Stop Pushing Me: A Statement About My Faith

In reference to the ongoing conversation about homosexuality I wish to make an open comment.

In light of the way things seem to be going it seems to me that lines have been drawn and forces arrayed on both sides. There’s a lot of pushing and shoving going on from the government. They want an anointed sainthood for the homosexuals and those of us of faith want to be left alone. This is nothing new under the sun. I’m an amateur historian and know that events like this have happened all down the centuries and, like I always say, history does repeat itself. Right now things aren’t too bad but I think  the time to choose may well be upon us sooner rather than later. It's important to me to clearly state my position and openly declare which side I am on and who I am. It comforts me that so many have also stated in no uncertain terms what they believe and who their alliance is with. I can do no less.

I am an unabashed and unapologetic Bible believing, fundamentalist Christian. That means that I personally have accepted and embraced Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I’m counting on Him for my eternal salvation. That also means that I know that the Holy Bible is the literal Word of God. In that light I also know homosexuality is a sin (just one of a multitude, but still a sin and worthy of death). Not a crime but a sin. I only care about this as it relates to everyone's immortal soul. It horrifies me to think some will be spending eternity in Hell because they haven’t accepted Christ. All of us as Christians have the duty to tell folks that unforgiven sin is a one way ticket away from the Grace of God and into eternal damnation. We are His Ambassadors in a foreign land. My statement today is that everyone can have a relationship with God, no matter what the sin. What that relationship is depends on each of us. I'm not in the eternal judgment business, that's God's purview, but with the help of His Holy Word, I can make my own judgments on what constitutes sin, what the result will be and what I need to do personally to be right with The Lord. I'm a sinner, no less than anyone else. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God …” [Romans 3:23] As one who professes Jesus Christ, that puts me in the position of witnessing to others but also looking after my own house. How you manage yours is your business but I will speak out. I will not be silenced no matter the cost. That makes me loving, not full of hate and certainly, not intolerant. If you where sitting on train tracks with your back to an approaching train, shouldn’t I warn you to get off the tracks!? Of course I would. This is no different.

I also strongly believe in the rule of law and the fact that all people are created equal with inherent free will. That means they are free to choose the life they wish to lead and so long as that doesn't infringe on the inherent personal rights of others, it‘s none of my business. I'm supposed to love all and I strive to do just that in my own quiet way. I do not hate anyone based on their race, culture, life choices or sexuality. Every human being is my brother or sister. If you're life choice is destructive, it‘s only hurting you, not me. It doesn't effect our relationship, only yours with a loving God. It has nothing to do with me. If you've heard The Word then go and live your life as you deem fit. I have taken the same stance on homosexuals pretending that they can be married to each other. They want to play house without any of the consequences. Doesn’t work that way. We all pay for our life choices. However, it seems to me that it is in the best interest of a country to encourage the idea of Going Forth and Multiplying under the protection of the marriage contract. It protects women and it protects the children that are sure to follow. I’ve always felt that the Constitution is a divinely inspired document. The reason it's silent on the specifics of marriage is because back then, people walked closer to God and this wasn‘t an issue. I do suggest that let's get government out of marriage altogether and let churches go back to deciding who they'll marry. For everyone else it should remain a civil license. A contract is a contract. Perfect equality while respecting religious freedoms.

But. There's a limit to all this tolerance and it's reached under duress and state coercion.

This then is the position I and many others of my faith find ourselves in. I think by our very silence we encourage further persecution of Christianity. As a Christian it is my sacred duty to teach The Word and share the love of Jesus Christ to anyone who desires to hear and that's the key phrase. Desires. Teaching others about the His love has a lot of different connotations. I'm a layman so I'm generally limited to a soft word, a prayer or an answered question. But I'm beholden to my God not to be silent. That is my Faith in action.

What I strongly object to is the idea that I must celebrate any lifestyle at odds with my religious beliefs. Why isn't it enough that we can live together in peace and harmony without my having to deny my profound and deeply personal relationship with my Creator and literally abandon Him? Stop pushing me to accept your sin as being “OK“ or an “alternate lifestyle“. It ain‘t happenin‘. I won't do that no matter the cost. Leave me alone and I'll return the gesture. Defend my freedoms and I'll do the same for yours. But stop pushing me. If you back me into a corner where the choices are between belief and non belief, between God or political correctness, there's going to be a fight because I'll choose God every time and I won't go down timidly. It has nothing to do with tolerance or bigotry or phobia or any of the other made up buzzwords being tossed out by a culture increasingly hostile to God. It has to do with my own personal deeply held faith and the idea that I am either free to live my life as I deem fit or we as a people are a lot less free than we imagine. Thought Crime persecution isn't on my side, it's on the side of the rabidly atheist, humanist, politically and power driven Left.

I desire no authority over anyone's life and it infuriates me that others want power over mine. God is my ultimate authority and I desire no more than to be free to try and live as I believe he wants me to. In my world Christians are the Paladins, riding to the rescue and defending freedom and the forces of good and decency. Yes, we do fall and fail with maddening regularity but that doesn't take away from the core. The basic idea behind true Christian Faith. Love. Love for God and Love for each other. If you're like me, a sinner (and in my belief you are, we all are), then I love you. If you hate me I love you. If you persecute me I will still love you and I will continue to do so even if you force me to defend myself, my freedoms and my faith. And understand, defense of self and faith is no sin. Defense of faith does not mean forced conversion to Christianity but it does mean active and forceful resistance to forced conversion to a belief system incompatible with my faith by those who view Christianity as something to be eradicated.

We were once a nation founded on the basic idea of live and let live. Cuique Sum," to each his own". We are seemingly no longer that country. I still see signs of it, in the words of some who are not of my faith, but I fear they are now the exception and not the rule. So let me state it for myself. My words and not those of any other. My understanding and not those of learned scholars. My misunderstandings, failures and weaknesses. My human frailties. My Faith.

We are all created equal in the sight of God. We all have the exact same chances, choices and inherent rights. We are all free to choose the life we want within the strictures of civil law. No one should be free to exercise undue and unfair influence on that basic equality. We should be free to practice religion, or the absence of same, as we deem right and fit without fear of repercussions or silencing. No one is created better or worse than anyone else. How we end up depends on the choices we make on this Earth. I love everyone to the extent that I am capable and within the bounds of my life experiences and how they have shaped me. I am fragile, fallible and imminently human. I am prone to mistakes and errors of both discernment and judgment. I am a terrible sinner who needs God's Grace and Forgiveness each and every day of my life. I am neither judge nor jury and have no desire to be either. I have enough problems ordering my own life to meddle about in others. Please stop pushing me.

And that's sort of my point in all this. Faith, or the lack of, is a deeply personal thing. It's in our hearts and the deepest and darkest parts of our minds and souls. It is an intimate matter between each of us and our Creator and no one else. In the end it's all that really matters in this life and to be so arrogant as to believe that anyone has the right to dictate what that relationship is, or even whether it will be allowed to exist at all, is the ultimate tyranny. Coercion is evil. Period dot end. My answer is an unqualified No.

I keep getting told that my faith makes me a hater, a phobic and a criminal moron. So be it. If that's what you believe then you are free to do so. You are free to insult, hate, and preach against me and my faith. But understand that I, and a lot of others just like me, have more than a bit of the Old Testament in us and we absolutely will not lay down and die just because we're inconvenient to your view of the World as you wish it to be. I am most definitely an acolyte of the Church Triumphant. Anyone who has ever read my blog or writings knows that I am hardly a fire and brimstone Christian. I consider myself a fairly quiet person on issues of faith preferring to let others seek and find as they will. Sometimes I worry that I'm too silent but my Libertarian side requires that of me just as my Faithful side requires obedience. I am not tolerant, I am an American who holds the idea that true freedom is given by God Himself and is the natural state of Man. Your relationship with God is your own business. I won't pretend otherwise. But so is mine. Please refrain from telling me otherwise.

I've come to the point where I have stopped begging and started telling.

Stop pushing me into that corner.

~ Ride Safe ~

Sparky

Weather Or Not Winter Is Here

First the temperatures dropped. Then since early New Year's Eve, it has rained, and rained, and rained. Usually, I like the rain, but, golly, I'm ready for it to be gone!

This was at mid-day. I am so tired of the gloomy skies!

This was "taken" a few moments ago. Can you see how we are socked in with clouds? I know, it's nothing compared to the brutal weather y'all are having up north. Believe me, I do feel for ya.

It's suppose to be snowing not far from us in South Carolina, so, we might get light flurries ourselves. That would be cool. Been watching Fox News and reading everyone's blogs and I see that snow is expected at record heights in Yankeeland with record cold temperatures. And it's expected to intensify through tomorrow.

I say let's start taking up a fund to go here ...

 www.caribbean.com/‎

... wouldn't that be a welcome change?! *smile*

Y'all stay safe up there in Snow Country. I'm praying for you all.

~ Ride Safe ~

Sparky

Happy New Year!

We're going to a local party with friends. See y'all next year! [ha ha]

~ Ride Safe ~

Sparky

A Blog Question, Need Help Please

Any of my blog buddies good at using this blogger? For months now, I have been trying and trying to get rid of this grey background template on my blog. (see screen capture below)

The gray really shows up where I don’t have any graphics. I want it to be a white background. I think if I change templates, I’ll lose all my graphics, etc., won’t I? And I don’t want that to happen! Any suggestions pretty please? Oh, and K-I-S-S because I am when it comes to computers. [lol]

Thanks if you can help out. If not, no problem, I'll just put up with it.

~ Ride Safe ~

Sparky

A New Way Of Eating

"Now go and get some wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and emmer wheat, and mix them together in a storage jar. ….”  Ezekiel 4:9 (partial) New Living Translation

I know this is the wrong time of year to discuss [gulp] a diet! The first three letters are D-I-E after all. [lol] But I have to share how Hubby and I have been eating a certain way (I won’t use the “d” word again) that has helped us keep the weight off, increase energy levels, and just be healthier all around. It’s also helped us save a lot money on groceries.

One thing we had to face was we really had to give up eating so much red meat and the sugar. Very nearly everything processed has sugar these days. Sugar not only adds pounds, it also causes temporary memory loss, and has been proven to be the primary cause of heart failure and Alzheimer’s. My step-mother died from the ravages of Alzheimer’s. Trust me, you do NOT want to contract this devastating disease. It was awful to watch her mentally disappear from me day by day. It was heart wrenching and has stayed with me all these years. She was skinny as a rail and quite ’healthy’ but would cook with sugar like it was being banned. I’m convinced in my own mind that too much sugar is what helped contribute to her early demise.

A very dear sister-in-law is handicapped with a tumor on her spine. Daily she has to take mind numbing pain killers just to keep from screaming. Poor thing is trapped in her own body. All the pain killers and cycle of pain caused her to have a hard time eating regular meals. She was reduced to eating only one meal a day and only at a specific time and even then hopefully, it wouldn‘t make her sick. Then on top of that, she was plagued with repeating kidney stones. A trusted pain doctor suggested she go vegetarian. So she started experimenting with different vegetarian diets, including giving up dairy products. Turns out, on top of everything else, she has a mild lactose intolerance (I’m severely lactose intolerant myself) and a wheat allergy. Who knew?

Stay with me. I am gong somewhere with this. [lol]

Through her experimenting, she has found a diet that works and keeps her from feeling hungry. Plus she has lost SO much weight! It’s amazing. So she has turned us on to making Almond Milk “blends” (made in the blender).

Here’s an example. Blend the following throughly:
Unsweetened Almond Milk (about 2 cups)
Banana
Flax Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Chia Seeds
Brazil Nut
Fresh Apple, cored and peeled
Bee Pollen
Blue Berries (can be frozen)
Grapes
Chard

This blend specifically helps people with diabetes and aids in weight loss. I add frozen strawberries to mine. I also add 2 teaspoons of Splenda to add a little sweetness (but I‘m a Sugar-holic).

One can also blend vegetables. Here‘s an example:
Spinach
Parsley
Plum Tomatoes
Garbanzo Beans
Pumpkin Seeds
Flax Seeds
Lemon Juice
Salt/Pepper to taste
Olive Oil

There’s many, many more and in any variety one can think of.

Sister-in-law also shared with us about eating a brand of bread called Ezekiel 4:9 Bread which has no added sugar.

Granted, it’s a bit bland compared to ‘regular‘ bread, but using this instead of our usual Whole Wheat has helped us keep the pounds off. I didn’t know that eating Whole Wheat was no different than eating a piece of cake! Yipes! The Cinnamon Raisin is especially good.

So hope this helps others, not only to lose weight but also to save money.

Happy New Year!

~ Ride Safe ~

Sparky

Two Minutes With The Bible ~ More Than Conquerors

More Than Conquerors

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Berean Bible Society
Printer Friendly Version

Two boys fight in a back alley. Fists fly. Shouts go up from the other youngsters standing by. “Give it to ‘im! Let ‘im have it!”

Finally one of the two struts away with an arrogant bearing, head and shoulders wagging. He has won!

But has he? Look at him. He has a bloody nose, a black eye and welts on his face and arms. And if looks could kill he wouldn’t even be alive, for while his friends shout his praises, the boy he has beaten gives him a look that says: “Just wait.” He has not won anything except, perhaps, a bitter and lasting enemy.

So it is with the wars that nations wage against each other. Necessary as it sometimes becomes to defend our liberties, our homes, our way of life, by force of arms, seldom does any nation actually win the war. Rather all lose, even the “victors,” as in their “victories” they sow the bitterness and hate which are the seeds of future wars.

It is different, however, with “the good fight of [the] faith,” for the Christian may come out of every battle stronger than when he went in. Only the Christian can say with regard to the heartaches and disappointments, the difficulties and obstacles, that cross his path: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Rom. 8:37).

During Paul’s busy ministry for Christ he suffered a painful “thorn in the flesh,” and “besought the Lord thrice” that it might be taken away. The Lord did not see fit to remove the thorn, but answered Paul:

“My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Cor. 12:9).

Paul’s response:

“Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me… for when I am weak, then am I strong” (Vers. 9,10).

Let all go well, and we are prone to grow careless in our Christian lives. Adversity, on the other hand, makes Christians lean the harder and pray the more — and therein lies their strength and their victory.

---

To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.

 

 

Rambling Thoughts

A very dear blogger friend shared her rambling thoughts today, so, I thought I’d jump in and share mine.

• Attended yet another funeral today for another friend in Brunswick: casual friend for me, former working buddy for Hubby. This is becoming all too common for us. It seems like so many of our friends / family are going to meet the Lord before us. It was a nice service but I feel really down for some reason.

Ok, I do know why.

• I had a bit of an epiphany sitting in that humble Presbyterian church. This could be me next. We’re all aging. Unfortunately, Hubby is 8 years older than me. I wish it was the other way around! He traded his good health for physical labor that we may have our daily bread. Now his poor body is showing signs of all this hard labor. He’s had two shoulder surgeries, knee surgeries, cortisone shots for pain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and on and on. We talked about the finality of life recently and decided it would be wise to have Living Wills and Power Of Attorney’s made next year. There are already regular Wills, of course, but our Financial Guy had suggested the additional documents. Kinda brings it all home, doesn’t it? No one lives forever on this earth. Best to make plans so those left behind will not have too many agonizing decisions to ponder. Plus, Ok, I’ll admit it, I’m a bit of a control freak. [smile] I want my funeral my way (like, I’ll be here to enjoy it … lol).

• My mood didn’t improve when we returned from the funeral this afternoon for we saw that the Jack Russell Terrorists had partially tore up the dirt driveway leading into the carport! I think Sam was trying to dig to China. Before we left, Sam had gotten hold of Hubby’s leather cell phone carrier and was proceeding to dismantle it. [Those things aren’t cheap!] And just a few minutes ago, I had to take some of my Christmas decorations away from them that I had down by the gate. I had planned on leaving them up for when hubby’s sister and family get here on Wednesday so everything would look festive, but, needless to say, I’m putting away the decorations tomorrow. I will be so glad when The Boys get neutered next month!! They are such a pill right now. THEY’RE DRIVING ME BONKERS TODAY! [lol]

Aw well.

• I’m sitting here enjoying “Jane Eyre” (2006) playing on the Ovation Channel again. It’s a wonderful story. I finally read the book a few months ago, and this version is the closest to the book. It’s such a pity that Charlotte Bronte’ died so young. She must have been one of the best writers that’s ever lived and this story ranks at the top.

• I enjoy family genealogy. A LOT! I was a frequent contributor to FindAGrave. As of this past week, I left the site. In March 2010, FindAGrave created a way to “edit” other peoples contributions and ever since then, it’s brought out the trolls in droves. So many fellow contributors are now spiteful, unkind, violent and down right rude. 99% of them are women. Isn’t that sad?! What’s happened to us females?! We used to epitomize kindness, love, and a softness that is now lacking in our society. There’s a harsh, cruel edge to so many women now. I don’t go there with the being bossy crowd “just because I can” with the anonymity of the internet. So, I’m outta here with that site. Turned all my memorials over to a friend to care for if there's any further updates. That keeps my three mothers and all the family I’ve added in loving memory “safe” from predatory women. Maybe we should call them Internet Cougars, like those sick women that prey on children. Yuck. Anyway, I feel relieved to be away from the site. I was beginning to dread checking my e-mail of late because I took a risk that there would be some cruel comment on one of my loved ones memorials. Unkindness always gives me tummy aches.  I had enough of that from an abusive father.

Well that’s all that’s in my muddled head tonight. I’m going to enjoy some of my Hippie Tea (actually it's Tension Tamer Herbal Tea, makes one very relaxed) and an early night, I think. Tomorrow will bring a new day with a new beginning and hopefully, a better outlook.

~ Ride Safe ~

Sparky