Saturday, August 15, 2009

"The pen is mightier than the sword." Edward Bulwer-Lytton

I just returned from the board meeting of the American Christian Writer's (Ozarks Chapter). One of the ladies attended a summer conference in St. Louis and made a report on the conference. One of the speakers used PAC as a personal reminder when it comes to writing and submitting for publication. PAC stands for prayer and confidence--prayerfully write, submit with confidence. I think that is a good thing to use when posting to Out of My Hat, too. It certainly would have saved having to swallow some bitter words this past week.

It doesn't mean that I have to suppress my feelings or opinions. It does mean that there are ways to share them without being mean-spirited. As my blogging buddy Mike has pointed out--"You cannot unsay a cruel word."

A few days ago, my brother posted a link on his Facebook that is to the blog of fairly well known evangelical author/preacher/teacher Brian McLaren. Mr . McLaren is obviously way better at expressing his concerns than I am. His Open Letter to Christian Conservatives in the US, on Health Care is the kind of stuff that I wish I would have said. I hope that you will take the time to read this post. One of the more striking statements addressing his concerns of the modern Christian conservatives is this one:

As a result, I sometimes think that Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, and Fox News may now influence many conservative Evangelicals, Charismatics, and Catholics even more than Billy Graham, Rick Warren, T.D. Jakes, Pope Benedict, or even the four gospels.

The entire post is very well written and expresses his concerns and opinions in a manner that allows for differences and keeps from tearing down our friends and brothers in Christ Jesus. In the end, I'd have to say that Mr. McLaren puts into practice that prayer discipline before writing his blog.

I'll try to do the same. It is difficult to get these size 10 1/2D nasty feet out of my mouth.

John <><

3 comments:

Mike said...

I also pointed out line 11. Next time we're at Ted Drews will stand in the middle of the street. When people honk at us we'll holler at them. It will be fun and therapeutic at the same time.

Wv: polas - A guy with a .... well something sticking out of his .... something.

Sicilian said...

Excellent post by an thoughtful person. I do agree with what he is saying. I can't tell you how angry I get when all the local tv news in our area only shows those against letting everyone have health care. I think Obama is right on track with the idea that private insurance companies have dealt this hand. They choose who they will insure and who they will not. Now that the feds want to make everyone get insurance. . . . they don't like it. There are 6 lobbiest for each member of congress right now. They have the big guns there and the minority is squeaking loud.
It just doesn't seem that hard to me.
Ciao

Scott Alan Buss said...

I believe that D.A. Carson has well summarized the publically expressed and advocated worldview of Brian McLaren when he said, "as kindly but as forcefully as I can, that to my mind, if words mean anything, both McLaren and [Steve] Chalke have largely abandoned the gospel"

As for the unfolding Democrat-led plunge into hyper-socialistic oblivion, I am biblically compelled to oppose it at every turn.

The United States of America attained heights of success, liberty, power and accomplishment unparalleled in all of human history precisely because she was, more so than any nation prior, founded largely upon the truth of God's perfect Word. Now the contemporary American political left, spearheaded by the Democrat Party, continues its loud, proud, public war on Christ through the most flagrant displays of clear opposition to His will.

I feel compelled to say with as much certainty as a man can have that it is no more possible for a biblically submissive Christian to support the contemporary American Democrat Party than it would have been for an intelligent, informed Jew living in 1930s Germany to vote Nazi.

The contemporary American Democrat Party is at war with Christ and His bride. Consider the following sample of centerpiece items in the American left's political agenda:

The "right" to commit infanticide...the legitimization of homosexuality...the redefinition/undefinition of marriage and family...the obliteration of gender roles...the advocacy and installment of Christ-less "education"...the advocacy of socialism through the use of rank covetousness as a guiding economic "principle"...the suppression and silence of true Christ-centered expression at every turn...

My hope and prayer is that those with eyes to see and ears to hear will recognize this overt enemy of Christ and act accordingly while there is yet time.

God is good and His plan is perfect, so however bleak things might seem as our once great nation continues her abandonment of Christ and subsequent pursuit of a hyper-socialistic path shaped by a post-modern spirit of relativism and humanism, those who are His own need not worry. The end is set. The same God who brought Pharaoh up brought him down and all of this unfolding before us will ultimately be to His glory, however cloudy that possibility may seem to us here and now from our flawed, fallen perspective.

The rise of Barack Obama and his overtly anti-Christian agenda gives each and every one of God's own the wondrous opportunity to take a stand...and suffer for it.

I am and will be eternally thankful for this!

Soli Deo Gloria!

S