Patriotic Theology: Sowing Confusion

https://tifwe.org/remembering-those-who-gave-the-greatest-sacrifice/

This was a Memorial Day-related article but it's just as appropriate for the 4th of July and indeed this whole 'Patriotic' period that seems to afflict the Church in the United States.

Mike Johnson's Corrupt Patriotism and Bogus Christianity

https://newrepublic.com/post/195266/mike-johnson-donald-trump-defense-corruption

This story from May is already outdated but the substance is still pertinent. In addition to his hypocritical defense of the January 6 protesters (especially when compared to the Trumpite faction's rhetoric concerning Los Angeles), Johnson recently spun the incident involving California Senator Padilla at the Kristi Noem press conference. He put the blame on Padilla and suggested he 'charged' the podium - which is pure rubbish and he knows it. The Senator was thrown to the ground and handcuffed - an incident that reminded me of Charles Sumner getting caned on the Senate floor in 1856. These incidents are all pieces of a puzzle that future historians will point to when commenting on the collapse of America and its pending civil war.

The Growing Impossibility of Social Life

At various times throughout history Christians have struggled to function within society. The reasons for this vary as do the contexts. In some cases there's the threat of outright persecution from the state, a false religion, or even a dominant apostate ecclesiastical body. At other times the struggle is more subtle. Instead of acute danger there is a kind of wearisome grind that takes place – a slow breaking of the will that can (from another angle) be viewed as a kind of seduction. This would most accurately describe the situation in today's United States.

Russell Moore Interviewed on NPR and the Growing Evangelical Rejection of Scripture

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/05/1192374014/russell-moore-on-altar-call-for-evangelical-america

I've written repeatedly about Russell Moore over the years and while he's considered in some quarters to be a quasi-'woke' liberal today, at one time he was as right-wing as anyone. I can't say that I've ever been a fan though I do appreciate his stand against Trump – though perhaps for different reasons than his. I will say he appeared the Christian when contrasted with the likes of Franklin Graham, the master and inheritor of a corrupt legacy and 'ministry' machine.

Jubilee and Growing Nationalism in British Evangelical Circles

This only about eight weeks late but it doesn't really matter. As much as I might enjoy doing so I'm not running a news site or current events blog. If it were up to me I would publish a couple of articles a day along with other essays and what I'd really like to do – more doctrinal and Scriptural studies. But work and other obligations means that's not possible. And as this year is proving to be one of the most difficult I've had in almost a decade, there's less time than usual as I'm putting in extra hours in an attempt to make ends meet. And in terms of writing, I'm playing catch up.

The Museum of American Christendom

https://www.christianpost.com/news/museum-of-the-bible-unveils-magna-carta-exhibit.html

The Evangelical community was excited when in 2017 the Green family (of Hobby Lobby fame) opened the Museum of the Bible in Washington DC. For many it communicated a powerful message regarding the Bible and its place in American society and culture. While they would have preferred it to be located on the National Mall itself, the fact that it sits nearby (with a top floor view) is pregnant with symbolism.

Confronting War Mythology

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2019/06/laurence-m-vance/the-greatest-generation-of-whoremongers/

Reading this also reminded me of Keith Lowe's Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II. It can be safely said that war foments and breeds evil. It is a case of Providential restraint being withdrawn and depravity is put on display, even unleashed.

Christian Media Schizophrenia on Display

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/moms-expose-librarys-shocking-lgbt-youth-pride-event-homosexuality-transgenderism-drag-queens

https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/trumps-4th-of-july-celebration-highlighted-everything-liberals-hate-about-america

On the one hand LifeSite, an Evangelical-style Catholic news outlet has done us a service in revealing the repugnant horrors of homosexual recruitment at work in connection with libraries and other public institutions. It truly was disturbing to read just how debauched and depraved these people are and how blatantly they are attempting to recruit the young into their evil sphere.

Beijing's Clampdown on Registered and Underground Churches

The Chinese are really engaged in big clampdown right now. I'm not sure if many Americans are able to figure out why. There is an aspect of this related to Xi Jinping's attempt to consolidate power and assert his authority but there's a larger context too. China is feeling threatened. Trump's moves vis-à-vis Taiwan, trouble brewing in Xinjiang and Western reporting about it, trade war with the United States, uncertainty about North Korea, growing tensions in the South Pacific, confrontations with Japan, a standoff with the Vatican and the list goes on.

The Trump Liturgy

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/02/22/demonic-activity-palpable-at-president-trumps-rally-pastor-says

This was passed to me recently. I think it's starting to generate some attention.

I don't have a lot to say about this Washington Post article but I think readers will find it interesting. I suppose one of the reasons is due to the fact that this Nazarene pastor, while thoroughly patriotic and supportive of Christian America... all the things I'm not.... still has enough, what shall we say... sanctified common sense?... to realise something is very wrong.

Varieties of Christian America

http://michaeljkruger.com/taking-back-christianese-7-america-is-a-christian-nation/

While I cannot fully agree with all his conclusions, Kruger is certainly on the right track and once again displays considerable wisdom in how he addresses the issue. He gets the answer right even if he's unwilling to put it as strongly as I would. In the final analysis, America is not a Christian nation.

Two Kingdom Theology in its Compromised Form

http://heidelblog.net/2016/05/memorial-day-a-time-to-distinguish-between-patriotism-and-pulpit/

This article is an affront to morality and Biblical sensibilities. All too often what passes as Reformed Two Kingdom Theology manifests itself in this type of mostly Sacralist, certainly Kuyperian and loosely Constantinian format. While not wishing to formalise a so-called Christian state it nevertheless champions the legacy of so-called Western Christendom. While its advocates may be anti-Theonomic and so-called Amillennialists, their embrace of Dominionist categories both in the end and on a practical level brings them to more or less the same place. In terms of ethics they might as well be Post-millenarians of the old stripe.

Right-Wing Militias and the Christo-American Heresy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OHQ5oMywMk

I apologise in advance as some will find this video to be offensive. It starts out with some bad language. I will also freely admit that it is heavily slanted and is not really attempting to be objective.

Russell Moore on Being an Exile

Enemies Roaring in the Midst: Memorial Day and the American Church

https://www.lewrockwell.com/lrc-blog/memorial-day-blasphemy/

https://www.lewrockwell.com/lrc-blog/a-memorial-day-sunday-success-story/

The first story is par for the course. I suppose we can be thankful for the reported success in the second piece but to me it wasn't the 'success' that was of interest but the report of just how bad things have gotten.

Bush Vindicated?

Many Christians seem to find some satisfaction in posting a video by FOX television personality Megyn Kelly. In it she's revisiting a video from Bush late in his presidency wherein he warns about the dangers of pulling out of Iraq too early.

Somehow they think this is a vindication? If we had just listened to George Bush then all of this wouldn't be happening?

Snipers Praised and Condemned

I recently heard Focus on the Family's Jim Daly interviewing Taysir Abu Saada the author of 'Once an Arafat Man: The True Story of how a PLO Sniper Found a New Life'.

Daly's comments were interesting. They talked about Saada's conversion to Christianity and how God kept working on him, wore him down and finally he gave in and accepted Christ. A moved Daly reflected that no one can be 'beaten' into the Kingdom.

Sound Byte Theology and Distortions of Biblical Non-Violence

Listening to a Calvary Chapel affiliated radio show I was disappointed to hear the 'experts' proclaim that pacifist Christianity was basically the province of theological liberals. Bible-believing Christians it was argued would never embrace such a position. The host and guest were good Christian America advocates who believe being patriotic goes hand in hand with being a Biblical Christian.

A Christian Lamenting Patriots

http://patriotslament.blogspot.com/2014/04/good-citizen.html

While I hardly share this author's vision or concerns I nevertheless can largely agree with him on this particular topic... how we should raise our children to think about citizenship.