Current World Events (Part 1, Oct 2006)

Current World Events (Part 1, Oct 2006)
By Tommy Franks

Let me preface this article by saying this: I have learned over the years to “eat the chicken and spit out the bones”. If you disagree with something that I say, eat what is good and spit out the rest. Okay? Or hit your “delete” button. Thanks.

Current Event #1: Next month is “voting time” again. This election is incredibly important. Karen and I have already voted via “absentee ballot”. It is vital and crucial that each of us vote! This next election will not just affect America, but the entire world…seriously.

This election is not just about the economy, gay marriage, abortion, war, or good versus evil. As believers, these issues transcend politics. This election will have an effect on the Kingdom of God for which Christ suffered and died. It is now time for all God-fearing and Christian Americans to discard their political preferences and economic concerns and do what is RIGHT for our country. Vote! It is our God-given heritage to vote. I believe it is our privilege and duty to vote.

Now, please don’t write me an unflattering email about what I am about to say! It is my personal opinion. Unfortunately, many of the candidates running for office are attorneys. It has been my experience to be a bit cautious of attorneys who run for public office. Why? Because many are power hungry. They normally represent themselves and not necessarily you or me. Foolishly we sometimes elect only attorneys to office. In the past, we have imprudently placed our government into the hands of one profession: ATTORNEYS. Their views will become the prevailing influence on legislation. Much too often the laws they pass favor the legal profession and not the people.

For example, many so called class action law suits bring millions to the attorneys and only a few dollars or cents to those represented. Also notice that law suits that may bring a pay off of multiple millions…eventually cost you as a tax payer whether you realize it or not. It is past time that we (the American people) break the legal strangle-hold off our government. We need some preachers, plumbers, builders, educators, doctors, carpenters, engineers, business owners, and regular Americans elected to office.

Because the American people have been influenced to elect mostly attorneys (male or female), our legal system has corruption in every department to include judgeships.
One of the many problems with the politics of our nation is the absence of Christian voters. You and I as Christians should not necessarily vote Republican or Democrat. We are God-fearing men and women and should be directed in all we do by the Holy Spirit. We must vote for righteousness and not politics. Hopefully, some of the candidates for office will have morals, ethics, and an awareness of God and the Bible. Such a person would be an excellent candidate.

Remember, God is still in control of the Big Picture. Our God is awesome! How vast is His love! How incredible is His mercy! His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are much higher than ours. We have His Word and the Holy Spirit as our daily sources for spiritual growth…understanding and productivity.

Intense spiritual warfare has erupted around the globe. It is a battle between love and hate…good and evil. Our Father God is the source of love. Fallen Lucifer (known as the devil, our enemy, and Satan) is the source of hate. Satan hates God, the Word, Israel, and you.

Vitally important is our understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit in fulfilling the Church Age. The Holy Spirit and Christ are in perfect harmony and in chronological order in what is happening today in these End Times.

Jesus prayed for our unity. One day, we will all be on the same sheet of music…no more sectarianism…no more fault finding among Christians… no more criticizing one another. There will come a time when we will all be in unity in all of our decisions…no more divisions. When will this happen? I do not know, but I know that we all wish for that day!

The enemy knows that if he can divide us, the power of the gospel is weakened. The scripture teaches, “One can put a thousand to flight and two, ten thousand.” Jesus stated that our unity will convince the world that He is indeed the Son of God (Jn.17). Such unity in conjunction with the Holy Spirit will convict the world and produce a harvest of souls.

Paul writes, “The Lord will present to himself a glorious church” (Eph.5:27). What is a glorious church? It is holy, pure, mature, unified, anointed, and is a direct reflection of Jesus Christ. After the Church has accomplished its assignment, we will be taken from earth to heaven.

The Bible says, “…the children of Issachar had understanding of the times…” (1 Chron: 12:32). As Christians, we need to understand the times in which we live.

Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noah before the Flood, and as it was in the days of Lot before the destruction of Sodom, so shall it also be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Lk. 17:26-30). Why? Jesus will be revealed to receive the glorious Church unto Himself (Eph. 5:27).

Current Event #2: What impact are the Muslims having on the Christian community? They believe that they will eventually dominate the entire world. They have been extremely busy working to be a part of every nation and every government. Their overall plan is designed to govern the world. They have infiltrated the western world to include the United States. Mosques are everywhere.

Recently, the Muslim leaders have requested that all American Muslims register to vote for the 2006 election in November. The infiltration of the Muslims is designed for world domination. That is part of their plan and the Koran. It’s their religion. We know that the religion of Islam is flawed because it is based on killing anyone who is a non-Muslim.

Current Event #3: Christmas is right around the corner. Much confusion is prevalent over what is acceptable during the Christmas holidays in regards to religious expression in our Nation, States, and local communities.
· Over the past few years, misunderstandings of the origin and meaning of the phrase “separation of church and state” have encouraged some government officials to remove all references to religion from schools, government buildings, and public property.
· The phrase “separation of church and state” does NOT appear in the American Constitution! This phrase originated in 1802 in a private letter from Thomas Jefferson to a group of Baptist ministers in Danbury, Connecticut…13 years after the First Amendment was passed.
· However, some of the courts have ruled to eliminate signs of religion from the public square.
· This is what we do know to be legal and constitutional under current rule of law:
o Students are free to express their religious beliefs in school as long as it’s not materially disruptive. Students may express their beliefs verbally with phrases such as “Merry Christmas”…through clothing that conveys religious messages with words, colors, or symbols…or through written materials like school assignments, religious cards, gifts, or tracts given to teachers or classmates. (Case Law: Lovell v. City of Griffin, 303 U.S. 444 (1938), also Westfield High School L.I.F.E. Club v. City of Westfield, 249 F. Supp. 2nd 98 (D. Mass, 2003).
o Students can sing Christmas carols at concerts, learn the biblical origins of Christmas, and perform the Christmas story of Mary, Joseph, Jesus, and the shepherds.
o The Constitution does not require the exclusion of religion from public institutions.
o Christmas is part of our heritage and ingrained in our culture; therefore, expression of it through art and music and teaching of its history…serve both a religious and secular purpose.
o These activities promote the advancement of the students’ knowledge of our society’s cultural and religious heritage…as well as the provision and opportunity for students to perform a full range of music, poetry, and drama. Any of these activities can be conducted in public schools without creating an Establishment Clause problem. (Case Law: Florey v. Sioux Falls School District, 619 F.2d 1311 [6th Cir. 1980]; Stone v. Graham, 449 U.S. 39 [1980]).
o Nativity displays can be placed in schools, parks, and government buildings. No Supreme Court decision has ever forbidden a private citizen from setting up a nativity display in a public park, as parks, streets, and sidewalks are all public forums traditionally devoted to “assembly and debate.”
o These displays may also be placed in public buildings provided the government has opened the property for expressive activity. The Free Exercise Clause assures religious speakers the same access to public forums given to secular speakers. (Case Law: Americans United for Separation of Church and State v. City of Grand Rapids, 980 F. 2nd 1538 [6th Cir. 1992]).
o Neither can private citizens be forced to include nonreligious objects such as snowmen in their faith-based displays (Case Law: West Virginia v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624, 642 [1943]).
o Recent current decisions allow city governments to include a nativity scene in a seasonal display provided (1) there are a sufficient number of secular objects along with religious ones, (2) the secular objects are in close proximity to the religious ones, and (3) overall, the display is sufficiently secular. (Case Law: Lynch v. Donnelly, 465 U.S. 668, 671 [1984]).

The U.S. Constitution, laws, and court decisions are constructed to protect and permit religious expression in both public schools and government buildings. Attempts to remove Christ from Christmas do not stem from the Constitution, but from individuals who seek to silence the Christian message. And this is a violation of our Constitution!