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Posted At : June 11, 2011 11:15 AM
| Posted By : Dr. Chuck Betters
Related Categories:
Politics
One might wonder what expertise I have in answering such a question. The short answer is - absolutely none! I am not an economist. But I do have a brain and a heart for God. So, here are some random yet common sense points I would like to make.
• Any nation that forgets the God of the universe is sure to watch their silver and gold turn to canker and rust. We are that nation. God has been relegated by the secularist to the church pews. And, even there He is sometimes nowhere to be found.
• Any financial structure that is built on the sandy foundation of borrow (wood), borrow (hay) and borrow some more (stubble) is sure to crumble from within. Since God has been removed from public discourse (except for court cases where He is the defense and the ACLU is the plaintiff) we should not be surprised when He delivers us over to our idols. Many have rightly said that a democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising them the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over a loss of fiscal responsibility, always followed by a dictatorship. The average of the world's great civilizations before they decline has been 200 years. These nations have progressed in this sequence:
From bondage to spiritual faith,
From spiritual faith to great courage,
From courage to liberty,
From liberty to abundance,
From abundance to selfishness,
From selfishness to complacency,
From complacency to apathy,
From apathy to dependency,
From dependency back again to bondage.
• Taxing the wealthy more may be politically popular for some of the elitist on the left. Here again we must use our brains. Most "wealthy" people took large risks and worked very hard. There is no precedent that shows taxation will increase economic growth or jobs. In fact, the opposite is true. President Jimmy Carter nearly destroyed the American economy with his idea of big government, high taxes and massive entitlements. President Ronald Reagan cut taxes resulting in increased government revenue, job creation and real economic growth. If taxes are raised on the rich they will surely pass their added costs in "trickle down" fashion to the not so rich. They will not hire and salaries may very well go down. Besides, given the enormous percentages the rich already pay of the total tax bill, how much more do you think will be fair? This is the liberal's socialism and demagoguery.
• The private sector is not hiring. There are reasons for this. The stimulus was a massive failure. We gave away $750 billion to what? Last summer was supposed to be according to Obama "the summer of recovery." Was it? Not even close! And what will this summer look like. Obama care is riddled with costs most entrepreneurs are unwilling to assume. Why would they hire people they will be forced to carry on their insurance plan (Obama care) that is far too expensive. It is now estimated that 1/3 of American companies plan to halt health care when the Obama health care program kicks into full gear. Consumer confidence is at an all-time low. Why is that? Because the homes they live in are now worth a fraction of what they once were. Gas is now close to $4.00/gallon. When Obama took office gas was $1.89/gallon. There is a sense that the current administration doesn't have a clue on how to fix the problems. With the recent rise to 9.1% of the unemployment rate, Obama called it a "bump in the road." Tell that to the millions of Americans who cannot find a job. The immoral debt load on this country has caused many to wonder what would happen if China calls in the loan. After all, they seem to own us. We are messing with a sleeping dragon and have sold our security to them for financing debt we should not have created. Obama's socialism, and the Pelosi/Reid led Congress have been a miserable failure from a policy viewpoint and more of a disaster in the expansion of government waste and size. And I am still waiting to see what the Republican held House has to say about all of this.
• Unions and management need to get real and reasonable. Can you believe the issues that are forcing a possible NFL lockout? They are at each other's throats trying to decide how they will divide up their gazillions of dollars in revenue while the blue collar Joe sits outside the stadium with his Eagles jersey and Eagles hat proudly displaying the name of his favorite player (almost as though he is that player) through whom he is vicariously living his life. He tailgates his fall and winter away paying for Michael Vick or Peyton Manning to entertain him for three hours while paying hundreds of dollars to see each game. And none of his athletic heroes could care two licks about him.
• As long as the current administration is in the "blame Bush" mode they will never have to accept responsibility for the dismal failures of their own policies. The entire financial structure of the country nearly collapsed under Bush. Loans were given to people (no one stuck a gun to their heads to take out these loans) who could not afford them to buy houses they could not afford. They then took out second mortgages to buy more stuff. The premise of such thinking was that real estate always goes up, right? Wrong! Lehman Brothers went belly up. Then AIG (who insured all of those bad debts) nearly collapsed. If that had happened the entire financial structure of the country would have tumbled down and we would be in a Great, Great and Greater Depression right now. Thus, the government bought up all of the bad debt and thrust $750 billion into the banking industry so that they will start lending again, but this time to qualified people. With what result? No one is lending money even to people with great credit.
• Unless the powers to be are willing to cut spending with a hatchet and not a butter knife we will never see our way out of this mess. Since no one else will say it, I will. At the top of the list of major cuts that need to be made are the entitlements - Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. After all, they represent close to 90% of the American budget. Additionally, Obama Care needs to be repealed. People close to retirement age should be grandfathered, but the Roosevelt New Deal has now become a Raw Deal. It is time to put it to bed or at least radically alter it.
• Our energy policy is...well, I do not know what our energy policy is since we do not have one. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and OPEC in general owe America their oil. There is a bill we need to submit to those countries for setting them free with American lives. That is how oil prices can come down. And we need to drill, build refineries, harvest coal and build more nuclear reactors. America is sitting on massive oil supplies we are blocked from getting out of the ground. The massive Department of Energy began officially on August 4, 1977 during the Carter administration on the heels of the nightmarish oil crisis and embargo. Now the DOE has 16,000 employees, 100,000 contract employees and an annual budget of over $24 billion with the stated goals of reducing America's dependence on foreign oil, developing energy efficient technologies, strengthening America's energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality, and bringing clean, reliable and affordable energy technologies to the marketplace. How well are they doing? When someone doesn't do the job shouldn't they be fired? Really, is the swamp toad more important than Johnnie's daddy finding a job? People are more important than the spotted owl.
What say you? Is there anyone out there I have not yet offended? Believe me, it was not intentional. I just had to get these things off my chest.
Next time - How should Christians approach the bad economy?
In His grip,
Dr. Chuck Betters
MARKINC Ministries, its staff, or volunteers accepts no liability for the content of this blog, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing. Any views or opinions presented in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of MARKINC.
Posted At : May 21, 2011 9:40 PM
| Posted By : Dr. Chuck Betters
Related Categories:
Current Events
An Open Letter to the Deceived in the Christian Community:
By now, you have come to realize that a travesty of Biblical interpretation has infiltrated the Christian community. I am referring to the work of Mr. Harold Camping of Family Stations, Inc. and his prediction that Judgment Day was to occur on Saturday, May 21st, 2011. This was his second effort at setting the date of Christ's return, his first being when he wrote the book 1994?. In that book, he provided himself with an out in the title via a question mark. On both occasions he led many to believe that he had unlocked the secret code to the numerological system of the Bible that pinpointed the timing of Judgment Day. What some may not realize is that he also argued that the age of the church has ended, that the organized church is apostate and that all who name the name of Christ should abandon their churches. Sadly, many have mortgaged their spiritual future on Mr. Camping's accuracy.
Yet, the clear teaching of scripture straight from Jesus' lips is this...
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matthew 24:36)
Some in the Christian community have abandoned their churches believing that Mr. Camping was right. Now that he has proven once again to be wrong, why not humble yourselves and return to your first love, admit your error and learn the life-long lesson of the Berean church...
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11, emphasis mine)
Did you catch that? Arguably, the greatest Christian who ever lived, the Apostle Paul, taught the people in Berea the scriptures concerning Christ. Yet, they determined to check out his teaching to insure he was telling them the truth. In other words, they did not blindly follow any teacher, including the great Apostle, just because he appeared to know what he was talking about.
Do not get me wrong. I long for the return of Christ and pray for it every day. It is the blessed hope of the church. But, many families have been split apart by Mr. Camping's gross error. Many churches and church leaders have had to apologize to the world for the embarrassment he has caused. We have all had to sit and listen to the mockery of our faith. It is time for those of you who have followed Mr. Camping to humbly admit that he was wrong and that you were wrong in following him. Additionally, via of his hyper-Calvinistic belief system many who were once certain have been robbed of the assurance of their salvation.
Mr. Camping has made it clear that if the day after his prediction (May 22nd) he is still here then he is not a Christian AND the Bible cannot be trusted. How sad! There was a time when this man was respected for his knowledge of the Bible. Years ago, I knew him personally as a gracious and caring man who loved the Lord and had given his entire life to the study of the Bible. I believe Mr. Camping is truly sincere, but he is also sincerely wrong. The question is - will he admit it and will those of you who left your church to follow Mr. Camping return home in the spirit of Peter - Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)
And James...
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6)
In His grip,
Dr. Chuck Betters
MARKINC Ministries, its staff, or volunteers accepts no liability for the content of this blog, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing. Any views or opinions presented in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of MARKINC
Posted At : May 12, 2011 5:04 PM
| Posted By : Dr. Chuck Betters
Related Categories:
Current Events
"You only have 15 months to grieve," said the elderly voice on the other end of the phone in July of 1993. We had just buried our 16 year-old son, Mark, who had been killed in a car accident. Someone, well intentioned knew how much I respected the ministry of Family Radio that for years had been faithful to the Word of God. They decided that Mr. Harold Camping might be able to offer me some hope. I did know that Mr. Camping had written a book entitled "1994" in which he predicted the end of the world would come on September 6th, 1994. He made this bold prediction based upon his study of scripture and specifically the numerology contained therein. I had heard about the book but dismissed it as a misled uninformed teacher who crossed the hermeneutical line of good Biblical interpretation. In other words, I had given Mr. Camping a pass instead trying to stay focused on his years of faithfully teaching the doctrines of the Reformed faith, my own personal discipline. I said to Mr. Camping, "I hope you are right" to which he responded, "I know I am right." There was something about his confident demeanor that gave me pause. That is when I determined to read his book, "1994" to better understand where he was coming from. I read the book twice and knew from my studies of sound interpretative principles that he had built his entire case on a sandy foundation. Nonetheless, I was determined to honor his years of good teaching by not "throwing out the baby with the dirty water." I invited Mr. Camping to come to my church for a two day debate with a couple of evangelical seminary professors. I promised him a fair hearing and that he would be treated with dignity and respect. The sanctuary was packed with over 1000 people, many from a contingent of his supporters who literally followed him wherever he went preparing for the end of the world. On the first night after the debate he told me that his counterparts had given him a lot to think about. I honestly thought as he retired to our guest room that he would recant his position and hopefully salvage his reputation. Instead, the next day he came out with guns blazing more determined than before that he was right. No matter how our scholars pleaded with him and exposed his faulty theology he refused to budge. Jesus would return on September 6th, 1994. Camping called on all men everywhere to repent. He even broadcast the entire debate word for word across the nation despite the fact that his methodology was systematically dismantled in the debate. September 6th, 1994 came and went. Jesus did not return. Mr. Camping proceeded to explain it away with arguments ranging from "Jesus did return, but it was a spiritual coming," to "I will backtrack to see what I missed." The result of this backtracking is his latest prediction that Jesus will return on May 21, 2011, a few days from now. Billboards line the streets of America announcing in Noah-like fashion "Are you ready?" Personally, it would not hurt my feelings if he was right. After all, there is an eternally fixed date for the return of Christ. However, he is wrong since no man knows the date God has on His calendar. Mr. Camping has also declared that the age of the church has ended and that people must vacate their churches since all are apostate, of course with the exception of Family Radio. In fact, he has also stated that if Jesus does not return on this date the Bible is "untrustworthy." He has also implied that if May 21 comes and goes then he and anyone who is still here are not Christians. This is heresy so severe that, if Mr. Camping were a member in my church he would be facing church discipline and likely excommunication. Sadly, many have been caught up in his hysteria. Many families are now divided as husbands or wives sell their souls to his cult-like teaching. Unbelievers are laughing at us as once again and the church is embarrassed by one of her teachers. Do not get me wrong. I long for the return of Christ. One day, He will come back to judge the living and the dead. That is the blessed hope of the church. We are to preach and teach the Gospel while there is still light. Soon and very soon we will see the King. But the date of that climax in human history is not known to men and certainly not through the numerical gymnastics of Mr. Camping. I personally know of families that have been in turmoil over Mr. Camping's teaching. Husbands have pulled out of the church declaring as apostate the same leaders who faithfully taught them the riches of Biblical truth. Just recently I received a call from an elderly woman whose husband recently died. He was a spiritual giant and she depended on him to answer troubling teachings. She was troubled by Camping's teaching that the church is apostate. She wanted to know if she should leave the church. She was in tears as she contemplated leaving the church that has been faithful to the scriptures for all of her adult life. Another man has pulled his family from the church they loved (it happens to be my church) and has forced his wife and kids to be exposed to this heresy. Their kids are terrified and her home life has been terribly disrupted. And these stories are being repeated in a myriad of ways through the followers of this man's renegade teaching. And what about the secular world that always looks for a reason to justify their non-involvement in the church? How will we answer them when they ask why the world didn't end on May 21st. I for one will simply have to say, "I am so sorry you were exposed to this error. On behalf of the church please forgive us for our fringe who, albeit well-intentioned simply would not listen to their counselors." Mr. Camping was told how and why he was wrong. I know since I moderated that debate. Mr. Camping has since been told the same things in light of his recent erroneous teaching. He has turned a deaf ear to the truth. Prayerfully, he will recant. I doubt he will. I am sure he will have another tweak in his calendar that will keep his groupies sending in their money and living on the edge of his every word.
In His grip,
Dr. Chuck Betters
MARKINC Ministries, its staff, or volunteers accepts no liability for the content of this blog, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing. Any views or opinions presented in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of MARKINC
Posted At : May 11, 2011 11:40 PM
| Posted By : Dr. Chuck Betters
Related Categories:
Marriage
After 33 years of debate, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has voted to change its constitution and allow openly gay people in same-sex relationships to be ordained as ministers, elders and deacons. This is a reversal of the same body's decision only two years ago. The vote was not even close - 205 to 56, with 3 abstentions. We are told by Cynthia Bolbach, the moderator of the church's General Assembly that after the vote: "Everyone was civil. There was no applause, no cheering. It was just reflective of the fact that we are moving forward one other step." This may very well represent the mindset of a changing American culture that seems bent on the acceptance of homosexuality. Those who have de facto, looked at the Bible, read what it says about homosexuality and rejected it outright have outlasted their weary opponents who have held on to the doctrine of the inerrancy of scripture. And that ultimately is what this is all about - the authority of scripture. As an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America, I am pleased to know that no man can be ordained in our denomination who rejects the authority of scripture. Thus, no man can be ordained who adheres to the lifestyle of the homosexual. Like a dripping faucet, proponents of the ordination of homosexuals have battled for 33 years to the point where many in the PCUSA decided that the conflict just wasn't worth it any longer. As Rev. Gradye Parsons, the church's stated clerk put it - "We've been having this conversation for 33 years, and some people are ready to get to the other side of this decision. Some people are going to celebrate this day because they've worked for it for a long time, and some people will mourn this day because they think it's a totally different understanding of Scripture than they have." He then added this intriguing comment, "I hope that going forward we can stay together and be faithful witnesses to the gospel of Jesus Christ." That, Rev. Parsons, has just been made impossible by the unscriptural decision the PCUSA has made. Your witness for Christ is ruined short of repentance. Sadly, there are many strong evangelicals in the PCUSA just as there are in the other mainline denominations who have adopted similar policies. I say it is sad because they no longer have a home in the PCUSA. This policy is but the open door to the acceptance of gay and lesbian marriage within the PCUSA as more and more states adopt such laws. Over 100 PCUSA congregations have left the denomination in the past five years. More are sure to follow. The dividing line in American Protestantism has been clearly defined. But it will not be over the issue of the ordination of homosexuals. It will be and is over the authority of scripture. Is the Bible the word of God or does it merely contain the word of God? As my liberal counterparts would argue, it is the latter. They say something like this - "The Bible needs to be demythologized. Take out the myth and the kernel of truth one is left with is the actual word of God." Here are some examples of how this logic works. The Bible clearly speaks of the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 - that Jesus actually fed a crowd of 5000 people with just a few loaves of bread and a few fish. Their liberal mindset cannot accept the miraculous since it defies logic. Thus, they reason that what really happened is that Jesus set a moral example by sharing his lunch with the person sitting next to him. This inspired that person to share his lunch with the person next to him and so on and so on until 5000 were satisfied. Their reasoning is the same with just about every miracle in the Bible. The Bible must be demythologized and the nugget left behind after the absurdity of the miraculous is removed is the word of God. How far does this go? Who is the final arbiter of what is myth and what is truth? We are. Thus, Jesus did not physically rise from the dead. He merely spiritually arose. As long as one catches the kernel of truth that is all that matters to them. The Rev. Heidi Vardeman, senior minister of Macalaster Plymouth United Church in St. Paul and a spokeswoman for a pro-gay church group called More Light Presbyterians, said in an interview, "Finally, the denomination has seen the error of its ways and it will repent. I've had young people who have been exemplary, obviously good candidates for the ministry," she said, "but then you have to have this weird conversation in which you say that, umm, because they might be gay or lesbian, it's not going to work. But now we're free! We can endorse and propose and assist and elect those whom God has called."
Sadly, Rev. Vardeman is dead wrong. A candidate for the ministry must be assessed on the basis of his commitment to the qualifications for the ordained ministry that are spelled out in the Bible, not at some denominational Assembly. Those qualifications are clear: 1 Timothy 3:1-16 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) [6] He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap. As far as I know, God has never rescinded those requirements. They are still required of every Presbyterian Church in America (PCA, not PCUSA) pastor. The trend toward theological liberalism has been eating away at the PCUSA for over 50 years. Their refusal to embrace the authority of scripture is the main reason many churches that make up the PCA left that denomination, giving up the buildings they bought and paid for, and started the PCA which to this very day continues to declare the rich authority of God's eternal Word and is one of Protestantism's fastest growing denominations. We welcome those of you who wish to join us to do so. If you hold to the inerrancy of scripture and the Westminster Standards perhaps it is time. In the next few months, the denomination will gauge the reaction from its more theologically conservative members, who believe that ordaining sexually active gay people is inconsistent with the Bible. Some have already departed. The Presbyterian News Service estimates that approximately 100 congregations have left the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in the last five years. Several were large congregations, which could help explain why the vote in some presbyteries switched from 2009. Paul Detterman, executive director of Presbyterians for Renewal, an alliance of conservative Presbyterians, said: "We see this as a bit of a crisis of conscience for us. The book that we hold up as holy is saying one thing, and now the church is behaving differently."
However, he said groups like his were not planning to separate from the denomination, but to push to create some kind of a formal entity within the Presbyterian Church for conservatives. It could be a non-geographical presbytery or a fellowship, he said. "We need to have some kind of an identity," he said. He said he did not think the homosexuality issue was resolved because gay advocates are likely to try to pass an amendment at the church's next General Assembly in 2012 calling for the church to bless same-sex marriages and unions. The change approved on Tuesday does not mean that presbyteries must ordain gay candidates - only that they may. The wording leaves the decision open to local presbyteries, according to church officials. It says that governing bodies that consider candidates "shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual candidates." The measure changes the church's constitution by removing a 1997 amendment that said that those ordained were required to live in "either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman" or in "chastity in singleness."
In His grip,
Dr. Chuck Betters
MARKINC Ministries, its staff, or volunteers accepts no liability for the content of this blog, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing. Any views or opinions presented in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of MARKINC
Posted At : April 18, 2011 9:07 PM
| Posted By : Dr. Chuck Betters
Related Categories:
Learning To See Series
Posted At : March 23, 2011 12:24 AM
| Posted By : Dr. Chuck Betters
Related Categories:
Marriage
-I believe that the institution of marriage is God-ordained. He is the Master architect and has established the parameters for marriage - that being, one man with one woman for one lifetime. Thus, I oppose any other legal definition of marriage.
-The homosexual-bisexual-transgender advocacy movement has made their intentions very clear. They will settle for nothing less than same-sex marriage. They see civil unions and domestic partnerships are stepping stones to that end.
-Civil unions and domestic partnerships are counterfeit legislative and policy attempts to imitate marriage with all of the rights and privileges that go with legal heterosexual marriage.
-Civil unions are driven by sexual preferences. The creation of special categories of rights based on sexual expression or gender identity is something I cannot support. Civil unions and domestic partnerships are discriminatory in that the benefits derived are based on sexual expression and choices. This makes it unfair to non-sexual domestic situations where there are legitimate claims to contractual provisions.
-Government policies should not discriminate against any member of society in regard to housing, employment, inheritance rights or medical decision-making. I am not opposed to laws that would strengthen existing laws that prohibit such discrimination.
-There is a better approach than civil unions and domestic partnerships - Reciprocal Beneficiary Contracts (RBC's). Some conservative organizations reject this approach because they see it as caving to socio-political pressure. They argued rightfully in Colorado a few years ago that the RBC, if written the wrong way,
o Can imply that family-based marriage law is in and of itself a form of discrimination that needs a remedy. I agree with them since marriage and family law should serve only to protect and support the God-created, marriage-based family.
o Provides incentives for people to avoid marriage, and since it bars opposite-sex couples from getting these incentives, it appears to be geared toward appeasing homosexual activists.
o Chips away at the unique benefits of marriage by granting such benefits to other relationships.
o Wrongly, directly or indirectly, facilitates homosexual relationships. I believe homosexuality is immoral, unhealthy, preventable and changeable.
One conservative organization (Focus on the Family) puts it this way,
Such contracts (RBC's) streamline existing benefits found in contract law, such as legal arrangements to co-own or inherit property, medical visitation and decision-making, guardianship of children, and medical benefits, if an employer allows. Such arrangements are equally available to any persons who do not qualify to "marry;" furthermore, these contracts are not premised on the rights or privileges of marriage or sexual expression.
For this statement, Dobson has been widely criticized by conservatives for "advocating civil unions." He did no such thing. I believe his approach is common sense and compassionate. But I add this caveat - any RBC laws must be written so as not to impinge upon rights that belong exclusively to traditionally married couples, protect the institution of traditional marriage as the bedrock of any decent society, and at the same time protect homosexuals from unnecessary discrimination. That is a tough balance to strike but one which the homosexual community has historically fought against, the reason being, nothing short of full marital rights will satisfy their agenda. I have taught my congregation that discrimination is evil and hatred is unacceptable. Marriage is not a man-thing but a God-thing that must be protected from any redefinition that is driven by political correctness. I have taught them that the best way they can demonstrate their commitment to Biblical marriage is to strengthen their own marriages so that they become living letters to be read of all men. I have taught them that any and all legislation that is designed to erode the definition of marriage I outlined above is to be opposed. But we must not get caught up in the rhetoric. Our opponents will surely call us names, the most common being "homophobes." Sadly, such name-calling only diminishes intellectual debate. I would respect the gay community more if they would quit trying to make the scriptures say something they simply do not say. There is nothing in the Word of God that allows for homosexual acts, nothing. Why not just admit that and say, "We know that the Bible speaks against the sexual choices we have made. But we reject it." Although I would be saddened by this mindset I would respect my opponents more if they were at least theologically honest.
*Some of the above includes thoughts from a variety of other evangelical thinkers.
In His grip,
Dr. Chuck Betters
MARKINC Ministries, its staff, or volunteers accepts no liability for the content of this blog, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing. Any views or opinions presented in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of MARKINC
Posted At : December 23, 2010 8:03 PM
| Posted By : Dr. Chuck Betters
Related Categories:
Christmas
I Believe in Christmas. I believe Christmas is the day when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our Messiah. I believe it is not a mere holiday but a Holy day.
I believe every person reading this has the right to respectfully disagree with me and to see this day as merely a part of the "Holiday" season devoid of any religious significance. I believe most of us men need to step back, take a deep breath and figure out how to wrap a present without cutting the paper too short and string a bow without slicing off our fingers. I believe that we need to unearth the Christmas tree light mole that seems to always figure out a way to destroy the very same string of lights that were working just fine last year when we neatly wrapped and stored them. I believe Jesus is saddened when those who disbelieve throw Christ out of Christmas. However, He is more deeply offended when those who call Him Lord forget what this day is all about. I believe that my 14 grandkids, with sparkling eyes, will have their socks blessed off at the Christmas Eve service when the lights in the church are dimmed, the candles are lit and the hymn medley slowly builds toward the official launch of Christmas when the congregation belts out with one voice "O Holy Night." I believe Christmas will usher in a season of great pain for those who are lonely, discouraged and forsaken. I believe we need to not only hear the jingle of the Salvation Army bells but catch a vision for the plight of the homeless, the hungry and the helpless souls who are all around us. I believe we need to hear the silent screams of the prisoner, the orphan, the abused and the widow who will sit in jail cells, shelters and nursing homes watching the doors and anxiously waiting for someone to remember to bring them good tidings of great joy. May they find the peace God promised to give to those who seek His face. I believe "Mary Did You Know?" written by Mark Lowry with music by Buddy Green will become one of the greatest Christmas songs of all time and that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is already the worst (It is a myth that this song was a secret hymn with veiled symbolism). I believe on Christmas morning my wife and I will hear the faint echoes of the laughter in the walls of our home as we remember how our now grown kids waited impatiently at the top of the stairs for the signal to pounce upon their presents. I believe that the true Christmas message is this - God sent His Son into the world to reconcile and redeem fallen man by His death on a cross. I also believe that same spirit of reconciliation is to be extended into the countless fractured relationships, estranged marriages and broken friendships that have grieved many and brought great sorrow throughout the year. I believe that the soldiers who protect our freedoms are to be especially remembered and that we must pray that all wars will one day cease. I believe there is real evil in the world and that these brave warriors must stare down its ugly throat every day even as they long to come home. I believe in Christmas, I really do. I believe in the mystique of the virgin birth, the shepherds in the fields, the angelic chorus, the great love story of Joseph and Mary, a divinely unhooked star and the visit of the wise men. But I also believe that many will miss the message of the prophet who declared 750 years before the birth of Jesus...
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). In His grip,
Dr. Chuck Betters
MARKINC Ministries, its staff, or volunteers accepts no liability for the content of this blog, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing. Any views or opinions presented in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of MARKINC
Posted At : November 19, 2010 12:37 PM
| Posted By : Dr. Chuck Betters
Related Categories:
Adultery
As I read my wife's recent blog post, I thought it would be good to reproduce it here on my blog. I would love to read the comments from the men who frequent my posts. So here it is.
This is a long post but it's such an important topic, I don't care! Please read it to the end. A news story crossing the airwaves on November 18, 2010:
Pastor's Order, Thou Shalt Not Facebook: The Rev. Cedric A. Miller has had it with Facebook and what he says it is doing to couples coming to him for counseling. So he is giving his married church leaders until Sunday to get off the social-network website or resign their posts.
The senior pastor at Living Word Christian Fellowship Church, an interdenominational and evangelical church here (New Jersey), said a large percentage of his counseling in the past year and a half has been for marital problems, including infidelity, stemming from Facebook.  While the news media will make fun of this pastor for taking such a bold stand and perhaps friends and office acquaintances will twitter (no pun intended) and giggle over such a silly pronouncement, there are thousands of others who will privately wish they could demand the same boundaries for their own marriages. Just last week several women and I discussed the dangers of reconnecting with old flames on Facebook and other networking sites. At the end of our conversation they encouraged me to address the topic in my blog. I hesitated because I knew I would be stirring up a hornet's nest. But I agree with the pastor's assessment about the dangers of social networking sites. So here goes. Believe it or not, there is an actual expert on the topic of reuniting with old flames through Facebook and other social networking sites. Her conclusions are based not on personal opinion but studies of couples.
According to her website, Nancy Kalish, Ph.D. http://drnancykalish.com/ has been conducting research on reunited couples since 1993 and is recognized as the international expert on rekindled romances and lost loves. Her landmark study of 1001 people worldwide who tried reunions with former sweethearts was reported in her popular book, Lost & Found Lovers: Facts and Fantasies of Rekindled Romances (hardcover by William Morrow, Inc., 1997; paperback by iUniverse.com Back-in-Print, 2005). She has also written The Lost Love Chronicles: Reunions and Memories of First Love (2005) which appears in ebook, audiobook, and Kindle formats.
In the 1990's and mid-2000's Dr. Kalish conducted two studies that reveal surprising facts. She took a look at people who reunited before the internet exploded and a second group who reunited through the internet.
She examines her findings in her book
Lost & Found Lovers: Facts and Fantasies of Rekindled Romance. I was intrigued to read that 76% of pre-internet and 78% of first-love re-connections in Phase 1 culminated in happy marriages with a later divorce rate of 2%. Wonderful news! I was shocked to read that of the reunions in the second group, i.e. people who reunited via the internet, only 5% of these relationships resulted in happily ever after marriages. Ok, she hooked me into reading more. What was the difference?
Before the internet, how could you reunite with a "lost love?" You had to ask the ex-boyfriend's mom for his phone number or plan out a chance meeting. In the first group study, over 2/3 of those who reunited with old flames were single and asking for an old boyfriend's phone number or checking up on his life would be a natural conversation that might get a few knowing smiles but would be considered appropriate behavior for a single woman. Enter the internet and social networking. Suddenly, it's easy to find and connect with an old flame, privately, so that you can explore the relationship without anyone knowing or judging your interaction. So what's wrong with that? Well, in the second group 2/3 of the participants were married. And here's the stunning result of those innocent, good intentioned reconnections according to Dr. Kalish's study: 62% of these married people progressed from an innocent reconnection into a full blown adulterous affair.
Again, according to the participants, they were happily married and had no desire to cross any moral lines. Even more amazing is that most of the time, the spouses endorsed the reconnection, often coming along to meet the "old flame" for lunch or dinner. After all, "we're just two old friends catching up on life." Right?
I hesitated to address this topic because I am confident many people have reconnected with old flames via the internet and the result has been a renewed friendship that is completely innocent and healthy. But Dr. Kalish's studies affirm the low grade anxiety I have sensed in the women who have expressed to me their fears over their husband's internet relationships. Rev. Miller's public pronouncement about the dangers of Facebook are not over exaggerated in the marriage counseling room.
But is it Facebook's fault that so many marriages are impacted by these reunions? Of course not. We are responsible for our choices and we can't fall back on "Facebook made me do it!" If adultery was only a "small temptation" for a limited audience, God probably wouldn't have mentioned it in the Ten Commandments. Because it's one of TEN, it's likely this is a common temptation that needs extra vigilance. NO ONE is exempt from temptation. A major reason why more people do not commit adultery is because they admit their vulnerability to immoral relationships and put up boundaries to remove the opportunity for temptation. I don't buy cookies because if they are in the house I will eat them and lose all self-discipline when it comes to other sugary treats. Likewise, when a woman marries, she is making a decision to avoid any relationship that tempts her to betray her marriage vows. That's true about every potential sin. As we mature, we identify our Achilles Heal and we wisely create fences to shore up our defensives that will make it harder to take a pathway that might at first feel really good but leads to destruction. For instance, an alcoholic avoids package stores or hanging out at bars. A person addicted to pornography puts safety measures in place on her computer.
Before the internet, connecting with an old flame was accepted for what it was - tempting yourself to betray your spouse with an old boyfriend. Social networking sites and the internet make it much more difficult to create and maintain relational fences. Facebook gives us the ability to reconnect with an old flame in the context of innocence. You can even cultivate the relationship with flirtatious, playful banter while your husband is sitting next to you on your sofa watching television. He doesn't even know that you are involved in emotional foreplay with a former boyfriend (or maybe even a potential new boyfriend). And if he expresses concerns, your defense is that if you were doing anything wrong, you certainly wouldn't be doing it with him in the room. He's the one with the suspicious mind. You're just friends. What's wrong with him? Why does he have such a "dirty mind?"
Temptations are not the problem. We are all tempted in some way. The problem is when we fool ourselves into believing we are strong enough to hold the line. Perhaps it's a matter of ego. Can you recognize the danger of the flutter in your stomach when a former boyfriend playfully reminds you of a fun-filled intimate moment and implies longing for what was? Or do you enter into the flirtatious mode yourself, rationalizing that was years ago and we're adults now. Do you understand the seeds of discontent that could be planted? I know that some of you are thinking that I'm making a mountain out of a molehill but I'm wondering what you're willing to give up in order to protect the purity of your own marriage. Be careful. We are like frogs in the kettle, jumping into a lukewarm pot that slowly simmers into a boiling cauldron.
Let's get back to Dr. Kalish's study. Most of the old flame reunions that resulted in cheating also resulted in getting caught. And what happens when adulterers are caught? Total destruction and shattered lives. Most of the cheating men remained with their broken-hearted wives and many of the cheating women were thrown out by their enraged husbands. Yes, sin is pleasant for a season but then comes destruction.
So what's the answer? Chuck and I have access to one another's email, social networking, phones, etc.. In some other blogs I've addressed some practical fences to put into place that will act as red lights for wise couples. But a disturbing conclusion of this study was that happily married people were vulnerable to the powerful pull of lost loves. Do not be fooled. Lost loves can try to recreate a fantasy of youth and innocence. See it for what it is - fantasy. If you are concerned about your husband's internet relationships, share this information with him and ask him to agree on how to proceed with such reconnections, if at all. If you are the one involved with an old flame, instead of private communication on any level, include your husband, even if he could care less and trusts you implicitly. You will be doing your old flame and his wife a favor if they know that every word you exchange with him is read by your husband. Another fence for you is to imagine his wife reading your communication with him. Another good fence is that any relationship that doesn't enhance your marriage is a bad relationship and that includes girlfriends along with old flames. End those relationships now. As I'm re-reading this post, I'm beginning to wonder why any of us would want to pursue a relationship with an old flame or anyone else that requires so many safeguards? What is it about that other person that is so enticing? And isn't that in itself a warning sign that this relationship has two many risks that require emotional energy that is better invested in building up your marriage? One wife asked me what could be so special about that old girlfriend that her husband was more willing to hurt this wife than to end contact with the "other woman." That question deserves an answer. What is the pay off that makes the anxiety worth it?
Is it possible to have a friendship with an old flame? Of course. But let's be careful out there. Facts don't lie. And Dr. Kalish has given us some startling facts that can reinforce the fences of your marriage. Let the games begin. What do you think? Sharon
In His grip,
Dr. Chuck Betters
MARKINC Ministries, its staff, or volunteers accepts no liability for the content of this blog, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing. Any views or opinions presented in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of MARKINC Ministries.
Posted At : November 17, 2010 2:48 AM
| Posted By : Dr. Chuck Betters
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Posted At : November 7, 2010 12:45 PM
| Posted By : Dr. Chuck Betters
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