tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65639688093790631852024-02-21T23:30:33.420-08:00Dr. Roberts' BlogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02760648810355233538noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563968809379063185.post-38686532964467451742016-03-23T11:43:00.004-07:002019-01-16T11:46:59.078-08:00Shen Yun?<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">SHEN YUN?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>By Dr Charles H
Roberts<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEDQ7sFG0qUpqO5WEVTC8CQX0nNp_Up604qKjZvKyf4OqvMXEUY1PNmF01VBOUWcB2MXY-o6GJRS9IgBaTWuPvlAKk9qgUgD_smFQZfwqCiooHkdO-4ZYY4kIfTjFT0dvTa4Rp0cwShzI/s1600/ShenYun+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEDQ7sFG0qUpqO5WEVTC8CQX0nNp_Up604qKjZvKyf4OqvMXEUY1PNmF01VBOUWcB2MXY-o6GJRS9IgBaTWuPvlAKk9qgUgD_smFQZfwqCiooHkdO-4ZYY4kIfTjFT0dvTa4Rp0cwShzI/s320/ShenYun+1.jpg" width="207" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You’ve probably seen the posters, flyers, brochures and full-page,
color newspaper ads promoting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/">Shen Yun</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the 1980’s I used to work in retail advertising at a
daily newspaper in North Carolina. Back then, a full page color advertisement
was around $3,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In 2016 that’s close to $7,000. In many places the ads are run
in multiple newspapers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In other words, there is a rather large amount of money
spent to promote something that would be of not much more than
passing interest to the typical American.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqWeDPT9RVYDivreUQSTw1K_RUdtPEPiEc4KqwdbjHtjAbYiiwa97msiCO4qfBD4CW1vBXQEGLgdXEndnVv1o1Mwz9rIqj1mMSbguqEbn_Oj9rvlatmR1dbJukIInf1soZZBkf4gl7SdzD/s1600/Shen+Yun+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqWeDPT9RVYDivreUQSTw1K_RUdtPEPiEc4KqwdbjHtjAbYiiwa97msiCO4qfBD4CW1vBXQEGLgdXEndnVv1o1Mwz9rIqj1mMSbguqEbn_Oj9rvlatmR1dbJukIInf1soZZBkf4gl7SdzD/s320/Shen+Yun+2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The phrase <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shen Yun</i>
means “divine performing arts,” and it purports to be a panoramic dance, music
and acrobatic performance of 5,000 years of Chinese culture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Shen Yun</i> performances take place in music halls, auditoriums
and performing arts centers around the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A few years ago, the <i>New York Times</i> published an article
about a <i>Shen Yun</i> performance and included this bit of background:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">“<span style="background: white; color: #333333;">A nonprofit group supported
by ticket sales and donations Shen Yun began as a single company of 30
dancers.” </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">(August
13, 2010, NYT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqoBhcFaQ0jH7I9pjMs5HStjd2Whm3EEIVWwN7m-TJZRPLe6jV_-Wd8usaEo0txQNml8fIfERQlHDDeh4MZC1rVCayRhFGqdU0q4CjZbLheL2RruT2Yjy4msWjqMhmwiXylKKHKcHi2fL/s1600/ShenUn3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqoBhcFaQ0jH7I9pjMs5HStjd2Whm3EEIVWwN7m-TJZRPLe6jV_-Wd8usaEo0txQNml8fIfERQlHDDeh4MZC1rVCayRhFGqdU0q4CjZbLheL2RruT2Yjy4msWjqMhmwiXylKKHKcHi2fL/s1600/ShenUn3.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The “nonprofit group” that is the driving force behind <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shen Yun</i> is the Chinese religious group
known as <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.falundafa.org/" target="_blank">Falun Gong</a></span> (or sometimes, Falun Dafa).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Google search for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shen Yun</i> finds reviews that give it
passing approval as a performance, but also express serious concerns about the propaganda
nature of the production as a tool to promote the religion of Falun Gong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Before saying anything else about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shen Yun</i> and the Falun Gong religious movement, I want to
acknowledge the terrible suffering and persecution that its followers have endured in Mainland China.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can read about the awful things that many of them have
had to deal with <span style="color: red;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Falun_Gong">here</a></span>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The
suppression of Falun Gong in China notwithstanding, Christians who attend <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shen Yun</i> performances ought to be aware of
the religious content that is a vital part of the performance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mCSCzT032J3D9jcMbVbwRjdRj-txOvrEvZUr0sXfzOmF3ybfJFBuuTowZT3odILenCefmFcjbEFD2xSdeq-R9WAQOqnFSJPqCFcsHdZvuTSp-p0snCzzJc-cUPu9Ywnettkk64sIuYJO/s1600/ShenYun4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mCSCzT032J3D9jcMbVbwRjdRj-txOvrEvZUr0sXfzOmF3ybfJFBuuTowZT3odILenCefmFcjbEFD2xSdeq-R9WAQOqnFSJPqCFcsHdZvuTSp-p0snCzzJc-cUPu9Ywnettkk64sIuYJO/s320/ShenYun4.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Although to the casual observer Falun Gong looks to be an
exercise and breath control program for health, <span style="color: red;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.apologeticsindex.org/3081-falun-gong">the teachings closely associated with the program are what ought to be of interest to Christians who plan to attend Shen Yun performances</a></span>.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwd1gnpth8VLp0XV4_Ax5p6D4wahBmgVDwwDxI5eFdIIVXKhTSgHacbU56yJLDfkw23J3EwtZUen4U-Sz2DEIC0SJBKguX5e3dCKlPix91kDBIKD-VhTptNV9Wramn6PEzCk68aArWkoTM/s1600/ShenYun5.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwd1gnpth8VLp0XV4_Ax5p6D4wahBmgVDwwDxI5eFdIIVXKhTSgHacbU56yJLDfkw23J3EwtZUen4U-Sz2DEIC0SJBKguX5e3dCKlPix91kDBIKD-VhTptNV9Wramn6PEzCk68aArWkoTM/s1600/ShenYun5.gif" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Deeply embedded in the performance (and in Falun Gong religion) are fundamental ideas
that separate traditional Chinese religions such as Taoism and Buddhism from
the Biblical, Christian worldview. You can read the <i>Christian Research
Institute’s</i> analysis and comparison of these <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.equip.org/article/chinas-falun-gong/">differing worldviews here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Christians should be aware that, although the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shen Yun</i> performance may be entertaining
and engaging, there is more included in the purchase price than 5,000 years of
Chinese culture.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>copyright: Dr Charles H Roberts, Pastor</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Reedy River Presbyterian Church</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.rrpca.com/">www.r</a>eedyriverbpc.org</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02760648810355233538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563968809379063185.post-39601562019833165402016-03-17T12:21:00.002-07:002016-08-20T18:18:40.103-07:00The Cruel Mercy of the State<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">The Cruel Mercy of the State</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>by Rev. Charles H Roberts, D.Min.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">E.J. Montini, in his March 13, 2016 column in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arizona Republic</i> newspaper reports the
impending closure of the Arizona Children’s Colony. Established by the state of
Arizona in 1952, it is located near Coolidge, AZ between Tucson and Phoenix.
The facility is now called Arizona Training Program. You can read the story<span style="color: red;">
<a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2016/03/12/montini-arizona-department-of-economic-security-disabled-coolidge-eviction/81587558/"><b><span style="color: red;">here.</span></b></a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSqK2PUCjmC-PV6lGq91ZsK8pqL5UmrrN8iomOM4Vyclofoeiyk3KyMK7lspStPrd4M479PuAKTVSISi-bosSCA14w-twQJWHgQIpQ-YgCx8DxE1pDIseK4uBM7VArDLOxNI1Gp4YrcGF/s1600/2118036.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSqK2PUCjmC-PV6lGq91ZsK8pqL5UmrrN8iomOM4Vyclofoeiyk3KyMK7lspStPrd4M479PuAKTVSISi-bosSCA14w-twQJWHgQIpQ-YgCx8DxE1pDIseK4uBM7VArDLOxNI1Gp4YrcGF/s1600/2118036.0.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At its height, it housed over 250 mentally and physically
disabled children and adults. Legislative action in 1979 determined to close the facility and move its residents to normal
society.<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">To that end, in the same year, a law was passed banning any
new residents to the facility, and those that remained would either end their
days there or, at some future time, be removed. And as Mr. Montini has well
chronicled, that future time is now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today there are around 86 residents, all mentally and
physically disabled, and many of them in their 50’s and 60’s. They have known
no other home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the article, various reasons are given by a representative
of the state as to why this action is being taken, none of which have well
satisfied many of the family and loved ones of the residents who are being
impacted by the decision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Many suspect the real reason for the action is because the
state wants to sell the property for a profit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Care for the sick, disabled and the dying by state
agencies is, relatively speaking, a recent occurrence. From ancient times the
less fortunate (and in this case, the less healthy) in society were ignored by
state governments.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KeSOasd1DZ7xNShTlY04scXi7mPl2cmkoLU5ha8Dtdfs2Lw7lETK5RFcDnRyUzmiPmooyCYumxTZOreTRfd6poQlZVQQQVlEgeQAMAx1e2pyDXhiL9J_-E1-lnO6-nS2_G3JqSogWYYW/s1600/greece2008z69.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KeSOasd1DZ7xNShTlY04scXi7mPl2cmkoLU5ha8Dtdfs2Lw7lETK5RFcDnRyUzmiPmooyCYumxTZOreTRfd6poQlZVQQQVlEgeQAMAx1e2pyDXhiL9J_-E1-lnO6-nS2_G3JqSogWYYW/s320/greece2008z69.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ancient Roman society, for all of its advances over barbaric
paganism was not a happy place if you become sick or born with a deformity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/new-era-in-roman-healthcare"><span style="color: red;"><b>Gary
Ferngren</b></span></a> tells the story of how the rise of Christianity brought sweeping
changes to the ways that the most vulnerable in Roman society were treated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Because the Christians believed that all human beings are
created in God’s image, and because of New Testament exhortations to care for
widows and orphans, and the example of The Good Samaritan, extensive networks
of charity and care were developed to address the needs of the less fortunate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The foundation of those networks was solidly Biblical and
theological, and based on the belief that God, not the state, is sovereign.
God’s Law, not the laws of the state, was the ultimate basis for how ailing
human beings should be treated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The decline of those theological commitments eventually lead
to the state taking over, if not usurping, the ministry of the church in those
areas.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOldr-gSE7S8533B5MMH8XNmYYTLEk0hb-YeDh5gwQeGQg1e0GXDoxW-bHgCuNMMNibL272CPz_6KEddKk4CBbEhHIkKWA9sJthsxGw73KvSQjB0fxUcy5OsLpvoK1zBShgxuevMnC7MUV/s1600/Giornata-parrocchiale-del-malato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOldr-gSE7S8533B5MMH8XNmYYTLEk0hb-YeDh5gwQeGQg1e0GXDoxW-bHgCuNMMNibL272CPz_6KEddKk4CBbEhHIkKWA9sJthsxGw73KvSQjB0fxUcy5OsLpvoK1zBShgxuevMnC7MUV/s320/Giornata-parrocchiale-del-malato.jpg" width="320" /></a><o:p><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">According to Holy Scripture, Almighty God established three
foundational institutions in creation: the family, the church, and the state.
Each of those three are independent in their own spheres of authority but they share
the common bond of being submissive to the Law of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In societies where the state has tended to see itself as its
own ultimate authority, answerable to none else, least of all God’s Law in Holy
Scripture, tyranny and cruelty soon follow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Only a return to the Biblical model will guarantee the best
interests of folks such as the residents of the Arizona Training Program.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Until families, churches, and state governments once more
embrace God’s word in Scripture the text of Proverbs 12:10 remains sadly
accurate: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the compassion of the wicked is cruel.<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">copyright: Dr Charles H Roberts</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02760648810355233538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563968809379063185.post-42201403485460822272016-02-20T10:50:00.002-08:002019-01-16T11:47:31.823-08:00RISEN INDEED!<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">By Rev Dr Charles Roberts</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Pastor-Reedy River Presbyterian Church</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.rrpca.com/">www.r</a>eedyriverbpc.org</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The new motion picture <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.risen-movie.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Risen</span></a></i>
was premiered on most movie screens across the country on February 18<sup>th</sup>,
2016, with generally positive reviews.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsaVUISNKt9nM1CCLcRn-sgsOK8PMOcZllFYmWlxDOq7HvRWtrO0mKRcpyqPedA2nLlmrbyjAz8GmB9VajpZsmYEJnU99nco_-z060WXEU_lOF5V1RjaSp5UIoJCgi8H4r5EG2stFfrvU/s1600/bgImg_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsaVUISNKt9nM1CCLcRn-sgsOK8PMOcZllFYmWlxDOq7HvRWtrO0mKRcpyqPedA2nLlmrbyjAz8GmB9VajpZsmYEJnU99nco_-z060WXEU_lOF5V1RjaSp5UIoJCgi8H4r5EG2stFfrvU/s320/bgImg_small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As a pastor, and one whose
life has largely been devoted to the personal and academic practice of religion
generally, and the Christian faith in particular, I was eager to see this film.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have typically not cared to
see films that attempt to convey a “Gospel message” in an “evangelistic” way
because they usually are not, from my perspective, very well done. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The pre-release reviews of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Risen </i>praised the film for decidedly not
being in that category, hence my interest in seeing it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Although I am strongly in
favor of using any valid form of media to share the message of the New
Testament, there are some parts of that message that are profoundly difficult
to portray on film, such as the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, or the
signs and wonders that were done by Jesus during His earthly ministry.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So as not to keep the interested
reader in suspense, I am giving the movie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Risen</i>
a B+ (or if you prefer, an “8” on a scale of 1-10).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I will not go into great
detail about the movie’s plot since that information is readily available at
such web sites as <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/">IMDB</a> </span>and <a href="http://www.cbn.com/entertainment"><span style="color: blue;">CBN</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioU0WMF8eHKJ7MLB5sMI5lrCCuj0Sd8aXcB6woAUXQG7P3gIxJSdHNvFWCPX2x-9bmYGRJ2B_mFtgzVpRzBSTUU_jFmqvbeIg9HgiGIPyPyZcnlDZ_gbHxd3gDLjWolL23HJuaKG_-F7TD/s1600/Clavius+Almeria+set.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioU0WMF8eHKJ7MLB5sMI5lrCCuj0Sd8aXcB6woAUXQG7P3gIxJSdHNvFWCPX2x-9bmYGRJ2B_mFtgzVpRzBSTUU_jFmqvbeIg9HgiGIPyPyZcnlDZ_gbHxd3gDLjWolL23HJuaKG_-F7TD/s320/Clavius+Almeria+set.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As a motion picture, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Risen</i> is well done, with great film
editing and acting. The locations used in the filming were Spain and Malta, and
they create a realistic setting for events that took place in ancient Palestine
and Judea. <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affirm_Films">Affirm Films</a>
</span>are the SONY owned company involved with the production. They were the
producers of the popular <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The War Room</i>
motion picture of 2015. </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The film is rated PG-13 for
images of “Biblical violence.” By modern standards those images (a battle
scene, post-crucifixion scenes, corpses, etc.) are not unwarranted or overly
“gross.” As the reviewer from CBN noted in her analysis, however, the movie is
probably not suited for very young children.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWp71K2UHvYbqB0xEJW5SfEij7QjHWIeazCXWWCss038RyPsyEax88-Ct6hGrkMIerKqEx2o-zjCFhMqyQ2w5a1577A3L9lVeDsLg0M3KAZlb_TbUXe53yFLiEGdHO4tG6QqmXINEZdtd/s1600/ben_hur_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWp71K2UHvYbqB0xEJW5SfEij7QjHWIeazCXWWCss038RyPsyEax88-Ct6hGrkMIerKqEx2o-zjCFhMqyQ2w5a1577A3L9lVeDsLg0M3KAZlb_TbUXe53yFLiEGdHO4tG6QqmXINEZdtd/s320/ben_hur_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Like the classic Biblical
epic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben-Hur_(1959_film)"><span style="color: blue;">Ben Hur</span></a> </i>this
film is a fictional story built around the historical events recorded in the
four Gospels. It does an excellent job of speculating on what life was like for
the early disciples of Jesus immediately following His death and resurrection.
The personal struggles of faith, and the challenges of day to day existence in
Roman occupied Judea, are perhaps more easily understood by modern audiences through
means of motion pictures and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Risen</i>
does a good job of getting those things across.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Too often, it seems to me,
when we read the Gospel stories we read them as if they took place in a
never-never-land removed from the daily lives of real people. A well-done
motion picture helps show that the lives of ancient people, although different
in terms of modern technology and conveniences, were really not so different
from our own.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The story of Jesus’ death,
resurrection, and ascension are portrayed in this film from the eyes of a
non-believing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribune"><span style="color: blue;">Roman tribune</span></a>
(military officer) who struggles with events unfolding before him, events that
challenge the whole fabric of his life. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Fiennes"><span style="color: blue;">Joseph Fiennes</span></a>, who
portrays Clavius, the Roman tribune, does an outstanding job in that role.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7T8qvIB6MoQQRF6wYVZ0dTeqSRCxbQLBOc60UOo71MFPIEaYCP21LfFC9Ac77_dDobZYs3LLg-m4bzuGFX6AOJW3heOE9KmsAD5_-QU9P5NG6OzXSmLvbjJFaR1U55kBuIIM9P7RrdNJ/s1600/540867505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7T8qvIB6MoQQRF6wYVZ0dTeqSRCxbQLBOc60UOo71MFPIEaYCP21LfFC9Ac77_dDobZYs3LLg-m4bzuGFX6AOJW3heOE9KmsAD5_-QU9P5NG6OzXSmLvbjJFaR1U55kBuIIM9P7RrdNJ/s320/540867505.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One very strong point of the
film is that the Jesus character looks very much like a Semitic Middle Eastern
Jew of the time, as do several of the actors who play the twelve apostles. On
the other hand, one of those actors, who portrays Bartholomew, and who has a
significant speaking part in the film, looks and acts like one of the
stereotypical hippie’s of the “<span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_movement">Jesus people</a>”</span> of 1970’s
America.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As for the film’s
faithfulness to the New Testament, and its overall theological orientation,
there are areas for improvement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiddJohsigOHcmnvGnoD6Ov8k95PamPzCelpxMzmStg56wsN7QkLF1NPNDsKMZh_sntcRH5mnBfWpSRcyEo4ALf3RyF9ZVhLSKATWW4lvsYnXFXH53OV_xF_g9x_pN4tcbz1AuAxi4lN7O/s1600/graded-tb_day26b_04292012_ja_d3s0283.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiddJohsigOHcmnvGnoD6Ov8k95PamPzCelpxMzmStg56wsN7QkLF1NPNDsKMZh_sntcRH5mnBfWpSRcyEo4ALf3RyF9ZVhLSKATWW4lvsYnXFXH53OV_xF_g9x_pN4tcbz1AuAxi4lN7O/s320/graded-tb_day26b_04292012_ja_d3s0283.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For example, the <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_magdalene">Mary Magdalene</a>
</span>character perpetuates the discredited myth that she had been a prostitute
before becoming a follower of Jesus. In another scene, the Bartholomew
character summarizes Jesus’ message as being about having “eternal life,”
whereas the Gospels indicate that His message was more about the <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_gospel">Kingdom of God</a> (</span>that
includes life eternal, but in a way not well understood by many evangelical
Christians today). In the ascension scene, Jesus speaks to His followers with
words from Matthew 28:16-20, however, the writers omitted Jesus words that
“…all authority in heaven and on earth have been given to Me…” and “…make the
nations My disciples.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRc2tcYm5Triy0nYHep2gyIpCH0xPsHrgtVhUuEmGswgZdXOJnNH_a8MYwTT0b3PDTVDFvdBoXeJubcV5r_hhIBSZXGy3ZkMWVQ_xiUMv66h17Pc0rTfUM4fh9nQh0HUJynw5f2rTHYxAk/s1600/the-pharisees-learn-pontius-pilate-refuses-to-see-them-e1389137479811.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRc2tcYm5Triy0nYHep2gyIpCH0xPsHrgtVhUuEmGswgZdXOJnNH_a8MYwTT0b3PDTVDFvdBoXeJubcV5r_hhIBSZXGy3ZkMWVQ_xiUMv66h17Pc0rTfUM4fh9nQh0HUJynw5f2rTHYxAk/s1600/the-pharisees-learn-pontius-pilate-refuses-to-see-them-e1389137479811.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Those things notwithstanding,
the film does an outstanding job of giving moviegoers a realistic idea of how
events in the life of the post-resurrection followers of Jesus were
experienced. I was glad to see that the writers and producers did not cater to
“political correctness” by avoiding or downplaying the role of the leaders of
the Jews in the death of Jesus. The movie, accurately following the historical
record, shows that to have been a joint effort between the Jewish high priest, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caiaphas"><span style="color: blue;">Caiaphas</span></a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontius_Pilate"><span style="color: blue;">Pontius Pilate</span></a> (i.e.
the Roman government).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One of the most moving scenes
is that of the resurrected Jesus comforting and healing a leprous man who had
been savagely treated by local villagers. We also get a sense of the joy and
excitement the apostles must have felt in realizing that Jesus was alive,
mostly admirably portrayed by Stewart Scudamore, (the apostle Peter in the
film).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As indicated at the beginning
of this review, I am give it a B+ and am glad to recommend it. If nothing else
it is a welcome change of pace to see a modern, well done motion picture with
no profanity, nudity, or otherwise reflective of the crudeness of modern
American culture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> THEATER EXPERIENCE:</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCta2Qwyj1oQnKmCYKtOAy-RqTV6cE0Yzk2qYCEOp1r58_O5rxpZPLbwzwUor-k1-S0E23o9ST8v356uGIS2slN2VMmTDiMv7R1KkOrgghttbY2SJ9APC-vD-vbFDpy-Tb_1lbQOunukL/s1600/698_amc-la-jolla-recliners_1D7C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCta2Qwyj1oQnKmCYKtOAy-RqTV6cE0Yzk2qYCEOp1r58_O5rxpZPLbwzwUor-k1-S0E23o9ST8v356uGIS2slN2VMmTDiMv7R1KkOrgghttbY2SJ9APC-vD-vbFDpy-Tb_1lbQOunukL/s320/698_amc-la-jolla-recliners_1D7C.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For anyone interested, it
remains for me to say a word about the movie theater experience as a whole. (I
include this both because it is part of the overall experience and since the
quality and/or content of most films today is so bad, it is worth considering
the quality of the seating and food as a balance.) I saw the movie at a local <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.regmovies.com/">Regal Cinema</a> </span>house. My reserved seat (one
of the recliner chair types) was comfortable and well placed for viewing. The
least appealing part of the experience was the seemingly endless “previews” of
soon to be released films. Since I saw the earliest matinee showing on a
weekday morning, the crowd was light, probably around 40-50 people.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
popcorn, being freshly popped for the day, was excellent. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02760648810355233538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563968809379063185.post-42235817635513045382015-12-04T08:47:00.002-08:002019-01-16T11:47:56.733-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>The Collapse of Meaning</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">By Rev Charles H Roberts, D.Min.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Pastor, Reedy River Presbyterian Church</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.rrpca.com/">www.</a>reedyriverbpc.org</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Authority and sovereignty are unavoidable realities in life.
And by definition when something or someone is sovereign, or has absolute authority,
no one or nothing else is (or has).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">It is the Reformed-Protestant Christian understanding that
Holy Scripture, the written Word of God, speaks with authority concerning
everything about which it speaks….and that it speaks about everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">An individual, a family, a church, or a social and political
order that is based on the principles and worldview of Scripture will be unique
therefore regarding important issues that concern people, families, and
societies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">An important issue confronting Christians in America today
is “political correctness”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(“PC”).
Author Jeff Deist, in the November-December 2015 issue of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Austrian</i> magazine, provides the following helpful definition:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Political correctness is
the conscious, designed manipulation of language intended to change the way
people speak, write, think, feel, and act, in furtherance of an agenda.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">In the same article he further states that PC is a form of
all encompassing propaganda. It needs to be added, however, that the foundation
of PC is a worldview that implicitly believes that humanity is sovereign, that
man is the ultimate voice of authority over all areas of life, including
language.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODM2vMgeq1B-TJxOHqrK-BBrxN6Ks0N4zdc_N90ZqWhqqP0jFhxPwIep8p_3krqDKoVO_oB9tM_sfbkbhoCHtgGL-LZdcFKA1fi0gaM3fk-UKJgxrUENVA7uVeEb1qafie5l3BT2eGvCG/s1600/gender-confusion.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODM2vMgeq1B-TJxOHqrK-BBrxN6Ks0N4zdc_N90ZqWhqqP0jFhxPwIep8p_3krqDKoVO_oB9tM_sfbkbhoCHtgGL-LZdcFKA1fi0gaM3fk-UKJgxrUENVA7uVeEb1qafie5l3BT2eGvCG/s320/gender-confusion.png" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">One of the areas where this is evident is that of human
sexuality. Before the destructive influence of PC, human sexuality was properly
defined as either male or female. Employment application forms and
questionnaires typically provided blank spaces or check boxes to indicate
“your sex” as either male or female.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">PC has supplemented, (and in the popular mind replaced) the
idea of “sex” identity with that of “gender.” It is rare today to be asked, “what
is your sex?” but rather, “what is your gender?” Certainly gender has reference
to identity…. but typically not human identity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Gender has, until the advent of PC, generally referred to certain
word forms in various languages where a term is classified as either masculine,
feminine, or neuter, and in Romance languages, such words have an associated
definite article that precedes them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">For example, in French, the word “La femme” means “the
woman,” and is classified as feminine word, whereas the word “Le livre” means “the
book “and is a masculine word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">In the broad history of Western culture the Christian
worldview had been the dominant influence, and thereby was anchored the
Scriptural account of the creation of man and woman by God as two distinct biological
sexes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The source of the definition of what it means to be human in
the area of sexuality is the God of Holy Scripture. To see what happens if that
definition is derived from a different source one need look no further our PC
influenced culture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">You should understand however that this is nothing new. As a
matter fact, most societies have been based on a humanistic worldview, that is,
the idea that humanity is its own god, and therefore the source and definition
of all things, including sexuality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The apostle Paul encountered this in the Roman culture of
his day and wrote these memorable words about what happens in a society where
the true God is not regarded as sovereign:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzyTLKK6868uV-0beWQP0cFZmGIhlHtZID0epmtpvJqBC-V6gduhXPEZ95WspijKhzect72cJGnjNcP8NrDrm_CEw4PcRRfnDu5qljeb_RqNE4vT95zkNLKPx5zB40LcLIpxx_8NK4MOas/s1600/eac44ea8ea9e499b768ac02b7811ccfc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzyTLKK6868uV-0beWQP0cFZmGIhlHtZID0epmtpvJqBC-V6gduhXPEZ95WspijKhzect72cJGnjNcP8NrDrm_CEw4PcRRfnDu5qljeb_RqNE4vT95zkNLKPx5zB40LcLIpxx_8NK4MOas/s320/eac44ea8ea9e499b768ac02b7811ccfc.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #46260d; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i> What happened was this: People knew God
perfectly well, but when they didn’t treat him like God, refusing to worship
him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was
neither sense nor direction left in their lives. </i></span></span><i style="color: #46260d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">They pretended to know it all, but
were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the
whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand.
So God said, in effect, “If that’s what you want, that’s what you get.” It
wasn’t long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy
inside and out. </i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="color: #46260d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">And all this because they traded
the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God
who made them—the God we bless, the God who blesses us…</i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #46260d; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></o:p></span><i style="color: #46260d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Worse followed. Refusing to know God, they soon didn’t know how
to be human either—women didn’t know how to be women, men didn’t know how to be
men.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #46260d; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Sexually confused, they abused and defiled one another, women
with women, men with men—all lust, no love. And then they paid for it, oh, how
they paid for it—emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches. </i></span></span><i style="color: #46260d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;">Since they
didn’t bother to acknowledge God, God quit bothering them and let them run
loose. And then all hell broke loose:
rampant evil, grabbing and grasping, vicious backstabbing. They made life hell
on earth with their envy, wanton killing, bickering, and cheating….</i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #46260d; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>They know
perfectly well they’re spitting in God’s face. And they don’t care—worse, they
hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best!</i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #46260d; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">(From <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Message</i>, Romans 1:21-32.)</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Political correctness believes it is <span style="background: white; color: #303030;">wrong to think of sex as a
biological force. Rather, it should be understood as a social construct that is
imposed on humanity. In other words, sexual identity is not biological; it is
cultural, and therefore subject to being defined in a myriad number of ways. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: #303030;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #303030;"><span style="font-size: large;">According to PC, the individual, not God, is
the authority that determines what “gender” they will be, and the concept of
discreet biological entitles that are male and female can, and should be,
discarded.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #303030;"><span style="font-size: large;">The average reader is excused if this seems
confusing. It is confusing and the evidence of the confusion is plainly seen in
the cultural expressions of “gender” throughout American society.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #303030;"><span style="font-size: large;">But this confusion, while directly related to
the issue of sexual identity, is only a symptom of the larger issue of
sovereignty and authority. Humanity considers itself god, and the ripple
effects of that misconception are seen, felt, and heard in the cultures humans
create for themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #303030;"><span style="font-size: large;">R.J. Rushdoony made this telling observation
about the fate human beings who follow this path:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none; color: black; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Man is in trouble, because his idea of himself is
radically defective. More than that, it is evil. Because the world is not man’s
creation, and only man’s cultures are his products, a false culture is destined
to collapse, because its roots are in man’s imagination rather than in
God’s created reality. </i></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9.0pt; padding: 0in;">(Rushdoony, Noble Savages (2005), page 66.)</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9.0pt; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></i></div>
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