Wednesday, January 19, 2011

So What's The Big Deal?

So what’s the big deal? It depends who is wanting to make it a big deal
Let me post the first four sections for starters.
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley told a church crowd just moments into his new administration that those who have not accepted Jesus as their savior are not his brothers and sisters, shocking some critics who questioned Tuesday whether he can be fair to non-Christians.
"Anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother," Bentley said Monday, his inauguration day, according to The Birmingham News.”
Is what he said wrong? Let’s check with the Bible:
Matthew 12: 46 “While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?  And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
It seems that he is spot on. So what is the issue ? Is it what he said? Is it where he said it? If so then perhaps you should reread the where. It was a “church crowd” at a Martin Luther King Day Memorial Service. Or is the issue that some have an agenda? Such as the so-call “Anti-Defamation” League?
“The Anti-Defamation League on Tuesday called Bentley's remarks shocking."
"His comments are not only offensive, but also raise serious questions as to whether non-Christians can expect to receive equal treatment during his tenure as governor," said Bill Nigut, the ADL's regional director.”
So then does this not raise the question whether a non-Christian will represent Christians properly? Will Christians receive “equal treatment” during the tenure of let’s say, an Atheist or a Muslim?
It looks like the media as usual is trying to make a story. It took five paragraphs/sections into the story before the context of his comments were made clear.
But as usual the hypocrisy of the left, as well as their strange bedfellows, comes shining through:
Ashfaq Taufique, president of the Birmingham Islamic Society, told The Birmingham News he wasn't sure how Bentley's remarks were intended.”
If he is not sure how the remarks were intended, how is it that he makes the following assumptions?
"Does it mean that those who according to him are not saved are less important than those who are saved?" Taufique said. "Does he want those of us who do not belong to the Christian faith to adopt his faith? That should be toned down. That's not what we need. If he means that, I hope he changes it. We don't want evangelical politicians. They can be whatever in their private life."
This coming from the religion of hate? Islam, which in the majority of countries that it controls, politically forbids by law proselytizing a Muslim to Christianity. The irony of his comments would almost be funny if they were not so real. Islam, the most repressive religion today, and he dares try to subtly dictate what a Christian is allowed to speak in a private Church meeting? He needs to be reminded that this isn’t the Mid-east!
……."If he does so, he is dancing dangerously close to a violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which forbids government from promoting the establishment of any religion," Nigut said.
I dare say that Mr. Nigut did not read the rest of the Amendment that contains that phrase. Let me help out:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
But I am sure that this was just an innocent oversight on the part of Mr. Nigut. Now the rest of the story…
“Speaking at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church after the official inaugural ceremony, Bentley told the crowd that he considered anyone who believed in Jesus to be his brothers and sisters regardless of color, but anyone who isn't a Christian doesn't have that same relationship to him.”
As we discussed this is a doctrinal truth.
"If the Holy Spirit lives in you that makes you my brothers and sisters. Anyone who has not accepted Jesus, I want to be your brothers and sisters, too," Bentley said……
An appropriate statement in a church as well as being doctrinally correct. This is, or should be said in any Bible believing Church with regularity. Its called salvation, it is what Christianity is all about.
"The governor clearly stated that he will be the governor of all Alabamians — Democrat, Republican and Independent, young, old, black and white, rich and poor. As stated in his (inaugural) address, Gov. Bentley believes his job is to make everyone's lives better," the statement said.”
I guess the last paragraph does not help the media’s feeding frenzy. Silly Christians, if Bentley were a Muslim he would have just killed someone, and that would have been accepted by the media. We read about it all the time. It seems that the only religion that wishes to “co-exist” peacefully are the Christians. All others define “co-existing” by bashing Christian’s freedoms. On that subject, I get a kick out of the “co-exist” bumper stickers. You would get killed for having one in a Muslim country.

1 comment:

  1. This is the first time I have seen this in context - even from "our" media. Thank you for that!

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