Saturday, September 19, 2015

Christian or Muslim - A Letter from & for the Media (and US)

Over the past couple of days (and more) I have observed, admittedly with some amusement, as the media has attempted to call Donald Trump out for not correcting the reporter who called President Obama a Muslim.  Candidly, I was not going to write about this until I heard one of the other candidates say these words, "Yes, he (Trump) should have corrected the reporter because I have many times."  Had he left it at this, I would probably not be writing but then he went on to say, "The President has stated that he is a "Christian by faith."  This statement touched a nerve in me - from a Biblical perspective.

I'll admit it, I am one of those who remain unconvinced about the President's true faith, but this issue runs more deeply than just with President Obama.  Inasmuch as the POTUS is simply a citizen of this great nation who has been elected or selected by the populous to lead our country, whatever spiritual truths apply to us still apply to him.  NOW TO THE ISSUE.

One of the non-biblical concepts of our day is that a person "tells you what they believe" so they are called by the name of that belief system.  In other words, a Buddhist, a Hindu, a New Ager, an Islamist, and even a Christian ascribe to certain beliefs, so they wear the name of that set of beliefs.
While this is popular, when it comes to being a Christian - this concept is certainly not Biblical or rather unbiblical.  The word Christian appears only 3 times in the New Testament and not one time is there an instance of a) a person referring to himself as one, or 2) this name simply referring to people who only 'believed' in Jesus and His way of life.

While this is a blog and not a sermon the bottom line is this:  In Acts 11 (the first time Christ-followers were called Christian), it had little to do with what they believed and more to do with how they behaved because of what they believed.  In other words, they were "CALLED" Christian because they "ACTED LIKE" & "LIVED LIKE" Jesus, the Christ.  Taken a step further, legend has it that the name "Christian" was not intended as a compliment in those days, but rather, a negative nick-name because the people of Antioch could so clearly see Jesus in the lives of these followers.

Throughout the centuries, that concept has changed until today where declare 'ourself' to be a Christian.  It almost seems we have "Corinthianized" this name.  Whether we are in fact a "Christian" or not, it would seem, is for someone else to determine.  That said, there exist such a warped sense of who & what Jesus Christ was, that few would know the true Jesus if He came to our culture.

With this understanding, we come back to that original issue that has been made about our President. Is he a Christian or not?  The evidence is in his actions, his policies, and his words.  Were I to list them all this blog would be too long to read or write, but here are just a few (& perhaps not the most egregious);

2010 – While every White House traditionally issues hundreds of official proclamations and statements on numerous occasions, this White House avoids traditional Biblical holidays and events but regularly recognizes major Muslim holidays, as evidenced by its 2010 statements on Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, Hajj, and Eid-ul-Adha.
November 2010 – Obama misquotes the National Motto, saying it is “E pluribus unum” rather than “In God We Trust” as established by federal law.
September 2011 – The Army issues guidelines for Walter Reed Medical Center stipulating that “No religious items (i.e. Bibles, reading materials and/or facts) are allowed to be given away or used during a visit.”
October 2011 – Obama’s Muslim advisers block Middle Eastern Christians’ access to the White House.
November 2011 – President Obama opposes inclusion of President Franklin Roosevelt’s famous D-Day Prayer in the WWII Memorial.
November 2011 – The Air Force Academy rescinds support for Operation Christmas Child, a program to send holiday gifts to impoverished children across the world, because the program is run by a Christian charity.
April 2013 – The U.S. Army directs troops to scratch off and paint over tiny Scripture verse references that for decades had been forged into weapon scopes.
April 2013 – The U.S. Army directs troops to scratch off and paint over tiny Scripture verse references that for decades had been forged into weapon scopes.
In June, 2013 - His DOJ defunds a Young Marines chapter in Louisiana because their oath mentioned God.  Another youth program was also defunded because it permitted voluntary prayer.
June 2014 - Official U. S. government personnel, both civilian and military, in Bahrain (a small Arabic nation near Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran) must wear clothing that facilitates the religious observance of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
March 2015 - A decorated Navy chaplain was prohibited from fulfilling his duty of comforting the family (or any member of the unit) after the loss of a sailor because it was feared that he would say something about faith and God. He was even banned from the base on the day of the sailor's memorial service.

This is only a snippet of dozens, if not hundreds of ways that President Obama has shown his true beliefs and commitments to something and someone else other than Jesus Christ.  He is on record as saying there is more than one way to heaven which is in direct opposition to the Bible and to the words of Jesus.  He is on record as saying "We all worship the same God".  Not only does this counter the claim of every religion of man, but our Heavenly Father says, "I am the one true God and you are to have none other besides me."

Perhaps the reason that Mr. Trump (or anyone else) should not correct a brave person for expressing their view that President Obama is Islamist - is - because that is where his allegiance seem to lie and his support seems to go.  

Scriptures clearly state things like this:
"You will know them by their fruit"
"Where your 'treasure is', there is where your heart is" (emphasis mine)
"Out of the overflow of the heart, a man speaks"
"Be not deceived God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sows, that he will also. reap."

This blog brings me no joy.  Many of my friend whom have a deep admiration for our current president will be highly offended.

For me, Jehovah God, Creator God, Sustainer God, and even our Savior God, is highly offended when His name is reduced to the level of the 'gods of this world' and invoked when not honored.

Based on actions, words, and policies - I would not & do not correct someone referring to our current president as an Islamist.








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