We Do Know A Lot More Now

As spiritual practice is seeming in a state of decline, it only stands to reason that ignorance of spiritual things seems to be increasing. Paul described this condition in Ephesians chapter 4:
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ...

It's no secret that the dominant media culture favors abortion - I would actually say that you have a number of abortion advocates who are either ignorant of the life of an unborn child or have become so blinded by popular political discourse that they fail to see what is immoral about taking that life.

So, recently, in the aftermath of the Arizona Supreme Court rightly upholding a pro-life law dating back to the mid 1800's, daytime talk-show host and former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson decided to share her views on abortion - in the course of a conversation with former First Lady Hillary Clinton. 

The Hollywood Reporter stated:

“Did you ever think in your lifetime we would see that happen?” Clarkson asked Clinton of what’s happening in Arizona. “It’s just insane to me, the thinking that went on in 1864. It’s a very different world. We know a lot more now. We are going backwards.”

“It is horrifying,” Clinton said. “I feared it would happen but I hoped it wouldn’t happen. Now here we are in the middle of this very difficult period for women in about half the states of our country, who cannot get the care that they need.

Oh, yes, the wrong side of history and all that.  Well, it's an even more "very difficult period" for unborn children in America.  The "care that they need?  As our pro-life friends state, "abortion is not health care."

Clinton went on to say: "The old law in Arizona is without exceptions [for rape and incest]...and the danger to women’s lives as well as to our right to make our own decisions about our bodies and ourselves is so profound. And there’s another element to it, which I find so troubling. I mean, there’s a kind of cruelty to it.”

Live Action News made these points:

What Clinton left out is the fact that 1) laws generally tend to regulate and restrict what we can and cannot do with ourselves and our bodies — especially if it involves harm to others, and 2) induced abortion (which involves the intentional and direct killing of the preborn child) isn’t necessary to save a pregnant woman’s life. Emergency delivery treats both with the human dignity they deserve. Miscarriage treatments, emergency deliveries, and treatment for ectopic pregnancies aren’t abortions and they are legal in every state.

Live Action went on to share Clarkson's comments about her own experience with having been hospitalized for her two pregnancies:

“I literally asked God, this is a real thing, to just take me and my son in the hospital for the second time, because I was like, ‘It’s the worst thing,’” she said, continuing, “It was my decision and I’m so glad I did it, I love my babies, but to make someone… and you don’t realize how hard it is. The fact that you would take that away from someone, that can literally kill them. The fact that if they’re raped by their family member and they have to — it’s just like insane to me.”

But again, Clarkson appears to be conflating induced, elective abortion with legitimate and standard medical care utilized to protect the life of a pregnant woman (and the preborn child, if possible) in an emergency situation. Emergency situations during pregnancy, including things like PPROM and preeclampsia, do not necessitate induced abortion (intentional killing) as the standard of care.

Of course, pro-life laws have not been known to cause women’s deaths; despite popular myth, women were not dying by the thousands from illegal back-alley abortions before Roe v. Wade was enacted.

And, as the article points out, Clarkson said that we “know a lot more now” - " presumably meaning that the country should be embracing the homicide of preborn human beings. But if anything, advances in science and medicine have further proven the humanity of the preborn child, only serving to show why laws to protect them are necessary."

So, the scare tactics are certainly in overdrive - women are afraid that they won't receive the proper medical care if there are problems with a pregnancy.  And, that fear is being used to justify the taking of unborn life.  As Live Action pointed out, unusual circumstances do not necessitate taking life.  It's just another tool that is being used to deceive women. 

Kelly Clarkson said that forcing women to have a child conceived in rape is "insane."  Ryan Bomberger of the Radiance Foundation would disagree. At Liberty University, according to its website, he said: "I am literally part of the 1% that is used 100% of the time to justify abortion,” adding, “But circumstances of our conception never change the condition of our worth.” He added, “What the victims of violence and rape need is wholeness and healing, not abortion hucksters profiting from pain and fear..." 

But, this is a reminder that you have people with an enormous platform who have either not thought through the issue, or they have and come to an unbiblical conclusion.  It is a fact that we do know more now, and as Live Action states, "that makes intentional killing by abortion inexcusable." We have the truth of God's Word, we have the compassion of Christ that is being deployed throughout our nation to help women in crisis make sound, life-affirming decisions.  We have the science that shows the humanity of a child in the womb.  So, we don't have to compromise or give in to those who perpetrate fear - we can believe in the power of truth.

God's Special Plan

God has established a special covenant relationship with the Jewish people, dating back to Abram's first encounter with God - that relationship has not been revoked; and the apostle Paul addressed it in Romans chapter 11:
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins."
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

There has certainly been a lack of moral clarity expressed, especially among younger adults, with regard to the ideals and ambitions of the terrorist group Hamas, which carried out a brutal attack against Israel on October 7 and whose power and influence in the Middle East is being challenged by Israel's strategy to eradicate the organization. 

By and large, most Americans, and even a majority of young adults, see Hamas for what it is. A Summit Ministries poll, conducted in partnership with RMG Research, which was founded by well-known researcher Scott Rasmussen, indicates these facts, as reported by the survey summary:

• 81 percent of American voters overall agree with the U.S. government classifying Hamas as a terrorist group
• 61 percent of voters 18-24 years old agree with the U.S. government classifying Hamas as a terrorist group.

So, even a majority of young adults agree that Hamas is a terrorist group, but that group registers 20 points less than the overall percentage of Americans.  

But, when people are asked about Israel's campaign against Hamas, the numbers shift, especially among the 18-24 crowd:

• 58 percent of American voters overall believe Israel’s campaign against Hamas is just, while 21 percent believe that Israel having greater wealth and military power makes its military campaign against Hamas unjust.
• 42 percent of voters 18-24 years old believe Israel’s campaign against Hamas is just, while 47 percent believe that Israel having greater wealth and military power makes its military campaign against Hamas unjust.

Overall, only 10 percent of U.S. voters believe Israel does not "have a right to exist as a nation;" that percentage goes way up among younger adults, with around one-third saying that Israel has no right to exist. 

So, what do you make of these statistics? Summit President Jeff Myers is quoted in the survey summary: “We are now seeing the logical outcome of an education system that teaches students to see the world through a lens of racialist resentment. Gen Z is so embarrassed about being American that a large swath of them have become terrorist sympathizers,” adding, “Gen Z is three times as likely as the general population to deny Israel’s right to exist. Sympathy for Hamas has grown. This should be a massive wake-up call to parents, educators, and cultural leaders—we now have a generation primed to accept without question the propaganda of those who wish to overturn Judeo-Christian civilization.”

An article at The Stream featured comments from Myers, as well as Paul Batura of Focus on the Family.  Myers is quoted as saying: “Young adults seem to be governed by this oppressor-versus-oppressed mindset...We’ve heard about this for a long time. We’ve sort of suspected that professors are teaching students this Marxist framework of the world." He added:

“Gen Z really bought it, and they view Israel as the oppressor because it is a wealthier place than Gaza. They also view it as the oppressor because it has more military equipment and the support of the United States and Gaza does not. And they believe that the United States of America is a bad place, that our influence in the world is bad.”

Batura said, “Education is one of the best-known antidotes to ignorance,” adding, “Open the Old Testament before opening The New York Times. Wise moms and dads read from their Bibles before doing so from a newspaper or online news site. When it comes to cultivating love, respect, and appreciation for Israel, our children should know that the Jewish people are God’s chosen ones. He chose the Holy Land for Christ’s earthly ministry — and promised it to the Jewish people.” The article goes on to say that, "He added that parents should teach the history of the Jewish people, like the Holocaust. 'Teaching truth is a powerful tool when combating lies.'”

So, there are three concepts that I'd like to put forth here.  One is that Israel is a key component of the plan of God.  The nation that occupies its current land mass is a nation which has been the recipients of God's blessings and has now been established in the land God has given to them, at least in part. The plan for God for Israel runs all the way through the Old Testament - and the New, when you read the book of Revelation.  Historically, the Jewish people and Christians have had that special bond. 

We also recognize that Hamas and other Islamic terror groups do not serve the same God we do. Muslims and Christians do not call on the same God - and their God, they believe, has called them to engage in warfare against those who do not follow their teaching.  We're called to love our enemies and even share the gospel with them; they are bent on destroying their enemies - and Israel is chief among them. 

Finally, antisemitism is never right.  Batura is quoted by The Stream as saying: "It’s a toxic assault on the very nature of God,” adding, “Ignoring or appeasing the oppressors will not make them go away. We must confront and resist the hate, and model love and appreciation for our Jewish friends.” These expressions of hatred and discrimination against Jewish people, based on their heritage and beliefs, is an affront to the God Himself who chose them for a special purpose. 

The Money Trail

Money can buy influence, and the wrong kind of influence can lead to all sorts of corruption. We have to understand that there are morally-challenged, well-funded efforts to distort, deceive, and diminish the Christian message. 1st Timothy 6 says:
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

"Follow the money" - that's a phrase that is commonly used in the political sphere, and you can learn a lot to see the sources of income that fund campaigns. It was used in the headline of an article that I'll be covering later. 

The phrase is important in ministry, as well - as a listener-supported ministry, we depend on the Lord to use His people to sow into this ministry. But, you have so-called Christian organizations that have donors who are attempting to buy influence by making contributions - and we need to know about that. 

Certainly, there is legitimacy regarding Israel's attempt to eradicate a terrorist foe. I, as well as Christian leaders who stand with Israel, recognize the importance of that nation's right to exist and its long-standing history in God's plan. 

In America, there are well-funded organizations that are furthering the cause of Hamas - a terror organization that stands in opposition to the ways of God. A Politico story recently highlighted how the protests in favor of the fictitious nation called "Palestine" and the dangerous group, Hamas, have spread to college campuses.  And, there's nothing organic about it. 

The article says that two organizations that have funded the events at a number of campuses, including Columbia, are Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow, which receive support from the Tides Foundation, which is connected to George Soros and has also been funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The article says, "...a spokesperson with the Open Society Foundations, of which Soros is the founder and chairman, said in a statement that it 'has funded a broad spectrum of US groups that have advocated for the rights of Palestinians and Israelis and for peaceful resolution to the conflict in Israel.' The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has previously funded the Tides Foundation and other groups, said it no longer has active grants to Tides. It also does not support Jewish Voice for Peace or IfNotNow." You also have the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, which "has given nearly $500,000 directly to Jewish Voice for Peace, which explicitly describes itself as anti-Zionist, over the past five years. Rockefeller Brothers has separately given grants to both the Tides Foundation and the Tides Center."

Susan and Nick Pritzker are megadonors and founded the Tides Foundation, which according to Politico, has "supported the Adalah Justice Project, which has also been part of protests at Columbia University. The group wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that 'universities are hedge funds, deeply embedded with weapons manufacturers.' Tides also supports Palestine Legal, a legal defense fund that is offers legal assistance to 'students mobilizing against genocide.'  The Politico article also notes:

The Tides Foundation issued a statement about funding groups that protest, saying it is “committed to advancing social justice,” adding that its “community of fiscally sponsored projects, donors, and grantees represent a wide range of perspectives on what social justice looks like.”

Palestine Legal has been a fiscally sponsored project of the Tides Center since 2013, and Adalah Justice Project since 2016, according to a spokesperson. Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow “are grantee partners.”

Some of these names of progressive philanthropic organizations curiously show up in an article at the First Things website, written by former WORLD Magazine, now Daily Wire writer Megan Basham, called, Follow the Money to the After Party. She referenced a book by author Tim Alberta that mentioned something called, "The After Party," which "offers pastors and small groups a curriculum 'reframing Christian political identity from today’s divisive partisan options.'”  But, apparently, this brainchild of Russell Moore of Christianity Today, commentator David French, and Curtis Chang of Duke Divinity, according to Alberta, was having some trouble getting off the ground from evangelical donors - so it found some deep pockets.  Basham writes that "...in May 2022, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors announced that The After Party would be one of the thirty-two beneficiaries of their New Pluralists project, which is investing $10 million to 'address divisive forces.'"

The guest list for this project is a laundry list of progressive beneficiaries; the article notes:

In the same grant round as The After Party is a group seeking to promote the “leadership of rural LGBTQ+ people.” Another is committed to “keeping the remaining fossil fuel resources in the ground” in the name of “climate justice.” In 2019, The After Party’s benefactor gave $100 million to the Collaborative for Gender and Reproductive Equity, an initiative that funds efforts to safeguard abortion and ensure “youth” have access to “gender-affirming care.”

But, wait, there's more - in the Politico article, an organization called the Tides Foundation was mentioned. The New Pluralists project website notes that it has donated to the One America project;" Basham notes: "One America has received over $2 million from some of the most powerful foundations on the left—such as the Tides Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, the Walton family’s Catena Foundation, and the John Pritzker Family Fund—all of which fund enterprises promoting abortion, LGBTQ issues, and other left-wing priorities. The Hewlett Foundation, which also directly funds The After Party, is the second largest private donor to Planned Parenthood."  The writer poses the questions, "Does anyone really believe these secular progressive grant-makers are interested in developing a church curriculum about politics without an eye toward affecting policy? Or that this curriculum will strengthen evangelicals’ commitment to the very causes progressives despise?"

Basham states: "Creating a Bible study curriculum to teach churches how to engage politics is by nature a political act. That’s even truer if you’ve turned for financial support to unbelievers committed to advancing left-wing policies..." She also correctly relates: "One would be hard-pressed to identify evangelical voices who’ve done more to bring a divisive focus on politics into the pews—all under the pretense of de-escalation and bipartisanship."

This can reminds us that we should always allow God's Word to shape our decisions.  That even includes the selection of leaders. But, there are powerful forces wearing a "Christian" or "religious" cloak that are determined to deceive the faithful.  We mustn't let them get away with it.  And, one element that can be helpful is the phrase that Basham's article uses in the headline, that she attributes to the movie, All the President's Men: "follow the money." That can also be expanded to the concept, "follow the associations."

There are plenty of people who seem perfectly righteous and Biblical, yet, when you examine who endorses them or with whom they associate, it raises red flags.  One indicator of Biblical faithfulness can be the associations of various Bible teachers and church and ministry leaders.   We can develop a sense of discernment, paying close attention to someone's Biblical fidelity by examining the fruit, using the Word of God as a guide, and listening to the inner voice of conscience so that we protect our own spirits from teaching that would lead us astray.

The "Plunge"

The apostle Paul had an explosive encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus - after he was saved, he didn't immediately go on a some sort of "synagogue tour" and speak to the masses. Now, as he relates in Galatians 1:
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace,
16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.
19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother.

In fact, word of Paul's conversion spread, but not by him, he writes later in the chapter. This can speak to us about the importance of spiritual preparation.

These days, baptism has become quite popular.  There have been a number of mass baptisms in recent days, from the Atlantic to the Pacific.  At college campuses, students have been baptized in lakes, fountains, and in the backs of pickup trucks. 

And, in the midst of the baptismal trend, it's helpful, I think, to recognize what baptism actually means. It's more than just a ritual or an act of superstition.  It's not a good-luck charm.  It's a visible expression of the change in the human heart through salvation by the power of Jesus Christ.  Our past lives have been washed away, and we are new creatures in Him.

Russell Brand is quite a piece of work - he's an actor who has gone public with his spiritual search. Recently, according to Fox News.com, he announced he would be "taking the plunge," i.e., getting baptized, and he followed through.  The Daily Mail reported on May 3:

Russell Brand announced this week that he has become a Christian, and was baptised last weekend. The Apostle Paul was baptised in Damascus whereupon the 'scales fell from his eyes' and his blindness was cured. The disgraced comedian's experience was apparently rather more prosaic: he says he was fully immersed in the notoriously dirty River Thames.

The Mail has learnt that the embattled Brand's spiritual rebirth — if that is what it is — has been mirrored by an upturn in his earthly fortunes. Thames Valley Police has closed its investigation into allegations by a woman that he stalked and harassed her between 2018 and 2022.

The article went on to say:

He told his four million Instagram followers that his baptism was an 'incredible and profound experience'.

He said: 'This is my path now. And I already feel incredibly blessed, relieved, nourished, held.'

However, Brand, whose wife Laura (daughter of golfer Bernard Gallacher) is Catholic, was strangely vague about into which church he has been received.

And one would have thought any cleric baptising as notorious a delinquent as Brand — who has spoken openly about his previous womanising and drug use — wouldn't hesitate to say so. But investigations by the Mail around Brand's home near Marlow, on the Thames in Buckinghamshire, found that nobody, even from a church he has attended, could offer any clue as to who baptised him or where.

Now, if Brand has indeed received Christ as His Savior, we still recognize that he is a baby Christian in sore need of discipleship.  The Daily Mail reported:

Anglican churches sometimes perform river baptisms including in the Thames, as do Pentecostal ones. According to Brand, he plucked petals from a flower to decide which church would baptise him, reciting: 'Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Pentecostal...'

A river baptism sounds like classic Brand — not for him a simple splash of water from a church font, it has to be melodramatic.

David Hoffman, writing at CBN.com, stated this:

In recent years, up until very recently, Brand has promoted many New Age ideas and philosophies across his social media platforms and hosted conferences on mediation and transcendentalism. He has also been a strong proponent of Eastern mysticism and spiritualities that are found in Buddhism and Hinduism. Many in the Christian world are split over whether his most recent baptism and conversion announcements are, in fact, sincere.

One of the biggest issues is that he is still promoting New Age ideas across his social media, and this week he promoted what practically all Christians would define as witchcraft. On April 29, 2024, the day after his baptism, he posted a video on his social media involving tarot cards. In the video, he shares about the specific meaning of the tarot card that he held in his hand and that certain symbols can serve as "tools for reflection and personal analysis." Ending the video, he asks viewers their view on synchronizing other spiritual practices with Christianity and jokingly asks if it is ok to "meddle in the occult arts."

Hoffman states, "No one expects perfection out of a new Christian. However, becoming a Christian is more than taking the plunge of baptism. When the Lord saves someone from serious spiritual error and deception, there is no way that He would allow them to continue promoting that deception to millions of followers under the guise that you can be a Christian and participate in what the Bible defines as witchcraft."

This underscores the importance of discipleship.  When a high-profile person comes into a saving knowledge of Christ, the immediate result would be for that person to take a significant amount of time to seek the Lord.  And, really, each of us needs the spiritual preparation for the ministry to which God has called us. 

That is a lifelong pursuit, if you think about it. We have been changed on the inside by the presence of Jesus and we testify to that change through water baptism.  The water isn't magical, certainly, but the transformation is supernatural, and it is amazing to see how people exhibit such great joy when they share that publicly through going into the water.  We're not saved through physical water, but we have been washed by the presence of Jesus within us, who cleanses us from sin and delivers us from our old life, bringing us into new life.

How Great - It's Personal

Jesus taught His disciples about the love that only comes from Him and showed them that we are called into a personal relationship with Himself, and therefore we can know the God of the Universe, the Lord Most High. In John 15, we can find these words:
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

The song, How Great is Our God, has certainly captivated churches around the world, and it has celebrated its 20th anniversary.  A Religion News Service article recently gave some attention to the song, but not in a positive way, if you can believe that.

Consider this unbelievable - and quite frankly, irresponsible, paragraph:

“How Great Is Our God” was sung by protesters during the Jericho marches that preceded the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and has been a staple at Christian nationalism conferences in recent years. And last week, when MAGA activist and worship leader Sean Feucht stood at the gates of Columbia University to oppose pro-Palestinian protesters and to demand that the school’s president resign, “How Great Is Our God” was on his lips.

“Our hearts will sing how great is our God,” he sang into a bullhorn, with a drummer in the background and a flag bearing the Stars and Stripes alongside a blue and white Star of David waving overheard.

I think this is a great example of the phrase coined in the Happy Days, TV series - "jumping the shark." The boogey man of "Christian nationalism" is now being attributed to a popular worship song. 

Sean Feucht has been chosen to be an example, an icon of "Christian nationalism," which has never really been clearly defined, but seems to be everywhere and all Christians are partaking of it, except for the "enlightened" ones. No, Feucht is unconventional - he does worship rallies in quite unlikely places - such as the Mall of America in Minneapolis, where his "Let Us Worship" gathering was not allowed to congregate inside the mall; so they took it outside.  Or the United for Israel rally in Los Angeles last week, where those gathering stood for Israel at the University of Southern California campus.  Many commentators are fond of calling out what they refer to as "Christian nationalism," but really don't tell you what it is - I guess if someone is singing a worship song within 100 feet of an American flag, that makes it somehow harmful.  Rather to be a Christian and love America than someone who loves the terror group Hamas. 

But, now RNS says How Great is Our God is some sort of nationalist anthem because it is sung by Christians who love Jesus and love their country and exercise their free speech in public rather than hidden in a building. 

Of course, the writer found a willing "expert" to back up the claims - enter Leah Payne, who's written a book on contemporary Christian music.  She said that...

...“How Great Is Our God” showcases the skill of Tomlin and his co-writers — who have fused the power of stadium rock anthems with Christian lyrics, creating songs with infectious hooks that draw a crowd into singing along.

“I don’t think they get enough credit for being skilled at what they do,” she said.

Payne notes that the song is easily singable, and that works well at protests. The article notes:

The lyrics of a song like “How Great Is Our God” can be vague enough that verses describing the God of the Bible could easily be adapted to mean the God of America or the God of a particular group of people.

“When I think of ‘How Great Is Our God,’ I wonder, who is the ‘our’?” Payne said.

It's not obvious? This is a worship song, a song of worship to God, Almighty God, the One True God - please! 

Adam Perez of Belmont University is quoted in the article, which states that the song "...draws clear lines between good and evil, darkness and light, which lends itself to partisan politics. Perez said the songwriters didn’t intend the song to be political, and for many people, it is not. But it still has language that works for partisan goals. 'How Great Is Our God' also has a triumphant tone to it — in that God will overcome any obstacle — and that could include political enemies, said Perez. Which can make it a fit for protests."

By the way, no quotes from Chris Tomlin in the story. 

Could we dispense with the subtle implications about things becoming "political," and that Christians shouldn't be participating in that?   I think you could make the case that those complaining about Christians being too "political" are they themselves taking part in speaking out on behalf of more "progressive" causes. 

I'm not sure what this is even about!  To demean a worship song that I would dare say has been sung by millions of Bible-believing Christians and somehow characterize it as being a "protest" anthem - in a negative way - well, that's beyond the pale.  It's hard to get through to people, even some Christians, that there are believers who believe their deeply-held Biblical beliefs inform every area of their lives. 

"Who is the "our," this author asked. Our God is the One who created the heavens and the earth, the God who is sovereign, who rules and reigns, the God who loves fallen humanity so much that He gave of Himself and sent His only Son to earth to redeem us.  That is a majestic, great, Almighty God who is full of great compassion and mercy.  

And, He calls us "His." And, we can call Him "our" God.  It's personal for every Christian believer who calls on the name of Jesus and is saved.  He's our God, because Jesus said no one comes to the Father but by Him and said that He would not cast out the one who comes to Him.  We are held in His hands - certainly we can call Him "our" God because that's who He says He is.  And, we are called to proclaim Him as the One True God, who has defeated sin and death and made a way for us to know and serve Him.

Tortured

The Bible speaks, in Psalm 101, about the importance of maintaining a pure heart - I believe this passage can apply to our choices of entertainment; it says:
2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.
5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, Him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, Him I will not endure.

31 songs - a new album project by easily the most popular singer on the planet. 

It's called The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.  Writing for Plugged In, Adam Holz says:

A double album, she said. More like a triple album, really. And one can’t help but ponder the question: When on Earth did this 33-year-old singer have time to pen and record 31 more songs about heartbreak, love, heartbreak, tragedy, heartbreak and still more—well, you get the point. After all, she’s been jetting around the world for her Eras Tour for the last 18months and spending most other waking moments with her NFL beau, Travis Kelce.

By all accounts, they seem deliriously happy together. This album, though? More like deliriously tortured. It feels like reading Romeo and Juliet 31 times in a row.

Holz makes a number of observations about the project, stating: "With each album she releases, Swift seems more and more comfortable with casual profanity."  Plus, as he writes, "Songs breezily suggest sexual trysts that include lyrical references to shared beds and showers, as well as cohabitation when she keeps finding one ex’s stuff in her drawers."

 And, she veers into areas of religion, and not particularly complimentary of Christianity. Adam writes:

“But Daddy I Love Him” tells the tale of a rebellious girl’s love affair with a wrong-side-of-the-tracks kind of guy—and it paints a nasty picture of judgmental churchgoers: “I just learned these people only raise you to cage you/Sarahs and Hannahs in their Sunday best/Clutching their pearls, sighing, ‘What a mess’/I just learned these people try and save you/‘Cause they hate you.” Later she adds, “I’ll tell you something right now, you ain’t gotta pray for me/Me and my wild boy and all of this wild joy/He was chaos, he was revelry.”

Another song that spiritualizes love and intimacy is “Guilty as Sin?” Suggestive lyrics hint at sexual fantasy and masturbation: “I keep these longings locked/ … These fatal fantasies giving way to labored breath/Taking all of me, we’ve already done it in my head.” Swift then asks, “Without ever touching his skin/How can I be guilty as sin?” And then Swift takes a big leap, using Christian images and themes to describe her own romanticized religion: “What if I roll the stone away?/They’re gonna crucify me anyway/What if the way you hold me is actually what’s holy?/ … They don’t know how you’ve haunted me so stunningly/I choose you and me religiously.”

Wait, what?  But, this is Taylor Swift, the all-American, wholesome pop singer.  Buyer, beware.

Holz concludes his Plugged In review with these words:

At the surface level, I really don’t like all the harsh profanity here (more pearl clutching—sorry, Taylor), or the glorification of reckless intimacy. But I think I’m even more discomfited by the underlying worldview that millions upon millions of impressionable girls are ingesting: that romantic love is the capstone human experience.

That’s a worldview that Taylor Swift continues to lean into with all her might. And it’s one that deserves our parental attention and critique, lest it leave our daughters (and probably some sons, too) vulnerable to the kind of emotional devastation that Taylor herself plods through over and over again here.

Shane Pruitt of the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board, was quoted in a Christian Post article.  He...

...wrote in a Facebook post that there is a difference between being secular and being "Anti-Christian." He urged Christian parents to seriously consider if they should allow their children to listen to Swift's music.

"I'm definitely not the minister or parent that has the 'no secular music' stance," Pruitt wrote. "Also, I fully realize unbelievers are going to act like unbelievers. HOWEVER, there is a difference between being secular and being ANTI-CHRISTIAN."

The Post article also says:

The Christian entertainment review company MovieGuide believes the album "mocks Christianity."

"While it's no secret that Taylor Swift is not a Christian, she made her hatred for religion known through her newly released album 'The Tortured Poets Department,'" MovieGuide stressed in its review.

"The album is full of minor quips that elevate Swift above God while also featuring two songs devoted to tearing down the Christian sexual ethic."

Sean Feucht says, ""Almost half the songs on Taylor Swift's new album contain explicit lyrics (E), make fun of Christians and straight up blaspheme God. Is this the music you want your kids listening to?" He added, "You think I'm just being religious & overreacting? Read the lyrics & decide for yourself."

This comes on the heels of observations by a musician that were related in another Christian Post article:

Former Boyzone star Shane Lynch has accused popstar Taylor Swift of engaging in demonic practices and satanic rituals during her sold-out shows and warned of the damaging effects such music has on children.

“I think when you’re looking at a lot of the artists out there, a lot of their stage shows are satanic rituals live in front of 20,000 people without them realizing and recognizing,” Lynch recently told Ireland’s Sunday World.

The article describes Lynch as a "professing Christian," who also said, “Music attaches to your emotions...It has a connection to your spirit and how you feel. That’s why I’ve stopped listening to those types of music myself because it doesn’t suit my spirit.”

Music is and has been a significant part of my life; not only am I a musician myself, but I am involved in the decision-making process for song selection here at Faith Radio. So, I recognize the power of music...it's something that God intended for good; it's a wonderful expression of His creativity.  But, the enemy, who has been described as a worship leader in heaven, perverts what God has intended for good, and that is certainly the case with much of today's music. 

Music can be an effective carrier of words and emotions.  Those of us who deal with Christian music and especially Praise and Worship music recognize that music that is devoted to facilitating the worship of God can create a certain atmosphere that glorifies Him. But, wrong messages can be carried in a supercharged way through the music we consume. 

So, we have to be discerning. Parents are encouraged to talk with their children about their entertainment choices. And, if one is going to endorse the music of Taylor Swift, then you have to look at the lyrics. Look at what she represents, then choose from there - we should use Philippians 4:8 as a guide for what we allow to penetrate our minds: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

As the Church Goes...

Each day, we have so many decisions to make - and we have to determine if we are going to be obedient to God and live our live according to His principles, empowered by the Spirit of God, or rely on own own frail human wisdom. Elijah gathered the Israelite people and especially the followers of the false gods in Israel and presented them with a choice in 1st Kings 18:
17 Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, O troubler of Israel?"
18 And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals.
19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."
20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word.

Following this declaration, burnt offerings were prepared, and Elijah called upon God while the false prophets called on their so-called "gods."  And, God showed up in great power.

The moral climate in our country has become lamentable, and there is a statistic from a recent Gallup poll that gives an indication on what is occurring.  Please allow this to soak in: out of all Americans, less than 1 out of 3 attend church on a weekly or almost weekly basis.  3 out of 10.  Just over 2-in-10 go to church every week. 

44% of Protestants attend either weekly or almost weekly ("regularly" is the term used in the survey summary) - with 30% saying they attend each week. By comparison - relative to the top-ranking group, two-thirds of Mormons are regular church attendees.  Protestants run second, Muslims are third, and Catholics are fourth.  This is from a survey conducted during the years 2021-23.

The summary notes:

Two decades ago, an average of 42% of U.S. adults attended religious services every week or nearly every week. A decade ago, the figure fell to 38%, and it is currently at 30%. This decline is largely driven by the increase in the percentage of Americans with no religious affiliation -- 9% in 2000-2003 versus 21% in 2021-2023 -- almost all of whom do not attend services regularly.

Still, most religious groups have also seen a decline in regular attendance at religious services over the past two decades.

And, young adults between 18 and 29 years old are making a significant contribution to the decline; the summary states: "... young adults, both those with and without a religious preference, are much less likely to attend religious services -- 22% attend regularly, eight points below the national average."

A Breitbart story on the Gallup poll also noted: 

Other polls in recent years have found that Americans perceive a decrease in religious influence in the United States and place less value on their children sharing their religious views. Recently, the Pew Research Center found that 80 percent of U.S. adults say religion’s role in American life is shrinking — “a percentage that’s as high as it’s ever been.”

In a Washington Stand article, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins stated: "Politics is downstream from the culture, and culture is downstream from the church."  He asked, "...if the church vacillates on the truth or goes silent, where will society turn?"

And, he issued a challenge to church leadership: "We need pastors of courage and conviction faithfully declaring and defending God’s truth. The church should not be swimming in the water downstream from culture."

The fact is, the Bible contains the answers to the questions so many are asking these days.  The Scriptures contain unlimited wisdom in order to pattern our lives in a way that pleases God. We know that the Bible addresses what are often termed the "social issues," such as life and marriage.  But, we can also be confident that the Bible shows us how to treat one another, how to manage our finances, how to regard the poor and less fortunate, and how to live victorious in the face of temptation. 

So, the departure from Biblical truth, in a sense, can be laid on the doorstep of the Church. We can examine how well we are proclaiming and practicing the principles of Scripture and recognize we have the potential for enormous power and influence.  But, if we refuse to engage, then we will find ourselves being swept away in the cultural currents that are so prevalent.