Church and State

Watch out for your Children

By Caleb Keith –

Whether you like or hate that Trump won the presidential election, it is undeniable that the liberal community went through a freak-out. Twitter and Facebook were ablaze; college campuses crumbled in tears and some real idiots started blocking freeways. Amidst false cries of racism and bigotry, some liberals acknowledged how they failed and revealed the larger plan for changing the world. It starts with Christianity. You see, Christianity possess a real threat to the political left, not because many Christians find themselves on the political right, but because Christians believe in objectivity when it comes to issues such as morality, science, and law. Modern liberalism relies on a false pluralism, which says that there is no true right or wrong, gender doesn’t exist, and random chance is god.

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Snowflake Temper Tantrums

By Scott Keith –

What is a snowflake? Well, a snowflake is a single ice crystal which falls through the Earth’s atmosphere. Complex shapes emerge as the flake moves through differing temperature and humidity regions, such that individual snowflakes are almost always unique in structure. Snowflakes are exceptionally beautiful and unique flakes of ice. Though they are beautifully unique, their makeup also makes them exceptionally fragile.

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After the Election: A Pastor’s Concern

By Bob Hiller –

Like you all, I’ve been sort of reeling in the wake of Tuesday’s election results. If I am being completely honest with you (and why would I have reason to be anything else), I truly don’t know how to feel about the president-elect. But like many of you, my blood pressure has risen and fallen at remarkable rates as I’ve scrolled through my social media feeds. I have a lot of personal and political concerns about our country and would have had them regardless of who got elected. In today’s blog, I don’t think I can contribute much to the conversation by way of political analysis or social criticism. Anything that I have to say on that front has likely been said already by people far more capable and intelligent than myself. However, as I read through my feed and reflect on my own personal actions and attitudes this past week, I do have a pastoral concern that is weighing on me.

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Religious Liberty: The Coming American Battle

By Graham Glover –

Social conservatives in America have been on the losing end of two epic battles over the past 43 years. The first occurred in 1973 with the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade to legalize the innocent slaughter of unborn children. The second occurred in 2015 when the Court fundamentally altered the legal and historical definition of marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges.

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Defender of the Flock

By Ross Engel –

In the Mel Gibson film The Patriot, there is a scene that I have always appreciated. The Colonial Militia solicits the men of a congregation to take up arms to fight against the British. Many men are motivated by the speech, grab their gear, and head off to fight. As this particular scene comes to a close, someone notices that the pastor is heading off with the Militia, musket in hand. When the question of his departure is raised, the pastor’s response is simple and direct, “A shepherd must tend his flock, and at times, fight off the wolves.”

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Politics, Prayer, and Loving One’s Enemy

By Jonathan Ruehs –

It is called SB 1146. As much as I wish it were the name of a droid in the upcoming Star Wars film, it is, unfortunately, the title of a document that is making its rounds in the state assembly of California.

Essentially what this bill proposes is that all Christian institutions of higher education must comply with non-discrimination laws protecting the LGBT community. For example, Christian colleges and universities will need to make sure to make accommodations for LGBT students in residential halls, public restrooms, and the like. But more importantly,

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Should a Christian Own a Gun?

By Caleb Keith –

Recently, there has been a flood of violence and unrest following both Islamic terror attacks and domestic shootings. As is typical in the United States, such violence has led to a nationwide argument about gun control. As arguments both for and against gun control go flying through the air, I have found one particular argument coming from Christians more bothersome than the rest. Many Christians, both evangelical and Catholic, have labeled it sinful and un-Christian to own guns. This argument stems from what I would call the “Not of this World” movement. These Christians tend to overemphasize the spiritual aspect of the Christian life while often demonizing or ignoring the worldly part.

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Presidential Elections and the 4th Commandment

By Graham Glover –

“You shall honor your father and mother that it may be well with you and you may live long upon the earth.”

I’ve given up trying to figure out how this year’s election will unfold. Every prediction of mine has been wrong. I still think Hillary wins in an Electoral College blowout, but now I’m even starting to doubt that prognosis. The Donald, despite himself, just might pull off the most improbable of campaigns.

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Vote or Shut Up

By Jaime Nava –

There’s a lot of voting going on this year. For Missouri-Synod members at the Convention, we’ll be voting on a multitude, even a plethora, of resolutions and positions. I’m on my way there now. The deacon thing is sure to be a hot topic. So is that constitutional thing I got all the propaganda about from that megachurch near the Purple Palace. I’m sure every convention has its hot topic. Let’s not forget the circus, err, election coming up for the United States (as if you could). We’ve got Donald Drumpf posing as a Republican, kinda like Gov. Arnold did here in KAH-LEE-FORRR-NYAA. Then you’ve got Hillary, who didn’t get in trouble because she’s basically not an ordinary citizen, I guess? There’re some others, sure, but overall, it looks to be a loser of an election and a loser Supreme Court nomination term, as well. Great.

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Freedom in the Left-Hand Kingdom

By Caleb Keith –

It’s Tuesday evening. I am sitting in front of my computer trying to think of something meaningful to write for my blog tomorrow morning. The trouble is, I am finding it difficult to connect any topic on my mind right now to Jesus or the Gospel. However, as I sit here, I am reminded of the most recent episode of the Thinking Fellows that I posted last Friday on the doctrine of God’s two kingdoms. If you haven’t already, you should go check it out. That episode is a solid reminder that, while everything in our lives is impacted by the Gospel, not everything is directly related to it. In fact, much of the day-in, day-out of our lives happens in what’s referred to as the left-hand kingdom.

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The Church Doesn’t Need The Government

By Joel A. Hess –

Surely, this 4th of July has been one of saddest for me. It’s hard to get excited about the freedoms our country was founded upon as they are speedily being stolen from us by the current administration, aristocratic courts, and big businesses. The current forced cultural revolution looks exactly like the one imposed by the Chinese tyrant Mao Zedong. Leaders who come in the name of progress almost always leave the people they say they are helping dead.

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Happy 4th of July! I Don’t Feel Free!!

By Scott Keith –

Today, we celebrate our independence. Today, we shoot fireworks into the air, dress in red, white, and blue, drink American beer, and try to remember what makes the 4th of July such a big deal. Today, I wonder why I’m no longer patriotic. Today, I look around me and wonder if those who are celebrating so intently even know why they celebrate. (Watch this at your own risk: FAIL – Americans Don’t Know Why We Celebrate 4th of July!) Today, I ask myself why I no longer feel free.

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Christian Education and The State

By Caleb Keith –

If you are in any way associated with Christian higher education, you are probably aware of California Senate Bill 1146 (SB1146). The bill threatens the way religious colleges operate in the state of California. To understand what the bill proposes, I read and re-read it several times last night. The essential function or purpose of SB1146 is to trap and punish religious higher education institutions who currently operate under a title IX discrimination exception. Under the current exemption, religious organizations can “discriminate” in their hiring and admissions practices so long as they are in line with their religious beliefs. For example, a Christian college may require all of its professors to be Christian and reserves the right not to employ non-Christians. Currently, schools which fall under title IX and certain California state exemptions can and often do receive federal and state aid.

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The Church Will Suffer, and I’m Okay with That

By Jaime Nava –

The United States feels like it’s in a tail spin, at least to me. More than likely, I think the next president will be a goon. Subjective morality has become the local truth which is no truth at all without absolute truth. Socialism is the glimmer in the eye of so many millennials now. We’re setting ourselves up for the same wall that Germany and Russia ran into. First, we’ll try to be great one last time only to get kicked in the nuts as a nation. Next, we’ll sulk and blame the old ways for all the troubles. Following that will be a leader who promises to send us to greatness. He’ll do this with total control because the people want him to have it. With each and every step, the church will be relegated to a room, then a corner, then finally kicked out.

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