The Wrong Road for the Boy Scouts of America

Before I write the First Line, I need to state unequivocally that it is possible to hold  principled objections to the New BSA Policy change, to Same Sex Marriage and to a host of other similar topics AND Not do so out of out ignorance, hatred or some homophobic bias.  I am hopeful that readers who disagree will cease with the “name calling” and will understand that my Opinions flow from a Biblical Worldview and not from hatred, prejudice or bigotry. I am neither Homophobic nor Unenlightened.   I do however, have very principled core values that I will not compromise.

 When I was in Scouting I was taught how to read a compass and how to navigate my way out of the “wilderness.”  A key component was to always trust a “true north” compass heading.

The Boy Scouts of America are “lost in the wilderness” and seem to have lost, or at least are mistrusting, their compass.

The BSA have been serving, developing, and building into the lives of young men for over a hundred years; and as a result have produced many of life’s finest leaders, businessmen, public servants, adventurers, and fathers.

By caving into the demand to change their highly successful model, in order to satisfy the wishes of a minority group intent on “transforming” the BSA into something different, the BSA Leadership is giving the impression that someone has lost or no longer trusts the compass. (Did anyone think of recommending that BSA opponents start their own group?)

This was an issue that did not have to become an issue.

* The U.S. Supreme Court already sided with the BSA membership  and leadership policies.

* The BSA never had a policy to prohibit youth with “same sex  attraction issues;” rather, the prohibition was on “open and  avowed” homosexuality.

* It is parents who should take the lead in teaching children about matters of sexuality.

The Result:

* The BSA will not find “peace” now that the long standing policy to support moral clarity and pureness has been replaced; the result will be more unrest.

* More than 70 percent of Boy Scout units are sponsored by religious groups, and this new policy has split them. How can many churches who sponsor troops accept the BSA which now has a policy that is contrary to the church’s World View and the Doctrine of Faith?

* How can paid leadership with the BSA organization continue to be employed by an organization that now is in conflict with personal and strongly held core values?  (Look for an exit of talented and dedicated BSA leaders and leadership effective December 31, 2013.)

* Anticipate a drop in Funding which will adversely affect youth who need financial assistance to participate in this once storied program.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins summed up well this matter when he wrote:

“Sadly, the Boy Scouts’ legacy of producing great leaders has become yet another casualty of moral compromise. Unfortunately, Boy Scout delegates capitulated to strong-arm tactics and abandoned the timeless values that have served the organization well for more than 100 years.  It is clear that the current BSA leadership will bend with the winds of popular culture, and the whims of liberal special interest groups. There is little doubt that God will soon be ushered out of scouting.”

On a personal note, given I hold the rank of Life Scout and Order of the Arrow, I am so very saddened by this action. I believed in the Scout Oath as a youth, and I thought those who challenged me in it DID TOO!

 The New Legacy of the BSA….just another group who failed in its attempt to Stand Against Moral Compromise.

Dr. Tom Smiley is a pastor, author, speaker, blogger, husband, grand dad, and Christ-follower.  He is a regional radio talk show host with WDUN Jacobs Media.  He is the founder of Life with Smiles Ministry.  His Sunday messages are broadcast on WDUN 550, and his “blog” entries and thoughts on God, Christian faith, current events, politics and Islam are available at http://tomsmiley.wordpress.com/

His books: Runaway Lives: Overcoming Emotional Undercurrents, Angels all Around, and Uncommon Common Sense can be ordered at his Life with Smiles website (www.lifewithsmiles.com).  Dr. Smiley is available for speaking engagements and discussion forums and can be contacted at tsmiley@lakewoodlife.org or by calling 770.532.6307.

Why NOT Support Same Sex Marriage

I need to state unequivocally that it is possible to hold a principled objection to Same Sex Marriage.  It is false to assume that one who holds strong core values regarding traditional marriage is simply acting out ignorance, hatred or some homophobic bias.

One of the very first questions that proponents of Same Sex Marriage ask is, “What is wrong with two loving people wanting to get married”?  They often follow that up with, “who are they hurting”.

Second to these kinds of questions, is the argument by Same Sex Marriage advocates that the “only basis” for not supporting Same Sex Marriage are  the  often quoted “Biblical admonitions”.  (Go to www.lifewithsmiles.com and click on the Q & A button to read more of what God says about Homosexuality)

Even then some rationalize their support of Same Sex Marriage by pointing out that while the Old Testament condemns same-sex relationships, Jesus said nothing about it, so it must be okay. Granted, there is no recorded statement from Jesus on the subject of homosexuality. However, we have no direct quote from Jesus about slavery or rape either. So, obviously, the absence of a statement from Jesus doesn’t qualify as an endorsement.

Actually, for me the Biblical admonition is enough but for those who think that is my only reasoning or that my views qualify me as “homophobic”, here are some Reasons Why I Do Not Support Same Sex Marriage apart from my strongly held biblical core values.

By the way, it is very strange that advocates of Same Sex Marriage accuse people like me of “pushing my beliefs on others” well given the official estimates that the homosexual population ranges from 2 to 4 percent may I ask, “who is Pushing whom”?

* Same Sex Marriage is Not Marriage

Calling something marriage does not make it marriage. Marriage has always been a covenant between a man and a woman who is by its nature ordered toward the procreation and education of children and the unity and wellbeing of the spouses.

The promoters of same-sex “marriage” propose something entirely different. They propose the union between two men or two women. This denies the self-evident biological, physiological, and psychological differences between men and women which find their complementarity in marriage. It also denies the specific primary purpose of marriage: the perpetuation of the human race and the raising of children.

Two entirely different things cannot be considered the same thing.

* Same Sex Marriage violates Natural Law

Marriage is not just any relationship between human beings. It is a relationship rooted in human nature and thus governed by natural law.

Any situation which institutionalizes the circumvention of the purpose of the sexual act violates natural law and the objective norm of morality.

Being rooted in human nature, natural law is universal and immutable. It applies to the entire human race, equally.

* Same Sex Marriage (by its nature) will always Deny a Child either a Father or a Mother

It is in the child’s best interests that he be raised under the influence of his natural father and mother. This rule is confirmed by the evident difficulties faced by the many children who are orphans or are raised by a single parent, a relative, or a foster parent. Obviously single parents or guardians of children do a wonderful job; however, the ideal is a father and mother in loving marital relationship.

A child of a same-sex “marriage” will always be deprived of either his natural mother or father. Same-sex “marriage” ignores a child’s best interests.

* Same Sex Marriage Validates and Promotes the Homosexual Lifestyle

In the name of the “family,” same-sex “marriage” serves to validate not only such unions but the whole homosexual lifestyle in all its bisexual and transgender variants.

Same Sex Marriage will externally shape the life of society, and also profoundly modify everyone’s perception and evaluation of forms of behavior.

* Same Sex Marriage turns a Moral Wrong into a Civil Right

Homosexual activists argue that same-sex “marriage” is a civil rights issue similar to the struggle for racial equality in the 1960s.

This is false.

Inherited and unchangeable racial traits cannot be compared with non-genetic and changeable behavior.

There is simply no analogy between the interracial marriage of a man and a woman and the “marriage” between two individuals of the same-sex.

* Same Sex Marriage defeats the State’s Purpose of Benefiting Marriage

One of the main reasons why the State bestows numerous benefits on marriage is that by its very nature and design, marriage provides the normal conditions for a stable, affectionate, and moral atmosphere that is beneficial to the upbringing of children—all fruit of the mutual affection of the parents.

Homosexual “marriage” has as its primary purpose the personal gratification of two individuals whose union is sterile by nature. It is not entitled, therefore, to the protection the State extends to true marriage.

* Same Sex Marriage is the Cutting Edge of the Sexual Revolution

In the 1960s, society was pressured to accept all kinds of immoral sexual relationships between men and women. Today we are seeing a new sexual revolution where society is being asked to accept same-sex “marriage.”

If homosexual “marriage” is universally accepted as the present step in sexual “freedom,” what logical arguments can be used to stop the next steps of incest, pedophilia, bestiality, and other forms of unnatural behavior? Indeed, radical elements of certain “avant garde” subcultures are already advocating such aberrations.

Admittedly, opponents of Same Sex Marriage are going to be labeled homophobic and intolerant.  The bullies in the gay and lesbian community will hurl insults at our churches, accuse us of hate speech and of being out of step with where the culture is heading.

Remember,  “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.” (Matthew 5:11-12)

Some Material Taken from TFP Student Action

Dr. Tom Smiley is a pastor, author, speaker, blogger, husband, grand dad, and Christ-follower.  He is a regional radio talk show host with WDUN Jacobs Media.  He is the founder of Life with Smiles Ministry.  His Sunday messages are broadcast on WDUN 550, and his “blog” entries and thoughts on God, Christian faith, current events, politics and Islam are available at http://tomsmiley.wordpress.com/

His books: Runaway Lives: Overcoming Emotional Undercurrents, Angels all Around, and Uncommon Common Sense can be ordered at his Life with Smiles website (www.lifewithsmiles.com).  Dr. Smiley is available for speaking engagements and discussion forums and can be contacted at tsmiley@lakewoodlife.org or by calling 770.532.6307.

Putting together the events surrounding Jesus’ resurrection can be difficult to piece together

I was asked by a young girl after Church some questions about “the sequence” of events and who was present at the Crucifixion, Tomb and Resurrection. 

I found this commentary at “Got Answers”.   This lays a good foundation for as you consider these kinds of questions.    ( http://www.gotquestions.org )   I hope this will be helpful.

The events surrounding Jesus’ resurrection can be difficult to piece together. We must remember two things: first, the news of Jesus’ resurrection produced much excitement in Jerusalem, and in the ensuing chaos many people were going many different directions. Groups were separated, and several different groups paid visits to the tomb, possibly more than once. Second, the writers of the Gospels did not attempt an exhaustive narrative; in other words, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John had no intention of telling us every detail of the resurrection or every event in the order that it happened.

In the battle with skeptics regarding Jesus’ resurrection, Christians are in a “no-win” situation.

If the resurrection accounts harmonize perfectly, skeptics will claim that the writers of the Gospels conspired together.

If the resurrection accounts have some differences, skeptics will claim that the Gospels contradict each other and therefore cannot be trusted.

It is our contention that the resurrection accounts can be harmonized and do not contradict each other.

However, even if the resurrection accounts cannot be perfectly harmonized, that does not make them untrustworthy. By any reasonable evaluation, the resurrection accounts from the four Gospels are superbly consistent eyewitness testimonies.

The central truths – that Jesus was resurrected from the dead and that the resurrected Jesus appeared to many people – are clearly taught in each of the four Gospels. The apparent inconsistencies are in “side issues.” How many angels did they see in the tomb, one or two? (Perhaps one person only saw one angel, while the other person saw two angels.) To how many women did Jesus appear, and to whom did He appear first? (While each Gospel has a slightly different sequence to the appearances, none of them claims to be giving the precise chronological order.) So, while the resurrection accounts may seem to be inconsistent, it cannot be proven that the accounts are contradictory.

Here is a possible harmony of the narratives of the resurrection of Christ and His post-resurrection appearances, in chronological order:

Jesus is buried, as several women watch (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42).

The tomb is sealed and a guard is set (Matthew 27:62-66).

At least 3 women, including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, prepare spices to go to the tomb (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1).

An angel descends from heaven, rolls the stone away, and sits on it. There is an earthquake, and the guards faint (Matthew 28:2-4).

The women arrive at the tomb and find it empty. Mary Magdalene leaves the other women there and runs to tell the disciples (John 20:1-2).

The women still at the tomb see two angels who tell them that Jesus is risen and who instruct them to tell the disciples to go to Galilee (Matthew 28:5-7; Mark 16:2-8; Luke 24:1-8).

The women leave to bring the news to the disciples (Matthew 28:8).

The guards, having roused themselves, report the empty tomb to the authorities, who bribe the guards to say the body was stolen (Matthew 28:11-15).

Mary the mother of James and the other women, on their way to find the disciples, see Jesus (Matthew 28:9-10).

The women relate what they have seen and heard to the disciples (Luke 24:9-11).

Peter and John run to the tomb, see that it is empty, and find the grave clothes (Luke 24:12; John 20:2-10).

Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb. She sees the angels, and then she sees Jesus (John 20:11-18).

Later the same day, Jesus appears to Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5).

Still on the same day, Jesus appears to Cleopas and another disciple on their way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32).

That evening, the two disciples report the event to the Eleven in Jerusalem (Luke 24:32-35).

Jesus appears to ten disciples—Thomas is missing (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25).

Jesus appears to all eleven disciples—Thomas included (John 20:26-31).

Jesus appears to seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-25).

Jesus appears to about 500 disciples in Galilee (1 Corinthians 15:6).

Jesus appears to His half-brother James (1 Corinthians 15:7).

Jesus commissions His disciples (Matthew 28:16-20).

Jesus teaches His disciples the Scriptures and promises to send the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:4-5).

Jesus ascends into heaven (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:6-12).

Dr. Tom Smiley is a pastor, author, speaker, blogger, husband, grand dad, and Christ-follower.  He is a regional radio talk show host with WDUN Jacobs Media.  He is the founder of Life with Smiles Ministry.  His Sunday messages are broadcast on WDUN 550, and his “blog” entries and thoughts on God, Christian faith, current events, politics and Islam are available at http://tomsmiley.wordpress.com/

His books: Runaway Lives: Overcoming Emotional Undercurrents, Angels all Around, and Uncommon Common Sense can be ordered at his Life with Smiles website (www.lifewithsmiles.com).  Dr. Smiley is available for speaking engagements and discussion forums and can be contacted attsmiley@lakewoodlife.org or by calling 770.532.6307.

Good Friday—– It is FINISHED!

Of the last sayings of Christ on the cross, none is more important or more poignant than His very last utterance, “It is finished.”

Found only in the Gospel of John, the Greek word translated “it is finished” is an accounting term that means “paid in full.”

When Jesus uttered those words,

He was declaring the debt owed to His Father was wiped away completely and forever.

Not that Jesus wiped away any debt that He owed to the Father; rather,  Jesus eliminated the debt owed by mankind—the debt of sin.

The work Jesus was sent to do

was to “seek and save that which is lost”

to provide atonement for the sins of all who would ever   believe in Him

and to reconcile sinful men to a holy God.

None other but God in flesh could accomplish such a task.

Also completed was the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecies, symbols and foreshadowings of the coming Messiah.

From Genesis to Malachi, there are over 300 specific prophecies detailing the coming of the Anointed One, all fulfilled by Jesus.

From the “seed” who would crush the serpent’s head, to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, to the proclamation of John the Baptist,——EVERY prophecy of

Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection were fulfilled and finished at the cross.

Although the redemption of mankind is the most important finished task, many other things were completed at the cross as well.

The sufferings Jesus endured while on the earth were FINISHED.

God’s will for Jesus was ACCOMPLISHED in perfect obedience to the Father

Most importantly, the power of sin and Satan were FINISHED.

Jesus’ finished work on the cross was the beginning of new life for all who were once “dead in trespasses and sins” but who are now made “alive with Christ” (Ephesians 2:1, 5).

No DOUBT…..JESUS WORE MY CROWN!  HE FINISHED IT!

 

Dr. Tom Smiley is a pastor, author, speaker, blogger, husband, grand dad, and Christ-follower.  He is a regional radio talk show host with WDUN Jacobs Media.  He is the founder of Life with Smiles Ministry.  His Sunday messages are broadcast on WDUN 550, and his “blog” entries and thoughts on God, Christian faith, current events, politics and Islam are available at http://tomsmiley.wordpress.com/

His books: Runaway Lives: Overcoming Emotional Undercurrents, Angels all Around, and Uncommon Common Sense can be ordered at his Life with Smiles website (www.lifewithsmiles.com).  Dr. Smiley is available for speaking engagements and discussion forums and can be contacted attsmiley@lakewoodlife.org or by calling 770.532.6307.

Heard this on the “Fair Minded” National Media?

Bet you did NOT read this in the National Media?  They really want You to Believe we have a Gun Control Problem?

• A 1997 high school shooting in Pearl, Miss., was halted by the school’s vice principal after he retrieved the Colt .45 he kept in his truck.

• A 1998 middle school shooting ended when a man living next door heard gunfire and apprehended the shooter with his shotgun.

• A 2002 terrorist attack at an Israeli school was quickly stopped by an armed teacher and a school guard.

• A 2002 law school shooting in Grundy, Va., came to an abrupt conclusion when students carrying firearms confronted the shooter.

• A 2007 mall shooting in Ogden, Utah, ended when an armed off-duty police officer intervened.

• A 2009 workplace shooting in Houston, Texas, was halted by two coworkers who carried concealed handguns.

• A 2012 church shooting in Aurora, Colo., was stopped by a member of the congregation carrying a gun.

• At the recent mall shooting in Portland, Ore., the gunman took his own life minutes after being confronted by a shopper carrying a concealed weapon. 2500 times last year alone legal gun owners stopped violent crime when confronted with it long before any police assistance.

In reality, gun control in a country that already has 200 million privately owned firearms is likely to do little to keep weapons out of the hands of criminals. We would be better off debating two taboo subjects — the laws that make it difficult to control people with mental illness and the growing body of evidence that “gun-free” zones, which ban the carrying of firearms by law-abiding individuals, don’t work.

 

The Shooting in Newtown, Ct.

The recent tragedy in Newtown, CT is one more reminder that we live in a fallen world where EVIL, pure evil, affects the most INNOCENT.

The problem of Evil and the Question, “Why do Bad Things Happen to Good People”,  are topics for which there are NO EASY ANSWERS.

What we know is that we live in a fallen world where good behavior is not always rewarded and bad behavior is not always punished.             Therefore, innocent people often suffer. 

My Caution to every Christ follower is don’t get to the place where you believe you have to ANSWER every question of a grieving community.  Often “being present” is more needed than giving answers.

Second, don’t get so consumed with pundit’s and media solutions that you forget that this tragedy actually demonstrates, we don’t have a crime problem, a gun control  problem or even a violence problem.  What we have is a sin problem, and there is only ONE answer to our Sin Problem, Jesus, the Light of the world.

Violent acts like the Newtown Shooting remind me of the consequences a society experiences when God is ordered out of our schools, out of our communities, out of the military and out of public conversation.

Today, many people think they are ONLY ACCOUNTABLE to the police and if they don’t get caught, no harm.  It would be good to hear someone speak about the judgment of a Holy God and personal accountability to Him because if we don’t believe that, then we don’t fear that.

In our culture topics of conversation such as eternity, the sanctity of life, personal responsibility, accountability, and Absolute Truth are all banned from public discourse.  As Christ Followers we must lead in conversations that present the Truth of the one true God, and we must be the Light and Salt that this world so desperately needs.

 

A Second Obama Term and The Second Amendment

Mike McDaniel explains it best in his recent blog:  “No longer restrained by the need to maintain appearances in order to win reelection, no longer restrained by the need to appease congressional Democrats, he turns to those facets of his agenda too unpopular to openly pursue during a first term. Very near the top of his list is gun control – or, more properly, the disarming of the American people.”

**************************

Believing that Something Won’t Happen, Doesn’t Mean it Won’t.

As many people guessed President Obama crossed the presidential election finish line once again as victor.

Now that has occurred,  among the many facets of a new term agenda will be ADDITIONAL Private Citizen Gun Control regulations.

Mike McDaniel explains it best in his recent blog:  “No longer restrained by the need to maintain appearances in order to win reelection, no longer restrained by the need to appease congressional Democrats, he turns to those facets of his agenda too unpopular to openly pursue during a first term. Very near the top of his list is gun control – or, more properly, the disarming of the American people.”

Definitely NOT Citizen Friendly

The facts bear out that a 2^nd Term Obama administration will most definitely NOT be Citizen Friendly to the Second Amendment.

* In 1996, then Illinois State Senator Obama answered a gun control questionnaire. He wrote that he supported a complete ban on the manufacture, sale, and possession of handguns and “assault weapons.”

* In 1998, Mr. Obama expressed his support for a complete ban on the sale or transfer of all semi-automatic firearms. He supported Illinois law that bans concealed carry permits.

* In 1999, Mr. Obama endorsed a 500% increase in the federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition. This was obviously intended to increase the price of gun ownership so drastically as to make it unaffordable for most Americans.

* In 1999, Mr. Obama supported a proposal to ban gun stores within five miles of a school or park. This was a reasonable sounding scheme that would have had the effect of banning nearly every gun store in America.

* In 2000, Mr. Obama voted against allowing citizens to violate local weapon bans where self-defense was involved.

* In 2005, Mr. Obama voted in the U.S. Senate to ban nearly all rifle ammunition in common civilian use.

The POINT:  President Obama’s anti-freedom inclinations have not abated. He has merely put them aside temporarily in the pursuit of larger progressive goals.

Just because gun control has not had the kind of exposure enjoyed by ObamaCare does not mean it is not part of Mr. Obama’s agenda.

How will HE Do IT?

A second Obama term will involve greater restrictive laws for private Citizen Gun Ownership.

According to the Huffington Post the Department of Justice has been holding meetings to plan options for enacting gun controls by bypassing the legislative process though executive orders or regulation making by federal bureaucrats.

President Obama’s use of his appointed, unaccountable czars who will make up the rules as they go, as well as, harass, obstruct, punish, and harm anyone who might try to stand in their way.

The imperial courts. By appointing the “right” kind of judges and/or jurisdiction shopping, predictable rulings are easy to obtain. Whatever mischief bureaucrats aren’t able to secure can often be accomplished through liberal, activist judges.  Even if lower court decisions are eventually and inevitably overturned, the process takes years, and any rulings adverse to Mr. Obama’s desires can usually be safely ignored.

Remember, You Heard it HERE:

Unburdened with the necessity of a second campaign, Mr. Obama will almost certainly go for broke on every item on his progressive wish list.

Gun control has always been near the very top of every progressive’s wish list, and Mr. Obama is nothing if not a good progressive.

In a Second Obama term the Second Amendment WILL BE in great Peril.

Dr. Tom Smiley is a pastor, author, speaker, blogger, husband, dad, and Christ-follower.  He is a regional radio talk show host, regularly filling in at WDUN Jacobs Media.  He is the founder of Life with Smiles Ministry.  His Sunday messages are broadcast on WDUN 550, and his “blog” entries and thoughts on God, Christian faith, current events, politics and Islam are available at http://tomsmiley.wordpress.com/

 His books: Runaway Lives: Overcoming Emotional Undercurrents, Angels all Around, and Uncommon Common Sense can be ordered at his Life with Smiles website (www.lifewithsmiles.com).  Dr. Smiley is available for speaking engagements and discussion forums and can be contacted at tsmiley@lakewoodlife.org or by calling 770.532.6307.

 

Why I am voting for a man who is a member of a Non-Christian Sect

As an Evangelical Christian, allow me to address the “elephant in the room”.  How can I, an Evangelical Christian, vote for Mitt Romney, a member of a non-Christian faith?

Bottom line: I value candidates for public office who most clearly and competently share my worldview and political views.

I find myself in a unique place, given that presently a member of a non-Christian sect running for President shares more of my values and moral commitments than a current President who says he is a Christian.

I can find no compromise of scripture for an Evangelical like myself desiring to vote for candidates for public office who most closely identify with my personal beliefs and worldview.

Two specific points give clarity to the issue.

First, competence for public office is an important Christian concern. Christians, along with the general public, are not well served by political leaders who, although identify themselves as Christian, are incompetent.

Second, Christians in other countries and in other political contexts have had to address this same issue.  For instance, Christian citizens of Turkey must choose among Muslim candidates and parties when voting.  Likewise, voters in many western states in the United States often have to choose among Mormon candidates. They vote for a Mormon or they do not vote at all.

Finally, I find more than ample reason for me, an Evangelical Christian, to vote for Mitt Romney instead of Barrack Obama.

- I do not share Obama’s vision or value system for America;

- I do not share his views that Radical Islam is our friend and Israel is our enemy          who should give up any land;

- I do not share his abortion beliefs;

- I do not share his philosophy of re-distributing wealth;

- I do not share his view that America is arrogant;

- I do not share his view that America is not a Christian nation;

- I do not share his view that the military should be reduced by 25%;

- I do not share his views on homosexuality and his definition of marriage;

- I do not share his re-worked beliefs regarding healthcare;

Given that Mitt Romney’s views on the topics such as Taxes, Sexuality, Care for the Poor, the Military and The Pro-life Issue PLUS my opinion that he would be a more competent President who values more of my moral beliefs, I find no option than to pray for and support a person of a non-Christian Sect to be the next President of the United States.

God, Please Bless America.

What is the Role of Religion in Goverment

An invitation from the Gainesville State College Humanist Student Union to address “What Role Religion Should Play in Government?” (along with discussion of an assortment of other cultural, moral, political, theological topics and current events).

October 2, 2012

Dr. Tom Smiley, Christ Follower, author, blogger, pastor, husband, father and grandfather. www.lifewithsmiles.com    tsmiley@lakewoodlife.org

Opening Remarks:

When it comes to religion and its role in government I do agree that theological issues such as transubstantiation, predestination, and such are NOT legitimate topics of political discussion.  

However, religion enters our public discourse with regards to government, primarily as a voice on certain moral issues.

The debate about religion’s role in government is undeniable given the intimate connection between what one believes and the governmental policies one supports.

The point that must be made is that religion does not happen in a vacuum. It is, more often than not, integrated into an individual’s value system and deeply impacts that individual’s way of interacting in society.

In America this “interacting” includes voting for laws and lawmakers and influencing public policy.

Separation of Church and State is important, but the State cannot be a “religious-free zone” either. In fact, the “separation of Church and State” was designed to protect religious minorities.

It is true that we live in a democracy rather than a theocracy BUT the notion that men and women of faith and their faith values have no business in politics is NONSENSE.

As a Christian I have a right to hold opinions, discuss issues and raise concerns relative to government policies and my religious convictions.

As an American, it is proper for me hold that GOVERNMENT shall not interfere with or infringe on my religious liberty.

Regarding such “Hot Button” topics that the Government seeks to address, such as, homosexuality, abortion and the teaching of evolution; these are topics that people of faith are demanded not to discuss in the confines of governmental policy.

With regards to homosexuality, one can disagree with and be critical of a behavior without having a fear of it.  When the charge of “homophobia” is made, it signifies that those making the accusation do not have reasoned responses to their critics, so they switch to portraying their critics as irrational rather than responding to their arguments.

I deplore acts of unkindness against homosexual persons, but I still must speak the truth about the nature of homosexual activity.

This is not a phobia. It is compassion together with frank recognition of the nature of a disordered condition.

With regards to abortion, as a Christian I am free to acknowledge that morality is not determined by popular or judicial opinion, but by what God says in His Word. 

With regards to the TEACHING OF EVOLUTION, those who express doubts about the theory of evolution are often labeled “unscientific” or “backwards”.   At times, the popular perception of evolution seems to be that it has been proven beyond all doubt and there are no scientific obstacles left for it.  In reality, there are quite a few scientific flaws in the theory that provide reasons to be skeptical.

Actually the theory of evolution is far from settled, and rational people can question it scientifically, and people should engage in the political discussion of what is taught in public schools which are supported by the taxpayer.

 Now, specifically regarding Religion and Politics:

In his first official act, President George Washington did something that would be unthinkable today. He prayed in public!

Two hundred years later, few government officials are bold enough to make earnest professions of faith.

As a Christian I SHOULD NOT be expected, under the guise of “keep religion out of politics”, to close my eyes to the fact that the American judicial system, which is firmly rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition, has developed a bias against public worship and the public acknowledgment of God.

Actually this fact ought to give the most militant atheist cause for concern. If judges can deny Christians and Jews the right to express their beliefs in the public square, they can surely deny secular humanists (devout believers of a different sort) the same right.

Without question, no person should ever be forced by law to participate in prayer or in other religious activity.  But to outlaw the public acknowledgment of God simply because another student might have to witness it is as illogical as abandoning a school mascot because some might not believe in “school spirit.”

Closing:

One of America’s biggest problems right now is that many have lost a since of our history.  Instead of being able to quote the Constitution, most of our people have never even read it.

Religion (specifically Christianity) played one of the biggest roles in the founding of America, but has also played a big role in the continuance of American values and ideals.

Many of the traditions and values that we hold dear as Americans come from the traditions and values of religion and Christianity.

To reject the Role of Religion in our history and to criticize its rightful place in government today is a recipe for our own demise.

Addendum: Reflections

I would have loved to have asked Brandon Givens, as a follower of Humanism, “Is everything you believe original to you”? (I know Brandon is a humble person and he would have said, “Of course not”.) He may have said, “I received some of my ideas from Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Issac Asimov, Philip Jose Farmer.”  I would have then replied, “Then HOW are you and I different?  You have “faith” in these men’s opinions; I have faith in the Bible.  Sounds like we are both have faith, just in different sources.

I  was asked after the meeting if I supported abortion.  I answered, “No”.  The reply was, “See, I told you that you would take away the rights of women if you were in charge”.  I said, “That is NOT correct.  Because I don’t support abortion doesn’t mean I don’t support women’s rights.  Rather, it means I support children’s rights.”

Finally, a person after the meeting said, “If you don’t allow homosexual companions to marry, then they can’t be involved in each others health care decisions.”  I said, “That is not true. You can assign any one the right to receive information about yourself.”

A CHRISTIAN WITH THE COURAGE NOT TO RECANT; A PRESIDENT WITH NO COURAGE TO AVOW

I am very disappointed, yes, even angry, that President Obama tours around the world, on my “dime”, apologizing for America and bowing to dictators and yet remains silent as Christian churches are burned and Christ followers persecuted all over the Middle East. 

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Many Christians and some very concerned non-Christians have been extremely burdened by the sentence of death by hanging that thirty-four year old Iranian Christ follower and pastor, Youcef Nadarkhani, has received from the Iranian highest court.

What is even more burdensome to me is that we have a president who doesn’t have the courage to avow the courage of this Christian.

Here we have a portrait of great courage in Youcef Nadardhani  and a portrait of great  weakness in the president of the strongest nation on planet earth.  How shameful!

Youcef Nadarkhani was arrested in October 2009 on charges of apostasy for converting from Islam to Christianity.  He was found guilty of apostasy and sentenced to death by hanging.

An Iranian lower court gave him three chances to recant his faith in Jesus Christ; he refused to deny his faith in Jesus!  Based upon his refusal to recant the Iranian highest court upheld the lower court’s ruling of guilty and the sentence of death by hanging.

Does this sound like a peaceful, kind and tolerant religion that only seeks to live alongside Christians and Jews?  That is what our President tells us.

Moreover, keep in mind, the Iranian treatment of Nadarkhani also coincides with Sharia law which some American judges have refused to dismiss as potentially having standing in our courts.

This case and the deafening silence by millions of Muslims affirm that Islam is a false religion, worshipping a false god, written about by a false prophet.

Many claim that Christianity is the most intolerant religion in the world because we believe that only those who profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be saved.  Keep in mind it is not Christianity that sends people to court and puts them under the death penalty for turning away from Christian faith.

Islam is the intolerant and hateful faith because it does take legal action, including imprisonment, fines, property confiscation, and even death against those that turn away from Islam.

While it is true that a growing number of nations, members of Congress, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have been calling for Nadarkhani’s release, I want to SHOUT, “Where is our President?”

I am very disappointed, yes, even angry, that President Obama tours around the world, on my “dime”, apologizing for America and bowing to dictators and yet remains silent as Christian churches are burned and Christ followers persecuted all over the Middle East.

Call me crazy, but given how Muslims are given more accommodations in America, along with the support that Sharia law receives, not to mention the support Muslims continually receive from the Obama administration, PLUS the speed at which Christians are losing rights, it may only be a few more years down the road that we will see cases like Nadarkhani’s here in our own country.

How far the office of President has regressed? More than ever we need a LEADER with Courage.

Dr. Tom Smiley is a pastor, author, speaker, blogger, husband, grand dad, and Christ-follower.  He is a regional radio talk show host with WDUN Jacobs Media.  He is the founder of Life with Smiles Ministry.  His Sunday messages are broadcast on WDUN 550, and his “blog” entries and thoughts on God, Christian faith, current events, politics and Islam are available at http://tomsmiley.wordpress.com/

His books: Runaway Lives: Overcoming Emotional Undercurrents, Angels all Around, and Uncommon Common Sense can be ordered at his Life with Smiles website (www.lifewithsmiles.com).  Dr. Smiley is available for speaking engagements and discussion forums and can be contacted at tsmiley@lakewoodlife.org or by calling 770.532.6307.