Christians are being persecuted at an alarming rate. In Houston pastors are being told that they can either go to jail or hand over all copies of correspondence including personal e-mails and texts to their congregation and friends, and also copies of all sermons, and other communications that reference in any way opposition to the lesbian mayor or her new policy of allowing anyone who claims that they are a woman to enter a ladies room, or if they think they are a man to enter men’s rooms regardless of their biological status.
Huh? What about freedom of speech?
In Idaho a minister and his wife who have been performing weddings for 25 years refused to perform a marriage ceremony for two men and now face jail and fines. A photographer won’t agree to attend and take photos at a gay wedding and a cake baker won’t bake a cake for one due to their religious convictions (that the Bible states that marriage should be between a woman and a man), and yet they are forced to do so or lose their livelihood due to fines and/or going to jail.
Huh? What about freedom of religion?
What is next? Well, let’s take a look to the north in Canada where if a pastor reads Scripture directly from the Bible to his congregation that states that homosexuality is a sin or that gay marriage is a sin, they will be put in jail for hate speech.
I recently met with Alliance Defending Freedom CEO Allen Sears and other key leadership on His staff. He did not sound optimistic. Basically the religious rights of Christians are being taken away at an alarming pace led by the Obama administration and his justice department. He sadly shook his head and said that even if his staff of attorney’s doubled in size he would be far outgunned by the ACLU and the Progressive Party.
I see this all over the country with groups trying to stand up for Christian religious liberty and freedom that are far underfunded and in essence trying to fight a war without bullets. The left wing socialists that want to remove Christianity and morality from this country give ENORMOUS amounts of money while most Christians hold on to each nickel so hard a pair of vice grips couldn’t pry it out of their fingers. It is an amazing phenomenon. No wonder we are losing so badly.
A common expression originally coined by George Santayana stated: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Throughout history we have example after example of persecution and apathy of those idly standing on the sidelines watching it and not lifting a finger to try and stop it. Adolf Hitler did this with Jews, Christians, gypsies and others. It started slowly, but gained momentum like a forest fire.
So what is next? ISIS is beheading, crucifying, raping, burying alive, and stoning Christians in their homeland. They say they want to do it right here in the United States and in fact have established numerous mosques that are radicalizing our youth daily.
Can it happen here? It is happening already. Our president refuses to refer to them as terrorists, but that is exactly what they are. Muslim extremist Nidal Hasan murdered soldiers at Fort Hood, but the president still will not call him a terrorist. For crying out loud a woman was beheaded in Oklahoma by a man dressed like an ISIS soldier shouting to Allah. That isn’t workplace violence, it is terrorism. Just yesterday two soldiers in Canada were run over and the guy who did it had a huge knife to behead his victims. It is happening – Call it what it is!
We need to unite and use our collective resources to fund those who are on the front line like the Alliance Defending Freedom and The Jesus Alliance. History teaches us that despots target the vulnerable, disenfranchised, oppressed members of society. Without unification and a Great Awakening Christians will find that this is exactly the position we will be in right here in the United States. We cannot stand as independent silos; we must unite and fight; otherwise we are going, going, gone!
Eccl. 4:12
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
October 22, 2014 – Click here to listen