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Sunday, February 25, 2007
Frank Pastore :: Townhall.com Columnist
Do You Support The Religious Left?
by Frank Pastore
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Will Congress pass Obamacare by the end of the year?

I’m a big believer in full disclosure, truth in advertising, and getting what you pay for – especially when it comes to discussing my two favorite topics, politics and religion. I hate euphemisms, deceptive labeling, half-truths, and any bait and switch. People should be honest about who they are and what they believe. They should be as plain-speaking, clear, and direct as possible – especially when it comes to important issues.

I believe people are supporting organizations like the National Council of Churches and other groups on the religious Left, without knowing – in clear terms – what these groups believe. Beneath their soaring and winsome rhetoric lies poli-cies and positions that betray their professed compassion. They sound so sensitive, caring, and empathetic, but the poli-cies they support – if implemented – would be the proverbial “medicine worse than the disease.” Their solutions would only make matters worse. It is my contention that if people actually knew the views of these groups and the conse-quences of their policies they would withdraw their support.

See how many of these position statements listed below representative of the religious Left that you agree with.

On Theology

1. God is morally neutral with regards to religion – it’s the act of faith, not the object of faith, that counts. There are no false religions – all religions have some truth. Jesus is not the “only way” to heaven. The Bible is neither inerrant nor infallible, it is filled with many errors and must be properly interpreted by experts.

2. Man is not depraved, there is no original sin; man is innately good, it is society that is evil. To improve the world, it is better to create good social institutions than to waste time trying to create good men.

3. God grades on a curve, there is no Hell. Everybody goes to heaven, eventually, if there is an afterlife.

4. Terms like “good” and “evil” are offensive, polarizing, and non-productive. They should never be used to describe in-dividuals, groups, societies, governments, nations, or religions.

5. Since objective truth is unknowable, public policy cannot be deduced from theology. Theology can only be formed inductively from policy preferences. (E.g., Homosexuality is no longer a sin in our faith community.)

On Abortion, Homosexuality and Global Warming

6. Episcopal churches who still believe homosexuality is a sin – and who therefore refuse to honor the ordination of ac-tive homosexuals (e.g., Gene Robinson) – should have their church property seized by the denomination.

7. All K-12 curricula should embrace the full spectrum of families, and no longer honor just the stereotypical “mother and father” family. Motherhood and fatherhood are equally expendable. The gender – and number – of parents is ir-relevant, as long as they are loving.

8. Some humans are more valuable than others. The killing of a fetus is moral because it prevents the mother from suf-fering an unwanted pregnancy. Similarly, the killing of a human embryo is moral if it can prevent the suffering of an-other human being by advancing medical breakthroughs. Both abortion and embryonic stem cell research are morally acceptable practices.

9. Man is responsible for all temperature fluctuations on the planet. Dissent is prohibited.

On Politics

10. God is morally neutral with regards to politics and economics – She’s neither a Democrat nor a Republican; She doesn’t prefer capitalism over socialism, communism, or Marxism; nor does She favor democracy over aristocracy, monarchy, or tyranny. We suspect She may prefer freedom to slavery, however.

11. All cultures are morally equal, except for Western culture which has been largely immoral. Allowing displays of American patriotism to occur in public is counterproductive to world peace. Multiculturalism good, American excep-tionalism bad.

12. The United Nations is morally superior to the Congress of the United States, just as the World Court is morally supe-rior to the Supreme Court of the United States.

13. National boundaries and rights of citizenship are exclusive and offensive to non-citizens, and therefore immoral. Continued...

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About The Author
The Frank Pastore Show is heard in Los Angeles weekday afternoons on 99.5 KKLA and on the web at kkla.com, and is the winner of the 2006 National Religious Broadcasters Talk Show of the Year. Frank is a former major league pitcher with graduate degrees in both philosophy of religion and political philosophy.
 
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throwing in the towel or crying in one
"It is my contention that if people actually knew the views of these groups and the conse-quences of their policies they would withdraw their support."


Some would but more would still support them for exactly that reason, the feel good one. I don't think it is a big enough exodus that would hurt their funds anyhow.

Do not give what is holy to dogs...
Mathew 7:6

Jesus did not debate or take too much time for people who had no real interest in seeking truth.

There are those who earnestly want to know who God is and there are those who want to "make up" who god is. "My god this... the god I believe in this... god wouldn't..."

Mark 7:28-29 shows the correct attitude in searching for God.

In searching for God, do we acknowledge Him as Lord, God Almighty, and acknowledge our position as nothing, as sinners? Are we desperate enough to know him to be overjoyed with the scraps of God? Or are we satisfied enough with what we have in the world (without God) for our pride to be wounded by this?

Do we struggle with our own pride, wanting to "be as God" while supposedly "searching for truth"? Is the truth measured by our own stick?

By what authority can we assume the position "Child of God" without first accepting submission to God and the absolute Authority of God?

Why bicker with someone over the words of God when their desire to follow God falls behind their desire to follow their own hearts first?

--- aside ---
Bridley,

Worship the Constitution and BoR?

Start a new church, get on TV. You won't have to quit being a reporter but I'm sure you'll make more money.

Flocks of people will rush to believe in and worship anything that doesn't get in the way of themselves.

er... it is a "living" (changeable) document isn't it?




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