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When The State Becomes God
When the State Becomes God: What to do when government invades your God-given freedoms To obey, or to disobey? History is filled with stories of conflict between the church and state. More often than not, these conflicts happen when the state overreaches its proper role and stifles its citizens’ freedom of conscience, freedom of worship, and the right to propagate one’s faith. Perhaps one of the most egregious examples of this happened in the first century when Christians who would not declare “Caesar is Lord” were ostracized or put to death. This was based on the accepted dictum that if … Read More >
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The Icon Of Tolerance
There’s One Thing Modern Tolerance Will Not Permit… To hear some people talk, you’d think that sin no longer exists in our society; but if there were one sin left, it would be intolerance. Once a person is branded intolerant, nothing else need be said. They are bigoted and need to be shunned. But let’s examine some of the definitions of this word tolerance closely. Legal tolerance is the basic right of everyone to believe whatever they choose to believe and say whatever they want to say. This kind of tolerance means we have freedom to worship or not worship, … Read More >
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Voting Your Conscience
None of the Above: When There is No Candidate You Want to Support “What do you do when you cannot support either candidate in an election?” This question came after a lecture I gave on the history of freedom of religion in Europe and the United States. It’s a question I’ve been asked many times in recent months. Of course, I’m sure the questioner was thinking of the presidential election, but his question also applies to other political races where we might be tempted to simply sit out the election and say, “No thanks. None of the above.” This is … Read More >
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Terrorism, Refugees, and Our Security
The war is raging. Months ago on television, when I saw the body of a two-year-old boy washed up on a shore, the victim of a capsized boat filled with refugees fleeing the horrors of ISIS, I wanted compassion to win. This precious child represented tens of thousands of refugees who are dying of hunger, lack protection from the weather, and are just plain exhausted. With incredulity and sorrow, we watch the hordes of weary immigrants march across rugged terrain, and pray that they can find a new life. In response to the crisis, several European countries have welcomed these … Read More >
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The Demise Of Religious Freedom In America
Before I speak about the ominous trends in America to curtail freedom of speech, let me tell you about Dr. Charles H. McVety, president of Canada Christian College in Toronto, whose television program was removed from the air because he had the temerity to preach against homosexuality. Later, he was allowed back on television, but now he has to submit his program to the Canadian Broadcast Standard Council every Wednesday for review by the censors on Thursday, and then, if approved, can be broadcast on Sunday. As far as I know this panel does not rule on programs that are … Read More >
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Confronting Dangerous Cultural Myths
When I wrote the book Hitler’s Cross, I explained some of the “cultural myths” that fed into the Nazi agenda and thus made Hitler’s Germany possible. These cultural myths are fueled by propaganda that pushes a culture in a destructive direction. In Hitler’s time there were several powerful cultural myths, including that the Jews were sub-human, that whatever was good for Germany was good for Christianity, and that obedience to the state transcends individual conscience, among others. Eric Hoffer said that, “propaganda does not deceive people; it merely helps them to deceive themselves.” The further we drift from God as … Read More >
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Christmas & COVID
Why COVID-19 Is Not The Last Pandemic To mask or not to mask? To vaccinate or not? Should vaccinations be mandatory or a matter of personal choice? Should children be required to wear masks at school? Even after this variant or any other has run its course, what comes next? I reply, plenty. With overwhelming questions like these, the celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas doesn’t seem to have any relevance to the realities we face. Jesus predicted pandemics like this, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines … Read More >
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Politics & The Manger
Jesus was born into a nation mired in political conflict. Political conflict is as old as civilization itself. The fight for power, profit, and self-determination has existed since Adam and Eve were chased out of Eden. The history of the world has been one of strife between families, cities, and nations. And when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, political tension and anger was rife throughout the then-known world. Luke’s version of the Christmas story begins with these words, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered” (2:1). On the political level, … Read More >
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The Flag And The Unraveling Of America
Dear Friend, When I entered the United States as a Canadian citizen back in 1970, I already had respect for the American flag—long before I became a US citizen. I can honestly say that despite the many faults of the United States—and there are many—I am unashamedly proud to be an America; I gladly say The Pledge of Allegiance and love “Old Glory.” The words in the Pledge, “the Flag of the United States of America,” were intended to make clear to immigrants that his was not the flag of their home country, but a flag intended to represent the … Read More >
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The Great Divide: Same-Sex Marriage And The Evangelical Christian
The Great Divide, as geologists call it, is a rocky ridge that runs from the mountains in Alaska all the way through South America. The water on the west side of the Divide runs into the Pacific Ocean; the water on the east side finds its way toward the Atlantic. Water that at one time was flowing in the same river is now separated, and never again the twain shall meet. The decision of the Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states has confronted us with our own great divide: on the one side are those who hold … Read More >
