor Michele Bachmann, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Better Late Than Never

It was quite a surprise to see that the Republican National Committee more or less adopted the ACLU position on NSA surveillance.  Quite a turnaround.  While it's unexpectedly gratifying to see the RNC walking arm-and-arm with the ACLU, once again we see the selective outrage of the Republican Party.  Those of us who opposed the NSA programs in 2006 were accused of treason.  Funny how things are suddenly unconstitutional now that we have an African-American president.

Larry Kudlow and Frank Gaffney

My wife was channel surfing a few minutes ago and stopped for a moment on Larry Kudlow's show on CNBC.  His guest was Frank Gaffney.  Yikes...Gaffney and Kudlow together...scary thought huh?  We didn't watch long.  I hardly ever watch Kudlow's show, but once in a while I stop there for a few minutes.  It does have one bit of usefulness:  if Kudlow says something is bad, it is probably good;  and if he something is good, it's probably bad.  It's a useful rule of thumb.  Wackjob Frank Gaffney is similarly useful.  Whatever he says is the opposite of the truth.  Kudlow is wrong, say, 95% of the time, but with Gaffney it's a near certainty.

This Guy Ain't No Hero

I can't believe I am actually writing about the Duck Dynasty dude, but I couldn't hold off any longer.  I don't really care if A&E fires him or hires him.  I don't watch the show and it's really all about money anyway.  But aside from what he said about gays, the guy also basically said that African Americans were happier when us white folks were lynching them and not letting them vote.  Go ahead and watch his show all you want, and let him have his millions, but if you try to make him out to be some kind of American hero, that is very sad

Predictions for 2014

• Mitt Romney will not be president.
• Paul Ryan will not be vice president.
• During the 2014 baseball season, ESPN and the MLB Network will spend most of their time talking about the Yankees and Red Sox.
• Rick Santelli will be whining about something or other on CNBC.
• Sarah Palin, Megyn Kelly, most of the rest of Fox News, and who knows who else, will be talking about some War on Christmas.
• Some Republican will call Obama a Fascist (or a Marxist or a Socialist or a Nazi or a ...).
• At least one Tea Party Congressman will collect many thousands (millions?) of dollars in farm subsidies while voting against food stamps.
• Very few Tea Party seniors who oppose the ACA because it is government intrusion into health care will give up their Medicare because it is government intrusion into health care.
• One of the major GOP strategies will continue to be to try to convince people that they don't need and shouldn't buy health insurance.
• Darrell Issa will act like a fool.