Wanted: Common Sense

This letter to the editor was not printed because it contained too much of another's work. The editor requires the most of the work be original.
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I read a quote from the Czech Republic newspaper, Prager Zeitung, that sums up my sentiments perfectly, except I would prefer a less contentious word than "fool." It can be found on bernardgoldberg.com, posted November 16, 2012.

"The danger to America is not Barack Obama, but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools, such as those who made him their president.”

Common sense and wisdom have fallen in our country. Were that not so the absolute foolishness of such matters as the same-sex marriage issue and elevating animals to the same level as humans would not be happening. Some things are just obvious to any thinking mind. But when rational thinking is subverted by emotionalism and self-will enrobed in fantasy anything can happen—and is! The only hope for this country is if its citizenry will come back to God and reality and live accordingly. I pray that God will open the hearts and minds of our president, all others in authority and the people of this nation to do just that. Were that to happen we would have a truly great nation again.

Homosexuality and the Bible, letter to the editor

This post is a slightly edited copy of a letter to the editor of the Salina Journal, Salina, Kansas I wrote in 2012 or so. The city council was wanting to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the city's anti-discrimination policy. There were three public forums to allow the public to express their views on the subject. I attended the third one, which is mentioned here. This letter to the editor is in response to a man who was presenting an unbiblical viewpoint on the subject. This letter did not get printed in the paper, I assume because it was too long, even though I took it down to about four hundred words as the editor requested. I post it here for those who would like a little more information to defend the biblical position on homosexuality, or for those who need to be corrected on the issue. I have chosen not to give the full name of the man I am disagreeing with to be charitable.

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At the last public forum on the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity into the city's non-discriminations ordinance, former United Methodist pastor, Dr. W. E. S., stated his views on homosexuality and the Bible. He also made a paper on the subject available on the front table. It seems to me he is merely attempting to reinterpret the Bible to fit what one might call the popular thought of the day on this subject. What he said does not at all represent the consensus of Bible interpreters throughout the ages, nor the straight-forward proclamation of the Scripture itself.

He argues that the term "homosexual" was coined by Freud and is not used in many of the translations. The point is moot. The concept is obviously in scripture in both words and phrases. The ancient Greek word, arsenokoites, used in 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10 means "homosexual", especially referencing the active partner of the relationship. Another Greek word, malakos, in 1 Timothy 1:10 refers to the passive partner in a homosexual relationship. Jude 7 uses the term "strange flesh" referring to homosexual behavior in contrast to immoral heterosexual behavior mentioned previously. The Greek word translated "strange" in some English versions literally means "other," referencing "another kind" of flesh—i.e. unnatural sexual activity.     

The apostle Paul in Romans 1:18-32, condemns both homosexual behavior and desires in no uncertain terms, especially in verses 24-27. God, through the apostle, calls homosexual desire and practice unnatural, in violation of God's created order. The reason for this downfall from the exalted position into which mankind was created is because mankind rejected God and His truth, believing, rather, a lie which they made up themselves. "Professing themselves to be wise they became fools" and turned truth and the created order on their heads. Nowhere in scripture can one find even a hint that God created anyone to be homosexual. Such is an aberrancy to scripture and the created order. Hence, the explicit commands against men having sex with other men, Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. Homosexuality is there listed among other perversions of nature such as bestiality and the sacrificing of children to an idol.

Dr. S. wants us to believe that the prohibition is not against all homosexuality but only against those who were born heterosexual but commit homosexual acts against their personal nature, not those who were born homosexual. But where does he get the idea anyone was ever created homosexual? Not from the Bible for sure! Never is there the slightest hint of such a thing. The concept of  "natural" in the Scriptures is that which is in accordance to the created order of all, not a so-called personal created order. All were created according to the order  given in Genesis chapters 1 and 2. God created a man and a woman, signifying the complementary roles of the opposite sexes. This truth is everywhere in scripture while the opposite can only be imagined. God Himself, who is Jesus Christ, affirms the created order in Matthew 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-9. Scripture only condemns homosexual desire and practice, never affirms it. Like every other sin, it must be repented of, one putting his or her faith in Christ for forgiveness and restoration. Eternal judgment awaits those who will not. Like everyone else, I lived an aberrant life in many ways. Thankfully the Lord kindly and graciously turned me from sin to Himself to trust only in Him. I pray all who read this will do the same.

True Spirituality

Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart

By: George Croly

Spirit of God, descend up on my heart;

Wean it from earth; thro’ all its pulses move;

Stoop to my weakness, mighty as thou art,

And make me love thee as I ought to love.

I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies,

No sudden rending of the veil of clay,

No angel visitant, no op’ning skies;

But take the dimness of my soul away.

Teach me to feel that thou art always nigh;

Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,

To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh;

Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

Teach me to love thee as thine angels love,

One holy passion filling all my frame;

The kindling of the heav’n descended Dove,

My heart an altar, and thy love the flame.

Amen.

As I read this hymn I was reminded of what true spirituality is and what it seeks. It is not the emotional ecstasy sought by the mystic and charismatic, the instability of sought-out feelings as anchors of the soul. No, it is the stability of the sure confidence of God in Christ. It seeks not an experience, though it is experiential. It seeks not a feeling, though it is felt. It seeks nothing but the reality of God in the truth of His Word which foundations the confidence of our faith. 

The request of the hymnodist is the Spirit's descent upon him with the result of his being weaned from this world, its ways and stuff in conjunction with a deepening love for God and the realization of His presence. One can not but be reminded of the Scriptures

1John 2:15  "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."                             
James 4:4  "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."  
Proverbs 30:7  "Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:  8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:  9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain."            
Psalms 27:4  "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of he LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple."

Psalm 42:1  "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God."
Psalm 119:131  "I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments." 

These verses encapsulate an abhorance of this world coupled with an intense longing for our Heavenly Father in His person and commandments, to know them and keep them. This is true spirituality. There is no other.