The Truth Manifesto

I’ve had conversations with socialists and atheists who argue that socialism is supported by the Bible. My first reaction is, “Really? Which Bible are you reading? The Eisegesis Bible? Or more simply put, the What I Wanna See Bible because that just ain’t so.”

The texts used to support this argument from scripture are found in the Old and New Testament.

In the Old Testament we find it in the making of all of the components and vessels for the for the tabernacle in Exodus 35:5-19. In the New Testament, we find it in the early church in Acts 4:32-37.

These are the so called proof texts for biblical support for socialism that are most often referenced. The problem  is that they are no where near supporting socialism in any way, shape or form. Quite the contrary.

CLEARING THE FIELD

So we’re all on the same page here, let’s make sure we’re defining socialism for what it is.

a  system of social organization that advocates the vesting (giving up control or rights)  of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

In practice, what happens is that people give up control to the government or, in the case of what’s happening in the United States, the system is used to take that control away from you. This is communism and it is the antithesis to freedom and liberty.

SOMETHING OLD…

In the Old Testament, the text says:

Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,…And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. (Exodus 35:5, 20)

If we stop there, it looks like everyone just gave up their possessions by edict of Moses. However, reading things in context does wonders and there’s a hint in the text itself.

They key word in that passage is willingly. Also, we have to read Exodus 35:21:

And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.

So this was not by some governmental law. It was by choice. The inference here is that everyone didn’t give yet if we read the rest of the passage, they had more than enough.

…SOMETHING NEW

The passage most often referred to in the New Testment is in Acts 4: 34-35:

Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Looks compelling doesn’t it? However, bible teachers and scholars have an old saying: a text taken out of context becomes a pretext.

In this text, it’s clear that it was given, not taken. No one forced them to give by edict of law but they were free to give as God moved on their hearts. That’s not socialism. That’s philanthropy.

In the very next chapter, we find a situation where a couple by the name of Ananias and Sapphira are struck dead by the Lord because they lied and said they gave something when they did not.  On discovery of this, Peter confronts them and makes this statement:

Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. (Acts 5:4)

It’s clear here that Peter was saying that they didn’t have to give anything. It was theirs to do with as they pleased. It was the lying that was the issue, not the giving.

DOES IT MATTER?

So what’s the point? Does it matter? Most certainly.

Socialism is a communal form of tyranny. It promotes laziness, it doesn’t encourage industry and work, both which are anathema to biblical teaching. If we are to be a free people, we must operate on the principles and edicts of freedom.

So what does the Bible promote if it doesn’t promote socialism? Does the Bible advocate capitalism? I want you to dig into the scriptures for yourself until tomorrow when we address this from God’s word.

God bless.

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The April 15th Tea Parties was a corporate statement to Washington that there were millions who were unhappy with the direction of the United States.  For those who were there, it lit a spark to carry the torch even further. The question that consistently rung out was, “What do we do next?”

The question is a valid one. Contrary to what many naysayers would want you to believe, there are several things that Americans can do regularly, especially those who were at the Tea Parties, many conservative Christians.  If you’re not sure, let me  give eleven things that you can do to help reclaim liberty in the United States.

1. Pray - If statistics are any indicator of action, we can be pretty confident that liberals won’t do this. We can’t afford not to.  If the Lord doesn’t go before us, it’s done in vain. (Psalm 127:1)

2. Contact Your Representatives – this doesn’t just mean those who are in congress and the senate. It also means those that are in your city. Councilmen and women, mayors, and commissioners. Email and call  regularly. Let them know when they’re doing good and when they’re way off the mark.  People tend to act different when they know that they’re under scrutiny.

3. Attend Community Meetings – this includes townhall, city council, and block watch meetings. Know what’s going on in your neighborhood.

4. Form Civic Organizations – one of the great things that happened as a result of the Tea Parties was the spawning of new local organizations. If you feel like you can commit the time and effort into creating one, go for it. The more the merrier.

5. Volunteer - if forming a civic group is too much, at least join one and volunteer. I myself recently became a part of one in my area called the Children Of Liberty which I plan on being active in as much as I can.

6. Give Financially – I know it may be rough right now financially but every little bit counts. $5.00 or $10.00 can go a long way in the right hands. And let’s face it…with everyone trying to work as much as they can, it’s sometimes easier to give money than time. (Luke 6:38)

7. Educate Yourself – it’s imperative that you learn the history of your nation. Read books, watch videos, do whatever you have to do to make sure that you know your national heritage. That way when someone says something off the wall, you are ready to correct the error or defend your position. (1 Peter 3:15)

8. Stay Informed – find reputable news sources and follow them regularly. Familiarize yourself with RSS feeds and follow at least three good blogs like (plug, plug) the Truth Manifesto. Listen to conservative radio and podcasts. (Hosea 4:6)

9. Vote - you would think this was a no brainer but many lose steam if they don’t see instant results and cry, “What’s the point?” The point is that it’s our duty not only as citizens of the United States, but as Christians. (Galatians 6:10)

10. Spread The Word – let others know why it’s beneficial for them to take ownership of their community and nation. Use social media like Facebook and Twitter. Talk to friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Convince and convert the apathetic. (Matthew 10:27)

11. Pray - you most certainly can never do too much of this. (Ephesians 6:18)

Congressman John Conyers

H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, sponsored by John Conyers (D-MI), was just passed in the house this past. The bill is, quite frankly, a superfluous piece of legislation that pushes a thought police agenda.

The bill seeks to punish offenders for crimes ‘motivated’ by hate because of race, religion, color, natural origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

Here’s a slab of common sense: if someone is motivated to hurt some one physically, especially to the point of using a firearm or incendiary device to murder, it’s a safe bet that they hate them. Juuuust a little.

We have laws in place that punishes criminals who perpetrate violent crimes. To add more because of a perceived hate is just political correctness making its way into the courtroom.

BUT WAIT…THERE’S MORE!

Here’s where it gets disturbing and downright discriminatory.

In Section 6, it starts off saying:

(a) In General- Chapter 13 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

It would make sense to find out what that part of the code says:

If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same;

They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, they shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.

This is what is called the Conspiracy Against Rights and it could, in effect, allow law enforcement to consider speaking against, oh…homosexuality in a church or online, as a hate crime. The key word here would be oppress. It’s an attempted end around the First Amendment.

THE COUP DE GRACE

To throw us a bone, they add this at the end:

Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this

Act, shall be construed to prohibit any expressive conduct protected from legal prohibition by, or any activities protected by the free speech or free exercise clauses of, the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Look closely at that. The part we need to be concerned with is protected from legal prohibition. If this bill passes and becomes a law, then it’s legal and therefore the rights you have under the First Amendment are null and void when exercising your free speech if that speech is something they deem oppressive to these groups.

TIME TO GET BUSY

As I said before, this has already passed the house and it needs to be stopped. Americans for the First Amendment need to flood the phones, emails, and mailboxes of their reps and tell them to vote against this bill. Write and call multiple times. It’s time to show them that we’re going to hold them accountable.

Remember, they are employed by us. We are their boss.

The Bible says:

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:9-10)

As Christians, we’re here to serve and we have a responsibility and duty as stewards of this nation to look to protect the welfare of others. To be able to do this is a privilege and a blessing. Take your responsibility as an American seriously. Otherwise, the freedom that we have to worship and speak the very word of God will vanish.

There’s not a whole lot to say here. Just watch the illogical conclusions and explanations of the congressman and tell me that we’re not in trouble form those people in Washington.

Unreal.

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The mantra throughout the 2008 presidential campaign was change. All of the things that Barack Obama would do to change what’s happening in Washington. Yet this new Obama-nation sees plenty of “more of the same” with no change at all.

Obama ran a campaign based on rhetoric against President Bush and accused opponent McCain of being a carbon copy. Yet the changes that he’s attempting are disastrous for this country and he’s not making all the changes he said he would.

For example:

• Terrorist prisoners in Afghanistan will still be help without a trial. He’s O.K. with that though he made it clear he wasn’t.

• Those tax cuts for the wealthy we heard over and over that he said he was going to yank? Yeah. They’re staying for the full run.

• The Bush administration’s assertion that “state secrets” privilege to avoid releasing information? Obama and his staff has made it clear three times that it isn’t going anywhere.

It appears that the Obama staff are glimpsing the harsh realities of governing a nation and what that means. He may have talked a good game during the election but it was a different story when the perspective of..oh…truth set in.
This stimulus bill will prove to be another, “Hmm. Maybe we shouldn‘t have done that” moment.

The Justice Department had to eat crow on their position to uphold telecommunications companies who can’t be sued for helping the government in obtaining wiretaps in the interest of national security.

“The government is compelled to defend (the) statute as long as it can reasonably do so,” spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

He really didn’t want to say that hence the clause at the end. Regardless, this is not what Obama supporters want to hear.

“There are some troubling signs that can’t be ignored,” Anthony Romero of the American Civil Liberties Union wrote recently.

During his campaign, Obama swore he wouldn’t take public funds for his campaign…and then he did. That should have been a red flag to anyone paying attention.

The Bible is clear:

But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one. (Matthew 5:37)

I don’t expect Obama to follow that since he’s not a Christian. Yes, I said that on purpose with full assurance that it’s the right statement. Doesn’t matter that he let the faith based initiative program continue (another hold over from the Bush administration) or that he went to Jeremiah Wright’s church (who also is NOT a Christian). He may have the religious thing down pat, but he’s not a Christian.

The bottom line is that he should have looked at things a little closer and said zero about which he knew nothing about to prevent him having egg on his face. Like now.

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; When he shutteth his lips, he is esteemed as prudent. (Proverbs 17:28)

Follow along folks as the walls slowly begin to crumble, the onset of truth settles in, and a landslide of inept bureaucratic moves shows itself in the plain light of day.

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What a difference a day makes.

In that time, Christians come to my blog and just had a hissy fit over what I’m writing and how I’m writing it. On the one hand, I find it pitiful because they can’t seem to actually read what I post and interpret it correctly. On the other hand, I find it humorous because…well...they can’t seem to read what I post and interpret it correctly.

My Conservative Christian Creed really got ‘em riled up. So I feel that I would be remiss if I didn’t finish it for them. Not to be annoying…but this may take a little longer than I thought.

Yesterday I laid out, from my own words, what being a conservative Christian meant. Today I’m going to present stance by stance, from a Biblical perspective (as always), the conservative platform and why they’re congruent with the Bible. My focus is going to be personal responsibility and limited government.

Limited Government

As a Christian, we understand that the best form of government is a theocracy where God is ruling things. However, since that’s not here and won’t be for a good minute, even if the rapture happened today, we have a government run by man.

In 1 Samuel 8, the people say they want a king. God Himself says it’s a bad idea. However, since the people rejected God, He gave them what they wanted but laid out the consequences of their decision. Their hearts were so hardened that they didn’t care.

Because the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), having him rule over other men is simply not in man’s best interest as long as sin exists. This is played out so many times in the Bible that I’m not even going to go there. If you read 1 and 2 Kings, you’ll get where I’m coming from.

King David realized this in 2 Samuel 24. He had sinned against the Lord and had realized his sin, God had given him three choices as punishment.:

And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. (1 Samuel 24:14)

This really goes to the root of why limited government is the way to go.

Personal Responsibility

Oh Mylanta. Where in the world do I begin?

Because I believe scripture says it so much better than I do, I’ll just go ahead and post a small sampling of what the Bible says on this:

The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin (Deuteronomy 24:16) .

If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it (Proverbs 9:12).

…the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him (Ezekiel 18:20b).

But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. (Galatians 6:4-5)

There are more. Suffice it to say that the Bible speaks plainly about personal responsibility and how we individually are held responsible for what we do and don’t do.

These two stances have ridiculously strong support from a biblical perspective and therefore I’m down like Charlie Brown. In like Flynn.

Next post: fiscal conservatism, pro-life, and anti-gay marriage or anti-homosexuality. Take your pick (yeah. I called it like it was instead of wrapping that up with the phrase ‘traditional family values’. I know…I’m just mean).

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