A Pastor Weighs In and I am Thankful!

by Leah Posted on May 27, 2012

My article today over at PoliticusUSA is a follow-up to the discussion around our post here yesterday and includes a sea of sanity from a theologian – Pastor Howard Bess of Palmer, Alaska. As I said in that article, it is mainstream Christians like Pastor Bess that make it possible for me to call myself a Christian Agnostic rather than an Atheist.

I applaud his ability to hold true to his faith yet embrace modernity, recognizing that we live in a different world than those of biblical times. Please take  a moment to click here and read his very important words on this topic. 

Thank you,

Leah

Posted in God's Own Party?, Pastor's Corner | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Terrified and Ignorant is Always a Dangerous Combination

by Leah Posted on May 26, 2012

The notion that sex was designed for procreation only sure is leaving huge holes in the logic of extremists, and their idiocy is showing as a result. The following video from last week puts the exclamation point on extremist with regard to this bible-thumping charge against homosexuals in America…

And sadly, this is not an isolated event…

These are the indoctrinated religious extremists that self-righteously believe they have a golden pass into the heaven – even though they preach ignorance, intolerance, hate, and completely skew the teachings of Chris. They use this as a tool of authority over others and their congregants lap it up. It is an amazing example of fearing what you do not understand.

The young are listening

They are terrified people. Honestly, these folks think that gays will die off if segregated because homosexuals cannot reproduce. I have a news flash for them – who do they think gives birth to homosexuals?

This is the ReBiblican voting bloc and they turn out in droves on election day. Now that President Obama has publicly endorsed marriage rights for homosexuals – the issue just threw more fuel on their already smoldering hatred toward our first African-American president. And many of these pre-enlightenment Christians would stay home before voting for a Mormon, but this type of rhetoric will bring them out to make sure Obama is not re-elected.

They are slaves of mythology. And one of the memes that they tout as proof that they are correct is the biblical definition of marriage. This was covered extremely well in an article by Hrafnkell at PoliticusUSA recently titled “What the Bible Says Versus What Republicans Wish it Said”, but our own Susan Cardoza weighed in this week with her thoughts.

The More the Marry-er

by Susan Cardoza

A lot of people were pleased when the President came out a couple weeks ago in favor of same sex marriage. Well, not everyone was pleased, namely Republicans, some religious leaders and most Evangelicals. See, they think that if we allow two people of the same sex to marry each other somehow that interferes in their own wedded bliss. I know, I know, it makes absolutely no sense but there you have it, their marriages are now in mortal danger. And it is all because the Bible supposedly tells them so, but let’s take a look at the scriptures they quote and see if they are really in danger.

In taking religious conservatives at their word, you can define marriage as the Bible does. However, if you do, then you have to take a critical look at some of the men in the Old Testament, like Abraham. Abraham was one man who slept with his servant when his wife Sarah proved to be infertile. And Jacob also fathered children with four different women. Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and the kings of Judah and Israel were polygamists, but people think of them as heroes of the bible.

The New Testament model of marriage is not much better, in fact Jesus himself was single and preached an indifference to earthly attachments especially family. Paul, who was single as well, regarded marriage as people who were unable to contain their passion. Paul said, “It is better to marry than to burn with passion”.  Not exactly a rousing endorsement for the institution of marriage, no matter if it is between a man and a women or the same sex.

The Bible and Jesus say many important things about love and family, yet neither explicitly defines marriage as between one man and one woman. And secondly, as the examples above illustrate, most people do not want their marriage to look anything like what the Bible describes. “Marriage” in America refers to two separate things, a religious vow and a civil one, though it is most often enacted as one and the same.

As a civil institution, marriage offers practical benefits to both partners: contractual rights having to do with taxes; insurance; the care and custody of children; visitation rights; and inheritance. As a religious institution, marriage offers something else: a commitment of both partners before God to love, honor and cherish each other…in accordance with God’s word. In a religious marriage, two people promise to take care of each other the same way they are taught to believe God cares about them.

In the Old Testament, the concept of family is fundamental, but examples of what religious conservatives would call “the traditional family” are not often portrayed in the Bible. Conservatives point to Adam and Eve as evidence for their one man, one woman argument. But, like modern life, things evolve and if you consider the goings on of Abraham, Jacob, David et al, things changed due to circumstances that arose. The Old Testament, for the most part, was written by people for whom polygamy was a way of life, if the circumstances called for it.

Again, there is that darned evolution thing rearing its head. The successive argument for one woman—one man is procreation but in delving further into that issue, there are problems there as well. How many couples procreate in a manner other than what the argument considers? There is adoption, IVF and surrogates which are all methods used to create families for both religious and civil unions. Are those couples outside the bounds of the Conservative idea of marriage? If they are, then people within the conservative’s own circle of traditional marriage are too outside the traditional idea of “procreation” in the natural way. And what about the couples who have no plans whatsoever to procreate for various reasons? Are they too, outside the bounds of the meaning of a conservative’s idea of traditional marriage? If so, that circle of marriage is getting smaller and smaller.

Jesus was an unmarried man and in all his teachings he portrayed a caring community of believers, whose bond in God superseded all blood ties. Jesus told his followers to leave their families and follow him, explaining in Matthew that there will be no marriage in Heaven. Jesus, while condemning divorce, never mentioned homosexuality or same sex marriage. In fact, men (apostles) who followed Jesus all lived communally together, yet there is no real information, that I am aware of, that discusses their private lives.

And speaking of divorce, how do Conservatives square that process in direct disobeyance of Jesus commands? The answer to that question is they cannot.  Rather they revert to what they always do when confronted with a hole in their logic – they ignore it.

They ignore it when the apostle Paul echoes Jesus’ lack of interest in matters of the flesh. For him, celibacy was the Christian ideal, but family stability was the best alternative. Marry if you must, he told his audiences, but do not get divorced. “To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): a wife must not separate from her husband.” Admittedly I am no Bible scholar but to date I have not been presented with evidence that the term “gay marriage” appears anywhere in the Bible.

So if gay marriage is not in the Bible what exactly is their disdain for the act? Well, it is clear that Paul was tough on homosexuality but it was the lust, the promiscuity and debauchery that was more likely the critique.

When LGBT seek to marry, it is with the same intention straight couples seek to marry. They want to devote their lives to one another and at that point would the sex be no longer as Paul described it? Paul was referring to a group of people who are outside the bounds of accepted behavior, people who ultimately meet their end and are judged by God. No gay marriage I have seen comes close to that kind of behavior, in fact quite the opposite, most people I know in a gay marriage are loving committed couples.

Religious objections to gay marriage are rooted not in the Bible at all, then, but in custom and tradition or possibly a personal discomfort with gay sex that transcends theological argument.

The Bible endorses slavery, a practice that Americans now universally consider shameful and barbaric. It recommends the death penalty for adulterers, so a whole lot of Conservatives have dodged a bullet on that one. I think, in the end, a more mature view of scriptural authority requires us, as we have in the past, to move beyond literalism. The Bible was written for a world so unlike our own, it’s impossible to apply its rules, at face value, to our lives or our rules for living today.

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ReBiblican Politicians Ramping Up Hate in Military Culture

by Leah Posted on May 19, 2012

There seems to be no end to the depth of fear and loathing of homosexuals by a population in America and I have written an in-depth article at PoliticusUSA today on just that topic – stay tuned for that to be posted in the next 24 hours. The latest homophobic move by a political Christian congressmember was reported by Think Progress in the following article:

Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) is still concerned that the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has made the military too gay-friendly. He has proposed an amendment (PDF) to the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act that would essentially create a “license to bully” for military personnel with anti-gay beliefs, with a special layer of protection for military chaplains:

“The Armed Forces shall accommodate the conscience and sincerely held moral principles and religious beliefs of the members of the Armed Forces concerning the appropriate and inappropriate expression of human sexuality and may not use such conscience, principles, or beliefs as the basis of any adverse personnel action, discrimination, or denial of promotion, schooling, training, or assignment. [...]

No member of the Armed Forces may (A) direct, order, or require a chaplain to perform any duty, rite, ritual, ceremony, service, or function that is contrary to the conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs of the chaplain, or contrary to the moral principles and religious beliefs of the endorsing faith group of the chaplain; or (B) discriminate or take any adverse personnel action against a chaplain, including denial of promotion, schooling, training, or assignment, on the basis of the refusal by the chaplain to comply with a direction, order, or requirement prohibited by sub-paragraph (A).”

In other words, under Akin’s amendment, any servicemember would have free reign to express anti-gay views, regardless of what consequences they have to unit morale. For example, homophobic officers could intimidate and condemn gay troops serving under them, compromising productivity and creating a hostile environment of disrespect and potential violence. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell may no longer be law, but it seems Akin still wants a military that forces out its gay troops.

Last year, all of the anti-gay amendments offered by Akin and Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) were ultimately dropped from the defense budget. Hopefully the same happens this year.

MetroWeekly reports that this amendment and another banning same-sex marriages on military bases are the handiwork of some of the most notorious anti-gay groups, including:

  • Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness.
  • Brian Duggan, a lobbyist for the National Organization for Marriage.
  • Austin Nimocks and Daniel Blomberg, lawyers with the Alliance Defense Fund.
  • Tom McClusky from the Family Research Council.
  • Doug Lee and Ron Crews from the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty.
  • Nathaniel Bennett, the director of government affairs for the American Center for Law and Justice.

How disgusting is this? Off the charts! Now I want to share with you an email that we received at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) today that reflects the mentality of the type of violent, hate-filled soldier that would embrace the opportunity to bully and discrminate with license from the type of proposal Todd Akin is submitting. (All spelling and grammar left exactly as we received it).

From: e-mail address withheld
Subject: A clever jew
Date: May 18, 2012 8:54:34 AM MDT
To: Information Weinstein <mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>

MIkey doesn’ like “it”? Mikey doesn’t like it when real Americans stand up to Muslum murderers and liars. Mikey doesn’t like it when real Americans say that all the Muslums are murderers and liars, which they are, young and old, male and female because their so-called “faith” require it of them. Mikey doesn’t like it when our top military schools and military leaders tell us that to protect the world from these murdering and lying smelly creatures that we need to use nuclaer weapons on them and destroy them all before they and their do it to us. Mikey also doesn’t like it when real Americans say that queers should not be allowed to serve in the military or to mary other queers. Mikey doesn’t like it when he told that the real America is a nation of devot Chrsitians and that was the way it has been from the beginning. Mikey doesn’t like that real Americans are lovers of Jesus Christ not haters of our Lord like Mikey is. Oh Mikey says that many “Chrsitians” support him and his fake foundasion group of MRRF. But when you look at Mikeys “Christians” it’s a funny thing that they are not true followers of our Savior at all. Funny thing about Mikey is that he’s a jew. yes a clever jew and that says it all. Real Americans are not jews and real Americans know how the muslums have to be eliminated and real Americans know that the faggots deserve no safe and respect and especially not in the army of America. How do we get through to Mikey and his false prophet group of MRRF. same way we get through to the muslums and the queers.

This demonstrates why proposals like Akin’s are dangerous. They literally encourage this Neanderthal ignorance wrapped in the flag and thumping their bibles. This isn’t new or unique, in fact it is part of a viral attempt to instill this as law across the country. The following video tells the story of how this same legislation is targeting public schools…

These desicable people write the most vile hate while simultaneously claiming that they are true followers of Christ…

From: E-Mail Address Withheld
Subject: nuke all muslems
Date: May 13, 2012 11:08:00 PM MDT
To: Information Weinstein <mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>

we known many things about you mikey. we know you love the arab muslem sand niggers and hate Lord Jesus and Christians. We know you are a kike jew lawyer with a big mouth and uppity attitude. we know the commie pinko reporters write whatever you tell them to write because you are a doomed jew prick. and we know where you live and travel and everything. and we know you hate America which is a nation founded up on Jesus our Savior PERIOD. Poor Kikey Whineshit now you scream and howl about our brave Army teaching the only answer to islam sand niggery. Which is to drop nukes on muslems cities and the terorists living there which is all the populations weather they be islam children or grown ups its all the same. all muslems are terorists its in there blood. just like jewblood loves only money and betraying trechery as you framed and murdered Jesus. you just can’t help yourself jewboy Kikey. Any more than the muslems can. blood does as blood does. Nuke All The a-rabs Now should be our Army’s battle cry and no. 1 order of there day. Which it was fine and dandy until you shoved your big jew nose into there war business. The Army has it right and now you try to stop it? you don’t have long and you won’t. It is always comforting to know as a patriotic American Christian that you will burn forever in the fire ovens of hell in unending torture with your muslem scum pals and your Military Religous Foundation fools and your ugly Whineshit kike wife and jew piglet children.

“Patriotic American Christian? Really? This guy does not just represent one or two random bigots who share his views…we get these from far too many. This is why we do what we do…it is precisely because too many of these extremists exist who threaten our freedoms with their hatred and violent belief in a bible-based cult. These cretins think that this is the level of “expression” that they should be entitled to under the guise of freedom of religion.

When laws are changed to sanction hate and intolerance – violence is the only predictable outcome.

 

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Another Mole to Whack ~ The Mysterious ’300′

by Leah Posted on May 12, 2012

Today we take a look at another Dominionist creation – one they mysteriously call “The 300″. Kyle at Right Wing Watch dot com does a stellar job of keeping up with the seemingly endless entities of Dominionist theocracy and I encourage you to go to his site and check out his work. We will be revisiting these snake-oil salesmen and women again and again, and if you have been following Susan’s articles you are beginning to see the thread of commonality woven throughout these events and organizations. There are more to share…please read on and stay tuned.

The Dominionist Spartan Army ~ The ’300′

by Susan Cardoza

The New Apostolic Reformation or the group commonly known as Dominionist/7 Mountains Christians has yet another new iniative called “The Oak Initiative” and they have a plan they call the 300. A couple weeks ago we had a column on this group but today we will give you information into a plan to add to the group’s goals. For this initiative, Tony Perkins has joined forces with Jerry Boykin and Rick Joyner. They have devised this group based loosely on the movie of the same name and they plan to form some Spartan-like army of activists called 300 that is going to rise up and save America from the forces of evil bent on its destruction.

If you did not see the movie 300, it is a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae. The plot revolves around King Leonidas, who leads 300 Spartans into battle against Persian “god-King” Xerxes and his army of more than one million soldiers. As the battle rages, Queen Gorgo attempts to rally support in Sparta for her husband. The story is framed by a voice-over narrative by the Spartan soldier Dilios. Concluding his tale before an audience of Spartans on the edge of the battlefield a year after Thermopylae, Dilios relates how the Persian army has suffered desertions, out of fear and the heavy casualties they suffered at the hands of a mere 300 Spartans. Word of their valiant resistance spread across Greece, inspiring the different city-states to unite against the Persians. Now, the Persians face 10,000 Spartans leading 30,000 free Greeks. Although still outnumbered three to one, Dilios declares that the Greeks shall be victorious and praises the sacrifice of the 300. He then leads the Greeks in a charge against the Persian army, beginning the Battle of Plataea.

There was criticism of the violence and negative portrayal of Iran (Persia) in the movie and the movie writer Frank Miller stated:

“The Spartans were a paradoxical people. They were the biggest slave owners in Greece. But at the same time, Spartan women had an unusual level of rights. It’s a paradox that they were a bunch of people who in many ways were fascist, but they were the bulwark against the fall of democracy. The closest comparison you can draw in terms of our own military today is to think of the red-caped Spartans as being like our special-ops forces. They’re these almost superhuman characters with a tremendous warrior ethic, who were unquestionably the best fighters in Greece. I didn’t want to render Sparta in overly accurate terms, because ultimately I do want you to root for the Spartans. I couldn’t show them being quite as cruel as they were. I made them as cruel as I thought a modern audience could stand.”

So you might ask yourself why Dominionists would choose such a group to name themselves after and I really do not know because historically they appear to be a ruthless cruel people. The only thing I could come close to is the term “the bulwark against the fall of democracy”. If you are familiar with Dominionists you know they plan to conquer the world for Jesus and they appear to be willing to do most anything to achieve their goal. Perhaps these 300 will be their special OPS who will be allowed to step outside the bounds of society and do what Christians do not want to do or perhaps they will be their “CIA” as has been mentioned more than once by Rick Joyner.

It is hard to tell because they have been fairly cagey about their purpose. At one point Rick Joyner said they were to be agents who seek public office to take control for the Dominionists. In a conversation between Joyner, Boykin, Perkins and Frank Turek they discussed the importance of Christians getting deeply involved in politics.

Perkins explained the absolute necessity of getting Christians into all levels of government while Boykin compared Christians today to the Spartan army and quoted King Leonidas by declaring “molon labe” ["come and get them"] when he and his army were told to lay down their weapons.

Likewise, Boykin declared “molon labe,” stating that he will not be silenced and challenged those in Washington who are out to take his liberties, rob his grandchildren, and destroy America to just try to take them from him.

Finally, Joyner announced that Christians have more than enough people to take control, but they need to bind together and, as such, would soon be unveiling coalition called “300″ which they did on February 3, 2011 to members of the Oak Initiative as follows:

Feb 03, 2011

Dear Oak Member,

This is an update on The Oak Initiative. No doubt 2011 is going to be one of the most exciting years yet. I have a lot of exciting news about how OAK is positioned for an increasing impact on our times. A number of the Oak Board members have spent a great deal of time meeting and planning throughout the month of January. There was an extraordinary grace on these meetings for increased clarity, strategy, and result whole new initiatives have been born. As members I want to give you more in-depth and behind the scenes information about these, but first I want to lay out the basics, and then I will share more information on each one.

New Initiatives:

300 Defenders: Seeking 300 leaders to run for public office at all levels.

Christian Information Service: Information Gathering; vetting and processing; and distribution as ‘force multipliers’.

The Order of Esther: Mobilize the church to combat the present slavery of women

A Presidential Campaign: Preparing the way now.

This was born out of several days of meetings with Gen. Boykin, Tony Perkins, Frank Turek, Mike DelRosso and myself. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council has been one of the main point men in the culture wars raging in Washington. While working closely with Sen. John McCain on the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” issue for the military, the senator asked Tony, “Where is the church?” This started a resounding echo in us and was the same question that gave birth to The Oak Initiative. It is our resolve that this question does not have to be asked again.

I shared the dream I had a few months ago about how the foundations of our nation are burning, and the whole house is about to go up in flames if the church does
Unfortunately I did not pay $100.00 dollars to obtain access to the entire letter so I do not know what the rest of the letter said. What I do know, thanks to an excellent researcher is that:

“The Spartans–particularly as depicted in the movie and comic, much less in real life–did a number of things that even NARasites would frown on, like abandoning babies with birth defects or who were otherwise “imperfect” to die (this is actually depicted in the movie “300″, with a hideously deformed hunchback eventually defecting to the side of the Persians as a double agent).

Of particular note Rick Joyner’s documented history of borrowing concepts from the racist right (including the adoption of the term ”Phineas Priesthood” from the Christian Identity tome “Vigilantes of Christendom” to denote pro-NAR domestic terrorism)–a specific term
from the Battle of Thermopylae, “Molon labe” has had quite a bit of popularity in “Christian patriot” militias and militia-aligned “second amendment” circles for some years, even predating the release of the film “300″. Literally translated, Molon labe means “Come and get them”, and more loosely/idiomatically means something akin to “You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands - it was a direct response to the Persian army asking the Spartan home guard to drop their weapons. At least one pro-right-wing site even acknowedges the use of “Molon labe”(mentioned above) as a specific dogwhistle in this regard dating to the 1990s.

Of note, the phrase in Greek isn’t used in the movie, but IS used in the original “The 300 Spartans” along with its English (literal) translation.

This is actually part of a fairly long history of “pop culture appropriation” of “warrior images”, starting with Rambo (in the 80s) and more recently with two Mel Gibson movies (“The Patriot” and especially “Braveheart”), with NARasites* being cast in the roles of
the minutemen (in “The Patriot”) and of William Wallace’s army (in ”Braveheart”).

Just to give you an example of a real true-to-life possible member you can take a look at Congressman Jeff Duncan. Jeff Duncan was sworn into Congress in the wave of Teapublicans of 2010. He is a strict “Constitutionalist” and like most of the Teapublican freshman is very much into the idea of cutting the debt but not raising taxes. He was profiled in the book, “Do Not Ask What Harm We Do” by Robert Drake and he was one of many Teapublicans who used the movie “Braveheart” in their declaration of support for John Boehner in the efforts to defeat the payroll tax cut. Some asked if they actually remembered how the film ends? Answer: The hero of “Braveheart,” Scottish rebel William Wallace, dies at the end of the movie.

Viewed as being most conservative by Heritage Action may be alright for Heritage but the truth is Duncan has wasted a lot of time on bills that have no chance of being passed. He seems particularly interested in Islam and the danger they pose to our country. Sound familiar?

Here he is with Tony Perkins and Tim Wildmon, brother to Donald who is the founder of the American Family Association on their own AFA radio show. They act like they are barely acquainted but my guess is he could be one of the 300. They are discussing raising the debt ceiling limit and as we all know not addressing the issue could have brought not only our country but the world down financially. What better outcome for the Oak Initiative and all their tales of the end of this country where they emerge victorious over us all.

And here he is at Peter King’s well-publicized Muslim Radicalization hearing on 6/15/11

I will go out on a limb here and assume that more of the Freshman Teapublicans may have been sponsored by the Oak Initiative but have not had the time to research them all. At any rate, you can see how easily they could reach their goal. I probably would never had Jeff Duncan would most likely never hit my radar had I not read the Robert Draper book and known about this action by the Oak Initiative.

It is easy to talk with other people who are informed about this group and people like you who read this blog but I sure wish there was a wider media apparatus/organized group or foundation to spread this information to the masses. That is one area where the religious right has us beat, they have been organizing for years.

 

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National Day of Prayer Pits Reason Against Christianity

by Leah Posted on May 5, 2012

Is it really National Day of Prayer time again? Time sure flies doesn’t it? Well, the answer is “yes”…it happened again on Thursday as an annual recognition of American Christian need to prove by showmanship and manipulation of federal politicians that they reign supreme in America. This gross display has been in effect since 1952 when then President Harry S. Truman signed a proclamation setting aside a day each year recognizing the imbalanced endorsement of one faith over all others in a country that was founded as a secular nation. Nice…

NDP Crowd

Contrary to the evidence available for God and everybody to see, their followers are dwindling each year. Oh I know – they made a lot of noise on their web site claiming dramatic events and prayer gatherings, but the evidence is in their own numbers, such as the Twitter feed below in Cardoza’s article reflecting less than 7,000 followers and their Facebook page has barely over 50,000. Without a doubt, participation has been significantly higher in years past.

I know this all sounds antithetical to what the leaders of political Christianity are claiming – but why let facts get in the way and confuse their audience at this stage in the game? Reality trumps false claims every time such as these articles pointing out declining membership from Baptist and Catholic to mainline Protestant congregations.

Dwindling Congregations

While Americans unabashedly claim themselves to be followers of Christianity in overwhelming numbers, the story is markedly different when it comes to rising on Sunday mornings and motivating ones derriere into the pews. The numbers drop like a sheep falling from a cliff. As most of you know, I am from Alaska which pulls up the rear with regard to actual church-going population ranking in at #46 out of 46 in the United States with only 22% of our population showing up. (Quite a different reality from the perception during the years that Palin was in the news-cycle). 

This week, contributor Susan Cardoza weighs in on this goat show known in today’s America as the Dobson Empire sponsored National Day of Prayer. A very overtly arrogant display that thumbs their sanctimonious noses at every American who is not “the right kind of Christian” as defined by their club membership rules – and that includes mainstream Christians as well. Cardoza includes President Obama’s proclamation that attempts to be inclusive of the fact that America is not a nation made up exclusively of Christians – thank you, Mr. President.

National Day of Dominionist Muscle-Flexing Brought to You by the Dobsons

by Susan Cardoza

Shirley Dobson

In response to the National Day of Prayer (NDP) this year, there was also a National Day of Reason (NDR) celebrated on the on the Capitol Mall, May 3, 2012. Some people think there would not be a need for the National Day of Reason if there were not a National Day of Prayer. While the President and Congress claim the National Day of Prayer is a day for interfaith coalitions to pray for the world at large, the actual event is led by Shirley Dobson of Focus on the Family, a sect of an extreme version of Christianity that dangles under the umbrella of Dominionism. Make no mistake – this is nothing more than an unconstitutional use of government recognition and promotion of conservative Christian agendas.

Here is the introduction on their Twitter page:

Focus on the Family is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado and just what do they mean by “personal repentance”? Well, anyone who is familiar with evangelical churches would know that it means you must accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and declare that you have been “born again” in Jesus Christ.

So the question would be how is that compatible with Muslim or Jewish faiths?  And, even if the event were religiously inclusive, it would still exclude millions of Americans who do not pray, marginalizing them as second-class citizens. Our President, the same one who most of the religious right thinks is a secret Muslim, issued this year’s proclamation about the National Day of Prayer as follows:

“Prayer has always been a part of the American story, and today countless Americans rely on prayer for comfort, direction, and strength, praying not only for themselves, but for their communities, their country, and the world.

On this National Day of Prayer, we give thanks for our democracy that respects the beliefs and protects the religious freedom of all people to pray, worship, or abstain according to the dictates of their conscience. Let us pray for all the citizens of our great Nation, particularly those who are sick, mourning, or without hope, and ask God for the sustenance to meet the challenges we face as a Nation.

May we embrace the responsibility we have to each other, and rely on the better angels of our nature in service to one another. Let us be humble in our convictions, and courageous in our virtue. Let us pray for those who are suffering around the world, and let us be open to opportunities to ease that suffering.

Let us also pay tribute to the men and women of our Armed Forces who have answered our country’s call to serve with honor in the pursuit of peace. Our grateful Nation is humbled by the sacrifices made to protect and defend our security and freedom. Let us pray for the continued strength and safety of our service members and their families. While we pause to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice defending liberty, let us remember and lend our voices to the principles for which they fought — unity, human dignity, and the pursuit of justice.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 3, 2012, as a National Day of Prayer. I invite all citizens of our Nation, as their own faith directs them, to join me in giving thanks for the many blessings we enjoy, and I call upon individuals of all faiths to pray for guidance, grace, and protection for our great Nation as we address the challenges of our time.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.”

Despite the government’s endorsement of the holiday, for years the National Day of Prayer has been criticized, largely by secular activists, as a violation of the principle of the separation of church and state. So this year secular advocates are holding a counter event calling it the day a National Day of Reason.

As a secular country with a secular Constitution, our government should not favor one religion over another, or religion over non-religion. There are some who would ask for a National Day of Non-Prayer and while that may happen every day of the year, singling out one day could provide Christians with an opportunity to feel how non-believers do every year on the National Day of Prayer. I imagine that Christians would scream that the government is sponsoring a day of “heathenism”, or possibly seeking to “marginalize” the event that Christians hold. Personally, I don’t need a President telling me to set aside a day of prayer because I do not pray much, however, even if I did I would hope that my dedication to prayer would not need a “special” day set apart for the event.

The organizers of this event can describe it however they want but the real purpose is stated very clearly on their Twitter page, to coerce people into accepting Jesus Christ as their personal savior and yes, I paraphrased their original statement because it is a white wash of their intentions.

Some people wonder just when this National Day of Prayer become a government proclamation and the answer is in 1952. In 1952 a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual, National Day of Prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, officially designating the day as the first Thursday of May, and each year the President signs a proclamation, inviting all Americans to take part. Typically, all 50 state governors issue similar proclamations. I guess all of the people involved here forgot the words and meaning of our First Amendment, which says:

“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.”

Just to set the record straight, I have no personal feelings one way or another about a National Day Prayer. My philosophy is to live and let live but I do have a problem using subterfuge in order to win souls for Christ. If you want to do that, just say so. Don’t hide behind praying for the Military, the country and whatever else you use to justify your “one day nationwide revival”, call it what it is.

There is a difference between the National Day of Prayer and a National Day of Reason. Many secular groups plan to observe the National Day of Reason by advocating and performing community service projects or other good works. After all, Robert Ingersoll, a nineteenth-century Republican and humanist said, “The hands that help are better far than the lips that pray.” Too bad more Republicans and Democrats do not share this view.

When I think about a National Day of Reasoning I must say this is my personal preference – not because it is the opposite of the National Day Prayer but because it is a day that can remind Americans of a past they seem so eager to let go. A past when science was respected, a past when a women’s right to choose was not under constant attack, a past when education was accepted and revered. From the Washington Post:

“There was a time when Americans would feel embarrassed by their ignorance of science or their disdain of reason. Not so much, anymore. An article in the Christian Post described how the American Humanist Association and the Secular Coalition for America have joined forces to counter the National Day of Prayer by promoting a National Day of Reason. In the article, a Christian Coalition spokesperson, Billy McCormack, called the National Day of Reason “a blatant assault on Christianity.” One hopes that some Christians will be uncomfortable on learning that their fellow Christians describe “reason” as an assault on Christianity.”

When did we, as a nation, come to this point? How have things gotten so bad that a day of reason would be called an assault on Christianity? Is Christianity of today so simple minded that reason has no place in it? The answer is a resounding “no”, many mainstream Christians today feel secure in their belief and include reason as essential to their faith.

In fact, our founders – who wisely separated religion from government – would be appalled by those who call for the separation of reason from government. The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence would never have been written without the gift of reason. Perhaps that should be the way it is described, “the gift of reason”, people might be more inclined to try it on for size.

 

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It is Whack-a-Mole Time Again ~ Tracking Dominionist Under the Oak Tree

by Leah Posted on April 28, 2012

This week, contributor Susan Cardoza told me that the topic I assigned to write about for today’s article took her into a very dark place. That is an unfortunate byproduct as researchers into the dealings of a bible-based cult of devout believers who have staked their lives on being here to save us all from ourselves.

Recently I did a post that included photos and short bios of some of the speakers that were lined up to attend a gathering called, The Awakening 2012. You will see that if you open that article in a different tab and compare the main characters of that gathering to the organizers of The Oak Initiative gatherings…it comes as no surprise to those of us tracking Dominionists that they are one in the same.

The numerous similarities are not accidental. These people are experts at marketing their message and it is not enough for them to do it from one source – they are skilled at splintering their efforts into numerous organizations, performances and churches so that the unsuspecting are barraged by this misinformation from seemingly every angle.

This diversification of branding is why, several years ago, I started describing the effort involved in monitoring and tracking these people is like playing the game “whack-a-mole”, writing about this just last year in an article at PoliticusUSA. No sooner do you identify them as one entity and before you know it, they pop up as another…and another…and another.

The connections between all these leaders, and all these groups, creates a dangerous perception that the message they are peddling must be righteous because look at how many sources are telling their audiences identical agendas with the same bible-based sense of urgency and patriotism. Adding to that perception that this is a legitimate movement to take dominion over secular institutions and “Reclaim America for Christ” are the growing list of political Christians running for offices from school boards to the Presidency. Note that this was the phrase that Rick Santorum plastered all over his campaign material; and it is now a Republican PAC; and is the name of a Marco Rubio video; as well as the cry of frantic End Times believers – just to name a few of its uses.

The only way that we can stem their tide – and I firmly believe that we can – is by exposing them as often as possible. Every time they show up, a broad group of us are writing about them across the web and we will not stop. Exposure is their Kryptonite. We will continue to do the leg work, but we rely on you to spread this as far and wide as you can. This is the march of the theocrats happening right under our noses.

 What is the Oak Initiative?

by Susan Cardoza

A few months ago I decided to get up very early on a Sunday morning to view a relatively new program on MSNBC, Up With Chris Hayes. I had seen Chris in various political pundit situations and was somewhat impressed with his quiet way of speaking the truth so I was curious to see what his show was all about. For the most part the discussion was pretty general about politics and the coming election. Then the subject changed to Latinos and their role in the coming election and Chris Hayes had invited Pastor Samuel Rodriguez to participate in the discussion.

Knowing what I know about Dominionists I immediately perked up. First of all, how did Chris Hayes find this guy? Did he do any back-check on the man at all, or did he just see the title, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, and go all out? I listened to the conversation and Mr. Rodriguez does make for a good conversationalist, however, I was struck at how one can be lulled into thinking a person (who would not know anything about Rodriguez) could think, hey, this guy is speaking for all Latinos. Unfortunately for Chris Hayes I know who Rodriguez is and I was furious that he would produce this man as some harmless Latino pastor – and in doing so, give the impression that Samuel Rodriguez speaks for all Latinos.

I don’t usually do this, but I wrote Chris Hayes a scathing email on his choice of guests and his terrible lack of due diligence in validating his guests. I told him how he deceived his audience by portraying this guy as some social justice warrior for all Latinos, purportedly based on the name of his organization. Of course Hayes did not have the grace to respond to my email. I guess he is “the” journalist and I am simply a lone watcher of no significance to him. But this lone watcher has taken action by relaying that experience to others who now may join me in questioning his due diligence.

So, you might be wondering why Samuel Rodriguez might warrant such a spirited response from me and it is because he is involved in The Oak Initiative. The Oak Initiative is another dangerous Christian Dominionist franchise spawned by followers of C. Peter Wagner’s New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and their cleverly packaged sales tool called the 7 Mountains mandate. A majority of Latinos have never heard of his organization or the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, let alone the rest of America, so I will endeavor to share with you what I have learned about the Oak Initiative.

You can best understand who they are by knowing what their purpose is although intentionally they will describe themselves as pretty bland. Only by knowing their background would one know their true purpose: To dominate all the nations of the world for Jesus Christ – take dominion. You can read the entire purpose statement on their web site at the…. but make no mistake this is part of the 7 Mountains movement:

“Our Purpose”

America is in crisis, possibly the greatest threat to its continued existence yet. However, we can do something about it, and that is the Purpose of The Oak Initiative.

Along with a political and spiritual shift we find our self in need of a shift in our core values and there are signs that this shift is happening. Unlike many other groups, our goal is to see the development of leaders and leadership skills in our members so that along with a shift in the spirit of America, we are ready to champion the core values that are based on biblical or kingdom principles and wisdom. Then it will be the blend of a spiritual awakening with sound wisdom that will lay a foundation for lasting results…

For us, it is not simply about measuring, evaluating, or responding to the change around us but rather being change-agents and facilitating change in every aspect of our culture as we, the Oak Initiative, become infused into the areas of social, cultural, and political impact wherever we find ourselves….

For us, it is not just about less taxes, correction in government spending, large or small government, liberal or conservative agendas, or correcting the balance of power in our legislative branches at local, state, and federal levels….

For us, it is about awaking our people to the voice of our Founding Fathers recorded in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. It’s about bringing wisdom, which we have gained from our personal relationship with the Lord and study of His word, into the market place at every level of social, cultural, and political expression.

Our goals will not have been accomplished when we simply provide solutions that impact today’s problems but will only be accomplished when we have been a part of a spiritual awakening that lays a foundation for course correction in the future of America.

For us, it is not just a voting ballot or a single set of issues – it’s about being a part of an historical shift in a nation that is called to a destiny by God to disciple other nations…

We are The Oak Initiative

So, there you have it, straight from the horse’s you know what. They are overtly in the business of dedicating their time and resources to bringing lasting change to America/The World and only a biblical resolution will be the successful conclusion of that change.  They named themselves as a result of their interpretation of Isaiah 61:3:

“and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.’

I submit that in actuality, all they really did is search the Bible for a verse that would fit their agenda and then take up that mantle, I just do not buy that God really joins them for lunch dates and lays out directives for taking dominion over cultures and countries. These are their stated beliefs in a nutshell:

  • They believe in charity, but only at the local/non-government level.
  • They claim they want to defend individual freedom but hold “Awakenings” around the nation to turn Muslims to Christ and that freedom is based upon eternal law that God is sovereign and grants all rights.
  • They claim to defend political freedom but their website is geared toward Republican voters.
  • They will establish, maintain and defend religious liberty and challenge attempts to inhibit such liberty
  • Their conviction is that the development of the Constitution and Bill of Rights of the United States were guided by biblical principles and morality. These are the basis of legitimate government of the United States, and any who seek to void or circumvent these must be opposed.
  • The (claim) to seek resolutions for healing moral offenses, prejudices and justice(except if you are a Muslim so their all does not really mean all)
  • They are pro-life except when the state decides to kill someone
  • And they are guided by The Lausanne Covenant

“The Church must be in the world; the world must not be in the Church.”  I found that statement in one section of The Lausanne Covenant and thought it rather strange. To me it means, no matter what they do in the world, the world will never be able to enter their realm. Perhaps that is somewhat simplistic but knowing these people as I do I just thought it strange for them to claim dominion over the world but tell the world “you have no say in what we do.”

So, who are these people? If you have followed the Dominionist movement you will recognize their names. They do not list Samuel Rodriguez on the website but he is a Vice President and there is plenty of information on the web to prove he is involved. I have provided a couple links below. Sometimes, even if you have followed them, new names will emerge for you, as they did for me. I will add comments below but I urge you to read their full bios, there are some surprises, like no religious background asserted?

Chairman: Marc Nuttle is an attorney, based in Norman, Oklahoma, who represents corporations, business projects and political entities nationally and internationally. He is managing partner of Oklahoma Sovereign Development, LLC (OSD), an Oklahoma based industrial development company.

They make no mention of his religious leanings but this man is well versed in political campaigns. Of course, being the defenders of political rights that they are, he has only helped Republican candidates.

President: Rick Joyner is the Founder, and Executive Director of MorningStar Ministries, which includes MorningStar University, and The MorningStar Fellowship of Churches, as well as Heritage International Ministries, the restored Heritage USA Grand Hotel and Conference Center. He is the author of more than 30 books, including The Final Quest Trilogy, There Were Two Trees in the Garden, and his latest, I See A New America. Rick and his wife, Julie, live in South Carolina with their five children: Anna, Aaryn, Amber, Ben and Sam.

He also believes that Sarah Palin was anointed to be the leader of our “great nation” and that her turn would come. Of course, if that failed he has Michelle Bachmann waiting in the wings. Sadly for them, this year, that failed as well.

Lt.Gen. (U.S. Army Ret.) W.G. “Jerry” Boykin was one of the elite warriors chosen in 1978 to make up the first unit in America’s ultra-secretive and deadly Delta Force. He then became commander of the unit, and later still, commander of all U.S. Army Special Forces. His thirty-six years in the military included a tour at the Central Intelligence Agency and clandestine missions around the world. Jerry retired in 2007, serving his last four years as the deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence.

Don’t let the intelligence function fool you, this man is more delusional than Dick Cheney or George Bush, in fact, even George Bush had to reprimand him for describing military efforts as a holy war against Islam while in uniform and that is saying something. Boykin has all sorts of conspiracy theories he is more than happy to expound on to anyone who will listen and many do.

Here is a link to Right Wing Watch where you can read all about him. Boykin is also a member of the Knights of Malta, a Catholic organization seen by some as a dangerous group. I will include some links below written by people who have done research on them. There are claims in the research community that we are seeing Catholics, Mormons and Evangelicals joining together in the United States – united by their joint hatred of Muslims.

Bishop Larry Jackson is the founding pastor of Bethel Outreach International Church in Charlotte, NC. He currently serves as a regional bishop for the Fellowship of International Churches (Bishop Wellington Boone, Founder and National Bishop) in the southeastern region of the United States and the Vice President of Strategic Planning.

Bishop Jackson is one of their media people, he has founded Shachah Records, a newly formed Christian record label; Kingdom Writers and Music Association, established to facilitate the advancement of new and independent artists while at the same time serving as a vehicle to unite them; and Kingdom Distribution Network, a distribution company that distributes Christian products directly to the public.

Cindy Jacobs is a respected prophet who travels the world ministering not only to crowds of people, but to heads of nations.  Perhaps her greatest ministry is to world influencers who seek her prophetic advice. She and her husband Mike have founded Generals International. The heart and mission of Generals International is to bring Godly transformation to the societies and nations of the world through intercession and the prophetic. More…

Cindy Jacobs is a longstanding member of the 7 Mountains organization. She specializes in prophetic intercession. The ministry, now known as Generals International, was founded as Generals of Intercession. Intercession is still a major thrust of the ministry as they have “generals” around the world who are starting prayer networks in regions such as Central Asia and Turkey.

Nicholas F. Papanicolaou was born in 1949 in Athens, Greece.

He was educated at Williston Academy, Easthampton, MA where he graduated cum laude in 1967. He then earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics at Harvard University from where he graduated with advanced placement in 1970, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Columbia University in 1972.

Nicholas’s father, Georgious, discovered the Pap Smear, unfortunately Nicholas has pursued a far darker path than his esteemed father. Nicholas is a Grand Master in the Knights of Malta. I searched the net for a wiki on him and found nothing. Strange since he is an active member in the Oak Iniative. There appears to be a dark connection between Nicholas and Boynkin, both are in the Order of Malta and both are virulently against Islam.

Rev. Lou P. Sheldon is Chairman of the Traditional Values Coalition, a lobby organization representing churches and the grassroots that works to preserve the Judeo-Christian ethics upon which America was founded. The Traditional Values Coalition, founded in 1980 by Rev. Sheldon, speaks on behalf of more than 43,000 churches across the United States regarding pro-family legislation and policy. With an emphasis on the restoration of the values necessary to maintain strong, unified families, TVC focuses on such issues as religious liberty, marriage, the right to life, the homosexual agenda, pornography, family tax relief and education. He is a familiar face and voice for the family before the U.S. Congress and the White House.

At first I did not recognize this man but when I read his full bio, I immediately recognized him and changed his name above from Louis to Lou. This is Lou in a nutshell:

“A strong voice of the traditional values that have been the foundation of America’s greatness is essential if we are to have good government policy. We need to have these values expressed and no organization does that better in Congress than Traditional Values Coalition” ~ John Ashcroft, Former United States Attorney General

Enough said about Sheldon. He is there to lobby Congress and if Ashcroft thinks he is special, you know he is batshit crazy when it comes to strict religious beliefs. Ashcroft is the AG who went around DOJ covering the naked statues.

Bob Weiner was moved by God to found Maranatha Churches and Campus Ministries, now with locations on 150 campuses in 20 nations.  During the last 10 years, Bob trained 50,000 youth in Russia for ministry and covered all the training expenses for them.  God multiplied this ministry, and today many hundreds of thousands of youth have been saved, established in churches and cell groups by the thousands.

Weiner’s ministry in the 70’s and 80’ recruited young people mainly on college campuses. It was reported to be a cult-like ministry with an authoritarian hierarchy where the individual was taught not to think individually but in group-speak. Weiner’s main targets were the best and brightest on campus. Members were told to work hard, get the best grades, and look as good as you could in order to rise in the economic and political ladders of success to be next to influence decision-makers. The Christian Research Institute said of Maranatha Ministries, “Until we have clearer understanding of the changes which MCM claims are being implemented, and until we see more discernible evidence of change in the lives of people being impacted by MCM, we would not recommend this organization to anyone.”

You can read more about Maranatha Ministries (here) but I find it strange that Weiner once issued an apology for his work with the ministry and now is right back in the mix. I guess I should not be surprised.

Ardell “Danny” Daniels is an apostle and oversees Spoken Word Ministries with his wife, Kimberly Daniels, in Jacksonville, Florida. Together they travel the globe touching lives for Jesus. They have six lovely children that range from the ages of 11 to 30. Ardell is an ex-drug dealer and addict.  God has miraculously transformed and raised him up for the last days.

Not much is written on Ardell but Kimberly Daniels uses her strength and determination for another purpose. She’s known as the Demon Buster, the leader of a small army of deliverance ministers who are exercising spiritual authority through prayer to confront demons of drug addiction, violence and witchcraft in their community.

Janet L. (Folger) Porter is the President and Founder of Faith2Action – turning people of faith into people of action to WIN the cultural war TOGETHER for life, liberty and the family. She reports from the front lines of the cultural war on her nationally syndicated daily program, Faith2Action with Janet Folger, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST (heard on the VCY, REACH FM (Calvary Chapel), Bott Radio, National Pro-life Radio, and Christian Worldview Networks, as well as individual stations throughout the Midwest).  She also hosts a 60-second daily radio commentary which airs on more than 100 stations and at www.F2A.org.

“When the killing stops Operation Rescue and Troy Newman will be among the first to receive our thanks.”  ~ Janet Folger Porter. Enough said about Porter.

Dr. Lance Wallnau  has been described by People For The American Way as the hidden architect behind the increasingly viral and politically potent seven mountain template for cultural impact. From forums at Harvard, to work with the United Nations, and training and serving on Ken Blanchard’s board, Lance has taught and shaped the contemporary worldview and strategy of leaders on a global level. Taking ideas rooted in the life labors of Abraham Kuyper, Francis Shaeffer, Lorren Cunningham and Bill Bright, Lance has reinvigorated and updated their relevance to a new generation of leaders wrestling with the complex business of societal transformation. For this reason Lance’s network spans a diversity of nations and spheres of influence including artists, business leaders, government officials and Universities.

All you really have to do is look at how his ideas were influenced and you know enough about him as well. There are numerous pieces written about Wallnau on the internet and in order to give my son an idea about this movement I actually bought one of his books.  My son was getting involved in a “dominionist” church and now he has moved on.  Wallnau is bad news.

Dr. Negiel Bigpond  has been in ministry for over thirty years and has been both evangelist and pastor, evangelizing in over 143 native reservations and currently serves as Apostle of Morning Star Church of All Nations. He is an accomplished musician and singer and is also a certified drug and alcohol abuse counselor. Dr. Bigpond is a full-blood Euchee (Yuchi) Indian and a fourth generation minister of the gospel. He and his wife Jan have been married for 39 years and have 3 children, 2 sons-in-law, 1 daughter-in-law, and 6 grandchildren. Read more about Dr. Bigpond here.

Thomas Hall  has worked for Lou Engle, the founder and visionary for TheCall and TheCall to Conscience. TheCall is a ministry that has filled stadiums with youth crying out for the nation and for the ending of abortion, for seven years. TheCall is divinely initiated by God and is multi-racial, multi-generational, and cross-denominational. On September 2, 2000, 400,000 youth gathered together to fast and pray for America. Since the year 2000 TheCall has touched hundreds of thousands of people all over the world through the power of prayer and fasting.

Thomas started his own company called Hall & Brown Associates, which offers event management, event production, marketing, etc. With this company he is actively working with many organizations in the Political and Christian sectors to help mobilize young people across the nation. How convenient for the Initiative right?

The basic strategy of The Oak Initiative according to them is to be a grassroots movement but I have to ask how can you claim grassroots with so many people who are have influence in high places in the Catholic Church or the Dominionist movement? They claim they will find and help develop principled and effective Christian leaders who can mobilize and organize a cohesive force of activated Christians. According to their website:

“These will be called to work on every level where government is found, from the most local to state and national levels.

Believing our strategy will only be effective to the degree that we have leaders and active members who are the most informed and best trained possible, a basic purpose of The Oak Initiative will be the development and dissemination of resources for the purpose of constantly increasing knowledge and upgrading skills to be effective citizens.

Action plans of The Oak Initiative may include everything from community service, promoting commerce, disaster response, as well as the evaluation, proposing, and when necessary, the challenging of government legislation and/or actions that are deemed immoral or hurtful.

The Oak Institute is being developed to raise up effective leaders for all of the dominant areas of influence in the culture, including: government, business, education, arts and entertainment, family services, media, and the church.

The Oak Initiative will help mobilize for and work with other organizations that share our common goals and values.”

If you doubt their purpose, then you have not been paying attention. We have heard so much lately about these groups and their works, usually not in a good way. What can appear to be innocent activity with these people is always not the case.

Dig deeper at these links below:

This info touches at the edges of the group and their activities. Perusing the web you will find much darker information.

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/oak-initiative

Samuel Rodriguez – Washington Post – His story has now changed since he hooked up with the Oak Iniative

http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/samuel_rodriguez/2008/04/parsley_islam_mccain_and_21st.html

 

 

 

 

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Defining a “real” Christian has its Challenges

by Leah Posted on April 25, 2012

It was just last week when I posted an article here by Susan Cardoza, a weekly contributor to God’s Own Party? about what constitutes a “real” Christian because we were writing about Mitt Romney and his Mormon faith that has been called a cult by Dominionists. In the process I ran across web site by a fellow who calls himself The Agnostic Pentecostal . I loved what he wrote about this very topic so I contacted the author who gave me permission to re-post his entire article below.

Before I post his article – consider this email that we received just today at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation from professed devout patriotic Christians. (Please note: All spelling and grammatical errors are exactly as the author wrote them).

From: E-Mail Address Withheld

Subject: We Pray Christ Jesus to stop You

Date: April 23, 2012 5:00:31 PM MDT

To: Information Weinstein <mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>

Mickey Wienstien, we called you on the weekend to advice you that our womens prayer circle at our church will be ending your wickedness against Christ Jesus and his anointed of the USA in our military. In America which is Jesus’ country we can pray all we want for anything we want, wicked Mickey.

Our prayer circle has never failed to acheive our hosts granting of the scripture we pray. for direct intervention against you as you are a true demon to America. Luke 9:1 We will not stop our prayers until you stop the evil you do with Lucifer on a daly basis. Luke 9:1 But not against you Mickey. We know by your internet site and your book who it is to be.

Now for our prayer, we pray that the women who work in your MFRR and the women in your family will befall fast moving breast cancer which can not everbe cured. We pray this for Leah Bruton, and Becki Miller, Patricia Corigan, Chris Rodda, Edie Disler, Vicky Garrison, Kristin Leslie, Melinda Moeton and Joan Slish. And you evil clan too, we pray this for Bonnie Wiensten and Amanda and Amber Wienstein and the woman lawyers Cariline Mitchel and Katherin Ritchy and all women of all who work at with for Military Freedom Against Religon Foundation.

know that we pray and pray hard all the days until you stop your destruction of our American army and accept Christ Jesus as Lord and join His army.

That is a perfect lead-in to this guest post who I am happy to announce will be contributing original content here from time to time.

Will the “Real” Christian Please Stand Down

by The Agnostic Pentecostal

Who’s really a “true” Christian? It seems every time someone points out a flaw about Christianity, perhaps calling out the questionable behavior of a Christian leader or even something more subtle, other Christians use the defense, “That’s right! But they’re not a true Christian.” Some examples:

When non-Christians speak of the failings of Ted Haggard or Eddie Long as proof that Christianity is worthless, liberal-progressive Christians like to point out how they’re not like that, or even use it as an example of how their form of faith is better. How that (conservative, Charismatic, megachurch) stream of Christianity is not the real Christianity. How real Christianity is about social justice and sound reasoning and such.

Or when people who leave the church explain to Christians that they left it because it was dry, ritualistic, boring, and irrelevant. Those belonging to the more energetic traditions, Charismatic for example, say, “Oh, but that type of Christianity (Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran) is really not what Jesus had in mind… Jesus came to bring life!”

Or when those within the hallowed realms of ancient Orthodoxy and Catholicism claim that, because of apostolic succession, they are the true heirs of Christendom. They criticize protestant churches of heresy. And when they themselves are exposed of oh, I don’t know, sexual abuse let’s say…the Protestants come running to use it as a chance to protest that, because of the priesthood of all believers,they (the protestants) are the ones who the truth has set free.

And then you have Emergence Christianity, which seems to be trying to get beyond the labels, but is having a hard time doing so. One reason is that everybody else calls them heretics.

And Emergents often respond by calling the traditional churches “narrow-minded modernists” who are too tied to their traditions that they don’t leave room for Jesus.

And the next time Pat Robertson makes an idiotic statement on international television (and he will) or another televangelist misuses money (and they will) or another priest is said to have molested boys (it will happen) or another deep-south pastor with a dozen congregants makes inflammatory protests about gays or Muslims (and they will), the “other” “real” Christians will come to Christianity’s defense.

Now it’s definitely a good thing when the “other” Christians, the silent majority, speak out against extremism. But there will always be “the other Christians,” the ones who consider themselves to be the “real” followers of Christ. And what gets me is all the talk about who is and who is not a “real” Christian. Every single denomination thinks they’re the ones who got it right.

Of course this is nothing new. It’s been going on, literally, since 1 AD (and before), and it will most likely continue. There were even the Gnostics, who believed they had received the secret, the real truth. And it seems every denomination today believes that same way.

And for years people have been complaining that because of the fact of Christianity’s countless divisions, it’s just not worth the trouble, and it’s proof of the religion’s illegitimacy. To which the Catholics would respond, “It’s the protestant’s fault…without Luther we’d still be one Church (capital ‘C’), except for those pesky Orthodox kids in the East who caused the Great Schism.” To which progressives and Emergents would respond, “But it’s not division… It’s diversity!” and on and on it goes.

Jesus talked about this problem with someone from another religion. He even brought the conversation beyond Christianity, into the debate about which religion (in general) is right. To the Woman at the Well, a Palestinian and declared unclean by the Jewish religious authorities, Jesus said something to the effect of: “Your religion says we should worship God one way, and mine says we should worship God another way. But there will be a day when we’ll all worship God together, from the heart, sincerely, beyond all these arguments.”(John 4)

That day has yet to come. Christians claim that Jesus was the one who brought that day here, 2,000 years ago. But apparently, seeing as we’re not all Universalists or Baha’i or anything, that’s not the case. And I won’t pretend to have an alternative. But one Jewish writer did touch on something that may be helpful, when he said, “True religion is this: Taking care of the widows and orphans and guarding against corruption.” (James 1:26-27)

And Jesus himself hit on it with the advice that he said sums up all the religious rules. Unfortunately, many Christian leaders might say that something like it is too vague, too nonspecific, and not clear enough for the average person to put into real practice. It was Jesus’ primary directive: “Love God. Love others. That’s it.” (Matthew 22:36)

It just seems to me that no Christian tradition has still, after 2,000 years, never really mastered both of those two simple things. Especially if all the blaming and bickering is any indication. And when so many Christians say that they’re simply being persecuted for righteousness sake…I think it’s more accurate to say it’s for self-righteousness.

But if that’s what Jesus meant by what true spirituality is — just loving God and loving others — perhaps all of us still have some growing (and loving) to do.

Until then, would all you “real” Christians please… Shut. Up. You’re giving me a headache.

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Mitt Palling Around with Bibi ~ A Dangerous International Friendship

by Leah Posted on April 21, 2012

While American politicians continue their unyielding support of Israel through actions such as the vote, disclosed by two congressional staff members on Friday, to spend an additional $680 million in 2015 to strengthen Israel’s short-range rocket shield, a plan crafted by Republicans from the House of Representatives, – the longstanding personal relationship between Willard Mitt Romney and Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu are called into question.

This is the subject of this week’s article by contributing writer, Susan Cardoza. The NY Times wrote about this last week, yet it received absolutely no mention in the mainstream media. Am I surprised? Not really…it is an issue that isn’t as appealing to most like repeating ad nauseam the Ted Nugent quotes, or President Obama’s comment about not being born with a silver spoon, or Mitt’s undying defensiveness over his and his family’s wealth.

No, this subject is about a very dangerous story of Mitt palling around with Bibi. Apparently that is not sexy enough to report on – after all it is merely about conflict and real life positions that involve war, nuclear weapons and an adherence to biblical prophecy. Yes, bible prophecy…remember President George Bush’s letter to then French President Chirac about Gog and Magog? This is part of this volatile puzzle that puts the global community at risk – and we aren’t paying attention. Andrew Brown of the Guardian wrote this…

“President Jacques Chirac wanted to know what the hell President Bush had been on about in their last conversation. Bush had then said that when he looked at the Middle East, he saw “Gog and Magog at work” and the biblical prophecies unfolding. But who the hell were Gog and Magog? Neither Chirac nor his office had any idea.

Bush seems to have taken the threat of Gog and Magog to Israel quite literally, and, if this story can be believed, to have launched a war to stop them.”

This developing situation between Israel and Iran, and the political Christian response is sounding far too reminiscent of Bush’s clarion call.  This is why we are writing about this today in hopes that you will spread this article as far and wide as possible. This is deadly serious.

Just yesterday I wrote a piece about a gathering called “The Awakening” where over 60 political Christians will be speaking, including a video appearance by Netanyahu. This is significant to our discussion.

Another article I am linking back to from last week is about Mitt Romney and the Mormon tale of the White Horse Prophecy. Consider these when reading this article today as we talk about why we have serious concerns about this cozy relationship between these two – Mitt and Bibi.

Palling with Bibi

by Susan Cardoza

In an article published by the New York Times on April 7, 2012, Michael Barbaro wrote about an ongoing relationship between Benjamin Netanyahu and Republican presumptive nominee Mitt Romney. The piece seemed to be harmless to me however it seems the Ambassador to the U.S. for Israel, Michael Oren, took exception to the relationship being discussed and a particular telephone call that took place when Mr. Netanyahu was here in the United States to meet with the President.

Now why would Israel want to take such pains to correct the circumstances of a single telephone call between the two, a Prime Minister of Israel and a citizen of the U.S. (who just happens to be running for the highest office in the land)? Why would conservative magazine, The American Thinker, want to try to turn the piece into a gigantic conspiracy theory? What are the Israelis and The American Thinker hoping to gain by their actions? I can only guess.

Usually, when someone reacts in this manner, it is most often to discredit the original story, yet when Mitt Romney announces “we will not have an inch of difference between ourselves and our ally Israel,” he really means Mr. Netanyahu and his right-wing Likud coalition. For a President Romney’s America, that could make conflict with Iran much more likely and an Israeli peace agreement with the Palestinians virtually impossible.

In his letter to the editor of the NY Times, Ambassador Oren made it perfectly clear that there were no improprieties during the call – which makes me wonder if there were improprieties – so I began to look further. What I found were articles in other Israeli newspapers and conservative blogs and websites in America about the situation, all it would appear, in a desperate attempt to keep discrediting the NY Times.

Strangely, Mr. Romney has not kept their friendship quiet, he has made reference to his long talks with Mr. Netanyahu many times but between all the disputing articles, it would appear they are worried about the consequences of the relationship. The relationship does beg the question, is it appropriate for Mr. Romney, as the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party, to have even the hint of possible meetings with Mr. Netanyahu without telling the public? Is it a breech of national security for the two to be discussing Mideast policy between Israel and Iran? I submit that the answer is “yes” and is precisely why the Ambassador and others tried so hard to discredit the NY Times article.

I won’t go into the entire history of the relationship with the two, that can be read by going to the NY Times link, but I will give you some highlights you need in order to understand the relationship and the potential fallout for our country and Israel.

So what is the story? It seems that Netanyahu and Mitt Romney met in 1976 in the 16th-floor offices of the Boston Consulting Group, where both had been recruited as corporate advisers. That shared experience decades ago led to a warm friendship and many meetings between the two, unknown to outsiders. One can infer that such a close friendship would naturally lead to a degree of agreement on various subjects.

Consider the fact that Mr. Netanyahu is making the case for military action against Iran as Mr. Romney, the likely Republican presidential nominee, is attacking the Obama administration for not supporting Mr. Netanyahu more robustly. Is it a concerted attack by both sides? If so, President Obama does not appear to be concerned. But to get back to this friendship, it has spanned the decades since 1976. Over the years, they have had meetings both here in the U.S. and in Israel that entailed discussing political strategies and ideologies. According to the NY Times:

“When Mr. Romney was the governor of Massachusetts, Mr. Netanyahu offered him firsthand pointers on how to shrink the size of government. When Mr. Netanyahu wanted to encourage pension funds to divest from businesses tied to Iran, Mr. Romney counseled him on which American officials to meet with.

That is far too cozy, but the article goes on to share that they have discussions often enough to chat about everything from billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s financial backing of Newt Gingrich to the latest situation regarding Israel’s position on Iran. The NY Times goes on to quote…

“We can almost speak in shorthand,” Mr. Romney said in an interview. “We share common experiences and have a perspective and underpinning which is similar.” Mr. Netanyahu attributed their “easy communication” to what he called “B.C.G.’s intellectually rigorous boot camp.”

“So despite our very different backgrounds,” he said through an aide, “my sense is that we employ similar methods in analyzing problems and coming up with solutions for them.”

This sounds like a match made in heaven if you are a Dominionist or a Messianic Jew – but it is a recipe for disaster for millions upon millions who live on this planet who do not share their enthusiastic interpretation of biblical prophecy. Barbaro goes on to point out a very important perspective on this friendship…

The ties between Mr. Romney and Mr. Netanyahu stand out because there is little precedent for two politicians of their stature to have such a history together that predates their entry into government. And that history could well influence decision-making at a time when the United States may face crucial questions about whether to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities or support Israel in taking such an action on their own.

Mr. Romney has suggested that he would not make any significant policy decisions about Israel without consulting Mr. Netanyahu — a level of deference that could raise eyebrows given Mr. Netanyahu’s polarizing reputation, even as it appeals to the neoconservatives and evangelical Christians who are fiercely protective of Israel.

In a telling exchange during a debate in December, Mr. Romney criticized Mr. Gingrich for making a disparaging remark about Palestinians, declaring: “Before I made a statement of that nature, I’d get on the phone to my friend Bibi Netanyahu and say: ‘Would it help if I say this? What would you like me to do?’”

During Romney’s time as Governor of Massachusetts the two men sat down for a conversation where his friend Bibi outlined the new conservative view, recommending that Mitt follow the examples he laid having implemented in Israel …

“Mr. Netanyahu, who had recently stepped down as Israel’s finance minister, regaled Mr. Romney with stories of how, in the tradition of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, he had challenged unionized workers over control of their pensions, reduced taxes and privatized formerly government-run industries, reducing the role of government in private enterprise.”

Union-busting, privatization of government, lower taxes, a free and unregulated market – where are we hearing this? It sounds so familiar! Oh! Right…it smacks of the talking points by the Republican Party and their presumptive nominee – one Willard Mitt Romney. There is a great deal more to learn from reading Barbaro’s entire article that I have linked to in several places, giving an in-depth look into details about the relationship between these two men.

So, unlike The American Thinker’s contention that the NY Times was making a big deal out of nothing, there is plenty of factual evidence that Romney has acquiesced to Netanyahu’s persuasion. If Romney is willing to follow the advice his long-term friend, as he has demonstrated he will do, what would lead us to believe he would act more rationally and independently as President of the United States?

Romney has shown a predilection to making “off the cuff” proclamations that he later needs to walk back, although he seldom does. As President of the U.S. that is not something you can do, you need to make sure you are always offering well thought-out statements in the interest of National Security. We all know what happened when a President (e.g. GW Bush) makes idiotic statements that he obviously has not thought through completely and I am confident that none of us relish a repeat of that Presidency.

We must also consider the fact that Romney has surrounded himself with hawkish advisers from PNAC and the Bush administration. These advisors were the architects of the Iraqi war and in considering that fact, you also have to consider the cost of human life and the damage to our economy as a result of not paying for that war.

I wish that the average American voter would take the time to consider all the ramifications for any candidate seeking the highest office in our land, however that is rarely the case. At the very least, I would ask them to consider that President Obama has not brought these same people into the White House and during his administration we have put an end to the war in Iraq and are on schedule to end the war in Afghanistan.

The war proponents Romney surrounds himself with want the U.S. to be “the” empirical nation in the world so the idea of another war would work right in to their plans, despite the fact that trying out their philosophy in Iraq led to catastrophic results. The United States cannot sustain another era of “war mongering” in the world. If we do, we will either destroy this nation completely or be left “naked” on the world stage with most other nations pulling away.

Despite the PNAC’s notion that we could survive in this manner, history has always proven them dead wrong.

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Theocrats Congregate to Push Christian Supremacy in America

by Leah Posted on April 20, 2012

These are the types of gatherings that happen across America with alarming regularity. Many of the names in the entire listing will not be recognized by most people, but I am taking the liberty of posting a portion that include the bigger name players in this march of the theocrats.

This group of approximately 60 political Christians represents the 7 Mountains that they have stated openly is their program for “re-claiming America”. You can view the entire gallery of attendants here.

The 7 Mountains Mandate include these 7 categories:

  • Religion
  • Family
  • Education
  • Business/Banking
  • Arts/Entertainment & Sports
  • Media
  • Government/Military

As you read about these people, note the Mountain I label under their Bios showing which ones they are assigned to scale and conquer.

Uniting our Voices Around Shared Values: Turning Voices into Votes

A war is raging against our shared values. Our faith and freedom are under attack. Silence in the face of this war is not an option. Decisive action is needed. Join with others who share the core values that make America a great nation. Take a stand for righteousness and justice and be part of a new revolution to take back America. The time has come to turn our voices into votes and to change the course of history.

See this year’s exciting program!

Reserve your tickets today! Only $10 for indiduals and $20 for families.

Calvary Assembly of God
1199 Clay Street
Winter Park, FL 32789

More than 60 national religious and political speakers bring their insight and excitement to this event. It will be an in-depth Prayer and Patriotism event where people are united by love for our country’s freedom and our faith in Christ.

Check out this year’s schedule and pick the breakout sessions that fascinate you, with topics from Israel to immigration, from our families to our nation’s future, from human trafficking to the ticking clock of our national debt. We welcome all ages, denominations, and ethnicities to unite around Christian and conservative values.

We hope to educate, motivate, and activate you to make a difference in your community in 2012. As our nation’s honor is deteriorating, now is the time to take a stand and restore our country’s strength and dignity!

Speakers

Dean Shawn Akers, J.D. Esq., is the Dean of Liberty University’s Helms School of Government and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Law at Liberty University School of Law. He regularly works with national conservative, faith-based, and public policy leaders and organizations on matters of public policy, lobbying, and elections. [...] Dr. Akers provides counsel to public officeholders and has served as a consultant to political candidates and campaigns. Dr. Akers earned his Juris Doctorate and a Masters Degree in Public Policy from Regent University. [...] During his tenure at the law school, Dr. Akers designed and launched the law school’s first public policy courses which cover all aspects of public policy, including running political campaigns, as well as election law, lobbying, grassroots activism, nonprofit and political organizational structures, political action committees, and proposing and drafting public policy.

Mountain of Government

Ted Baehr is Founder and Publisher of MOVIEGUIDE®: The Family Guide to Movies and Entertainment and Chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission® ministry, as well as a noted critic, educator, lecturer, and media pundit. His life’s purpose is to be used of God to redeem the values of the media while educating audiences on how to use discernment in selecting their entertainment. [...] Ted is Chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission® ministry (CFTVC), a non-profit organization dedicated to redeeming the values of the mass media of entertainment by influencing the entertainment industry and by informing and equipping the general public of the impact that the mass media has on its audiences. The CFTVC is the only active liaison between studio executives and the general public for issues of family entertainment and faith.

Mountain of Arts & Entertainment

J. Ken Blackwell has a distinguished record of achievement as an educator, diplomat, and finance executive. As Ohio’s 51st Secretary of State, he was the state’s constitutional officer chiefly responsible for elections, the management of business records, and the protection of intellectual property and corporate identities. [...]He is co-Chairman of the board of directors of the Campaign Finance Institute in Washington, D.C., a member of the Advisory Panel of the Federal Elections Commission, and [...] a member of the national advisory boards of the Princeton Review and Youth for Christ.

Mountain of Government

Vonette Bright is cofounder of Campus Crusade for Christ, along with her late husband, Dr. William R. Bright. She earned her B.A. in home economics from Texas Women’s University and did graduate work in the field of education at the University of Southern California. Vonette taught in Los Angeles schools before joining Bill full-time at Campus Crusade. Vonette’s commitment to help reach the world for Christ has fueled a passion for prayer and a desire to help others develop a heart for God. She serves as Chair for The Bright Media Foundation and maintains an amazing schedule from her home in Orlando.

Mountain of Education

Carlos Campo, Ph.D., is President of Regent University. [...] Working with Regent’s Board of Trustees, Campo helped form a “Spiritual Vitality Committee,” which initiates and enhances spiritual activities on campus to sustain the University’s Christ-centered mission.

Mountain of Education

Cynthia Dunbar, J.D. Esq., has almost twenty years of experience in private law practice and currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Law at Liberty University School of Law. In addition to her experiences in law, Prof. Dunbar has been extensively involved in Public Policy and Governmental Relations. In 2006 she was elected to the highly controversial Texas State Board of Education, to serve a four-year term through December 31, 2010. [...] frequently travels around the nation discussing the Biblical framework for civil jurisprudence and America’s founding.

Mountain of Education

Lou Engle is the visionary and cofounder of The Call solemn assemblies. Lou’s passion is to call young adults into a lifestyle of radical prayer, fasting, holiness, and acts of justice. With over 30 years of history in praying for revival, Lou has helped plant two churches, the pro-life ministry Bound4LIFE, and helped raise up the first Justice House of Prayer (JHOP) in Washington, D.C., to pray for the Supreme Court and for righteous leaders in America. Since 2004, JHOPs have emerged in San Francisco, Boston, New York, Montgomery, and San Diego. (Added Note: Also a member of C. Peter Wagner’s New Apostolic Reformation)

Mountains  of Family and Government

Frank Gaffney is the Founder and President of the Center for Security Policy in Washington, D.C. [...] In April 1987 Mr. Gaffney was nominated by President Reagan to become the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, the senior position in the Defense Department with responsibility for policies involving nuclear forces, arms control, and U.S.-European defense relations. He acted in that capacity for seven months, during which time he was the Chairman of the prestigious High Level Group, NATO’s senior politico-military committee. He also represented the Secretary of Defense in key U.S.-Soviet negotiations and ministerial meetings. From August 1983 until November 1987, Mr. Gaffney was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy under Assistant Secretary Richard Perle. From February 1981 to August 1983, Mr. Gaffney was a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by Senator John Tower (R-Texas). And, in the latter 1970′s, Mr. Gaffney served as an aide to the late Senator Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson (D-Washington), in the areas of defense and foreign policy.

Mountain of Government/Military

Newt Gingrich* is well-known as [...]

(You can all fill in the blanks on Newt and what he represents to you)

Mountain of Government

Adriana Gonzalez has dedicated much of the last three years to the protection of parental rights. As the Florida State Coordinator of ParentalRights.org, Adriana worked to pass the Parental Rights Memorial in the Florida legislature in 2011. Most recently, she has helped to found a new organization, Catholics Called to Witness, a call to action to the Catholic community.  Adriana is blessed to be married to her best friend, Manny. Together they are raising and homeschooling their seven children.

Mountain of Family

Thomas Hall* worked for Lou Engle, the founder of TheCall and TheCall to Conscience from 2004-2011. TheCall is a ministry that has filled stadiums with youth crying out for the nation and for the ending of abortion, for seven years.  It is divinely initiated by God and is multi-racial, multi generational, and cross-denominational. [...] Thomas sits on the Executive Committee for the Freedom Federation; serves as a board member for The Oak Initiative along with major Christians and political leaders to serve as a youth liaison. [...] his company is actively working with many organizations in the Political and Christian sectors to help mobilize young people across the nation.

Mountains of Family and Government

Debbie Hart has performed for churches, conventions and conferences across the United States as well as overseas. In 2010 she traveled to the Holy Land with a tour hosted by Gov. Mike Huckabee and was honored to be asked to sing on the trip along with Pat Boone. Most recently, she was the soloist for the Freedom Federation meeting held at Liberty University with guest speaker Newt Gingrich. She is currently the Vice-President of Investor Relations for the Timothy Plan, a Biblically based mutual fund, located in Maitland, Florida.

Mountain of Business/Banking

Cindy Jacobs is president and cofounder, with her husband, Mike, of Generals of Intercession, a missionary organization dedicated to training in the areas of prayer and spiritual warfare. She is also coordinator of the U.S. Spiritual Warfare Network. (Added note: She is also a Senior Apostle in the New Apostolic Reformation).

Mountain – All of them

Phillip Jauregui, J.D. Esq., is the President of the Judicial Action Group, a former member of the Council for National Policy [...] (Added Note: That he is recognized as a member of the CNP is in itself significant).

Mountain of Government

Gabriel Joseph III is the President and CEO of ccAdvertising. Under the leadership of Mr. Joseph, ccAdvertising has developed and employs proprietary, innovative Artificial Intelligence Call (AIC) and Smart Phone-based processes to identify voters and consumers, [...] and Voter Identification and Get-Out-The-Vote campaigns for thousands of candidates for office at the local, state, and national levels, including presidential, congressional, state legislative, and mayoral candidates. ccAdvertising also provides commercial market research and customer identification services for a diverse clientele, including Fortune 500 companies, national media companies and professional sports teams. Mr. Joseph has developed, introduced, manufactured, marketed, and applied new and innovative products in the financial, information technology, telecommunications, heavy equipment, mechanical engineering and food processing industries.

Mountains of Media, Government and Banking

Rev. Rick Joyner is the founder of MorningStar Publications and Ministries, which is comprised of many ministry programs and publications. MorningStar Minitries in an international outreach of ministries and churches. Joyner is also the founder of The Oak Initiative, a grassroots movement to unite, mobilize, equip, and activate Christians to be the salt and light they are called to be by engaging in the great issues of our time from a sound biblical worldview. Started by more than 300 Christian leaders from across the spectrum of the body of Christ, within months of its founding, The Oak Initiative had a presence in all 50 states and more than 78 nations, with Oak Gatherings and Oak Chapters springing up rapidly which is a outreach to pastors to equip and empower them to be politically active. (Added Note: And here is another Senior Apostle of the New Apostolic Reformation)

Mountain – All of them

Ken Klukowski, J.D. Esq., serves as Director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council. Klukowski recently co-authored The Blueprint: Obama’s Plan to Subvert the Constitution and Build an Imperial Presidency with FRC’s Senior Fellow for Family Empowerment, Ken Blackwell.

Mountain of Arts/Entertainment & Sports

Dr. Richard Land has served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission since 1988. During his tenure as representative for the largest Protestant denomination in the country, Dr. Land has represented Southern Baptist and other evangelicals’ concerns in the halls of Congress, before U.S. Presidents, and in the media. In 2005 Dr. Land was featured in Time Magazine as one of The Twenty-five Most Influential Evangelicals in America. Dr. Land speaks passionately and authoritatively on the social, ethical, and public policy issues facing our country. He is heard by listeners each week on over 600 radio stations across the country and throughout the world (via webcast).

Mountains – All of Them

Ron Luce is the president and founder of Teen Mania Ministries, a Christian youth organization that reaches millions of young people worldwide. Ron passionately declares the truth of the Gospel without compromise, as he challenges teenagers to take a stand for Christ in their schools, communities, and throughout the world.

Mountain of Family and Religion

Guillermo Maldonado* is a man called to establish the Kingdom of God at the local and international level. He is the founder of King Jesus International Ministry; the largest Hispanic church in the United States, [...] earned his MA in Practical Theology from Oral Roberts University and a Doctorate in Divinity, stands firm and focused on the vision God gave him, which is to evangelize, affirm, disciple, and send. His purpose is to encourage leaders to become true spiritual fathers capable of leaving a legacy of blessings to future generations.The mission the Lord gave him embraces the United States, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. He is the spiritual father to many leaders and apostles of local and international churches through The New Wine Apostolic Network.

Yuri Mantilla is the International Government Affairs Director for Focus on the Family. His work focuses on communicating the organization’s pro-life and pro-family perspectives to government, church, and business leaders in foreign nations and the Hispanic community in the United States. Before joining Focus on the Family, Mantilla worked at the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C., as Counsel for International Human Rights and Hispanic Affairs.

Mountain of Family and Government

Herman Martir is the Senior Pastor of the Nations Worship Center in Fort Worth, TX, as well as the Director of HELP International and the Global Transformation Resource Group and the President of Emerging Leaders International. He [...] takes an active role in seeking and encouraging right leadership for the United States.

Mountain of Government

Congressman John L. Mica represents the 7th Congressional District of Florida.

Mountain of Government

Rev. Dean Nelson* joined Care Net in 2010 as Vice President of Underserved Outreach. [...] Dean has previously served as the executive director for the Network of Politically Active Christians (NPAC) and as vice chairman for the Frederick Douglass Foundation (FDF). Under his leadership, both organizations informed thousands of faith leaders about relevant political developments and trained hundreds in Biblical worldview and public policy. In addition, he recruited and equipped pro-life Christian minorities to run for office on the local, state, and national levels.

Mountains of Family and Government

Benjamin Netanyahu** is the Prime Minister of Israel. As Prime Minister he implemented policy that combined fighting terror with advancement of the peace process. He led the liberalization of foreign currency regulations, accelerated privatization of government-owned companies and reduced budget deficit. He initiated policies that encouraged growth by reducing the public sector and strengthening the private sector, which put an end to economic decline, lowered unemployment and spurred growth. (Added Note: He is also a devoted ally to the Dominionists and the absolute position of a One State policy in Israel. His appearance is by video).

Mountains – All of Them

Dan Pennell serves as a Technology Consultant to the Freedom Federation, Military Culture Coalition, and is also a member of various coalition leadership counsels and coalitions based out of Washington D.C. His company, WMtek, works with some of the largest missions organizations in the world including Wycliffe, The Navigators, Word of Life and many others. He is currently the CEO of WMtek Corp, spending the majority of his time consulting with Christian non-profit ministries.

Mountain of Government/Military

Janet (Folger) Porter is the founder and president of Faith2Action – created to WIN the cultural war by working together with the most effective organizations on the side of faith and family. She has a 60-second daily commentary that is heard on about 200 stations. She has debated Planned Parenthood president, Gloria Feldt, National Organization of Women (NOW) president, Kim Gandy, former NOW president, Patricia Ireland, Jack Kevorkian, as well as spokespeople from the ACLU, The Human Rights Campaign, NARAL, GLSEN, and Atheist Organizations. Janet has also appeared on hundreds of radio programs, including multiple appearances on Focus on the Family, USA Radio Network News, SRN News, Family News In Focus, as well as programs hosted by: Colonel Oliver North, Alan Keyes, Pat Buchanan, Janet Parshall, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

Mountain of Family

Greg Quinlan is the President of Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays (PFOX), a non-profit organization providing outreach, education, and public awareness in support of families and the ex-gay community. [...] Greg departed from homosexuality in 1993 and has since shared his compelling testimony on the 700 Club, TBN, countless radio programs and has been quoted in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and WorldNet Daily, to name only a few. Greg has successfully debated a person’s right to self determination. [...] defended marriage as “the union of one man and one woman” in more than 18 states. Greg Quinlan now works with the New Jersey Family Policy Council to protect natural marriage. [...] Greg also provides teens with insight into this complex issue of sexual orientation that is not made available through the mainstream media or the culture at large.

Mountain of Family

Judith A. Reisman, Ph.D. is a Visiting Professor of Law at Liberty University School of Law. She is the author of Sexual Sabotage, and is sought worldwide to lecture, testify and counsel individuals, organizations, professionals and governments on the sabotage of Judeo-Christian sexuality and society by Kinseyan “sexology” and “soft” pornography. In the former case she has exposed sexology as grounded in mass child sex crimes committed by Dr. Alfred Kinsey and his team at Indiana University, with his followers still leading, directing and shaping global human sexuality education and conduct. [...] Dr Reisman is a consultant and president of the Institute for Media Education, Distinguished Senior Fellow, The Inter-American Institute, Scientific Adviser, California Protective Parents Association and Former Scientific Adviser to the The American Legislative Exchange Council’s Education Subcommittee on Junk Science. She is a regular commentator for WorldNetDaily and Salvo magazine and has authored several books.

Mountains – Media, Education and Family

Lila Rose, a recent UCLA graduate, has dedicated herself to building a culture of life and ending abortion. At age fifteen, Lila founded Live Action, which is now a growing nonprofit with several chapters in California. Live Action is a youth-led organization which works to expose abuses in the abortion industry and advocate for human rights for the pre-born, using new media to educate and mobilize both local and national audiences.

Mountain of Family

Marco Rubio was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010 to represent the State of Florida. He is highly regarded for his principled, energetic, and idea-driven leadership. Senator Rubio currently serves on the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. (Baptized Mormon and later converted to Catholicism, Rubio is often mentioned as a potential Romney VP pick).

Mountains – Government and All the Rest

Richard “Rick” Santorum* is a lawyer and a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Santorum is a member of the Republican Party and was the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. Santorum is considered both a social and fiscal conservative. He is known for his stances on the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Social Security, intelligent design, homosexuality, and the Terri Schiavo case. In March 2007, Santorum joined the law firm Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC. He was to primarily practice law in the firm’s Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., offices, where he was to provide business and strategic counseling services to the firm’s clients. In addition to his work with the firm, Santorum also serves as a Senior Fellow with the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., and was a contributor to Fox News Channel.

Mountains of Family, Education, Government – All of Them

Pastor Rick Scarborough founded Vision America in 1998, whose mission is to “inform and mobilize Pastors and their congregations to become salt and light, becoming pro-active in restoring Judeo-Christian values in America.”  Dr. Scarborough’s work has been featured in numerous articles and publications including the New York Times and the Washington Post.  He has also appeared on Larry King Live, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS Evening News and numerous other television and radio programs, including with Dr. James Dobson numerous times. Scarborough believes that the tenets of fundamentalist Christian morality apply to civic affairs. He was quoted on Christiane Amanpour’s documentary series “God’s Christian Warriors” on CNN as saying, “I’m not a Democrat, I’m not a Republican. I’m a Christocrat.”

Mountain  - All of Them

Ryan Sorba is currently serving as Chairman of the Young Conservatives of California (YCC). Prior to YCC Ryan served as the Chairman of the California Young Americans for Freedom as well as National Director of Membership and Campus Leadership for the DeVos Freedom Center at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute in Wilmington, Delaware. Ryan recruited 13,876 new members his first year at ISI -more than doubling the Institute’s 55 year annual membership recruitment record. In 2009 Ryan participated in the now famous undercover ACORN investigation along with Hannah Giles and James O’Keefe. The investigation led John Boehner to introduce H.R. 3571, the Defund ACORN Act, which was eventually adopted as part of H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009. In February 2010, fresh off the ACORN investigation Ryan gave his famous CPAC 2010 Speech. During his speech Ryan condemned organizers for bringing the left-wing homosexual activist organization GOProud to the event. Ryan has given numerous lectures on college campuses nationwide on subjects such as The History of the Conservative Intellectual Movement Since 1945 and the subject of his forthcoming book The “Born Gay” Hoax, which he hopes will serve as a great asset to conservatives in the culture war.

Mountains – Family, Government and Education

John Stemberger is an AV Rated Orlando, Florida, attorney who has worked in the pro-life, pro-family movement for over 25 years. He serves as the President and General Counsel of the Florida Family Policy Council, where he regularly advises pastors and churches on legal and First Amendment issues and has led the statewide campaign to amend Florida’s constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. Stemberger has a unique understanding of law, government, and the media from his extensive political background, having served as a consultant to state, federal, and presidential campaigns. In 1992, he was appointed as the Political Director of the Republican Party of Florida during the George H. Bush campaign. [...] In 2001 and 2005, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Stemberger to the Judicial Nominating Commission for the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida. He is a member of the Council for National Policy and the Arlington Group in Washington, D.C.  In a feature article on his work, The Miami Herald called him “one of the most interesting and influential people you’ve never heard of.” (Added Note: Council for National Policy, Arlington Group and Jeb Bush appointed).

Mountains – Family and All of Them

Caleb Sylvester is the Director of Client Services with WMtek, a fast growing software development company in Vero Beach, Florida.  He has worked with dozens of international ministries and political organizations to invent new media strategies and to sucessfully execute large software development projects.  He has the privilege of working everyday on technology challenges that included; creating ways to advance the work of Bible translation, engage people in interactive Bible study, recruit missionaries through the internet, engage the millennial generation in ministry, organize grassroots efforts to end abortion and much more.  Caleb is also passionate about hunting, sports and the second amendment.  He is a member of his church board, director of his churches Men’s Ministry and a board member of Remote Island Ministries. He resides in Vero Beach, Florida with his wife Bethany and two small children, Clara and Wyatt.

Mountains – Family and Media

Sue Trombino founded Woman Impacting the Nation (W.I.N.) in the fall of 2008 because she felt called to make a difference. Sue is on the advisory board of Florida Pastors Faith & Works and serves on the board of Liberty Counsel Action. Sue Trombino wants to embolden every Christian to be involved in the political process at any level. You will often hear her say “What does God say?” as she speaks to various organizations, groups, and individuals across the country. W.I.N. has been created to answer that very question for all who seek the truth. “I feel so blessed to be [...] someone whom God has chosen to impact the lives of others. W.I.N. is God’s idea, founded on Godly values and driven by God’s word. Women can make a difference and women can impact the nation.

Mountains – Family, Government and the Rest

Rick Tyler is the Founding Director for Renewing American Leadership, a non-profit organization dedicated to defending and advancing American civilization by restoring Judeo-Christian heritage.  Rick has also assisted the former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, where he has served as the Spokesperson.

Congressman Daniel Webster currently serves Central Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives and is a member of the Rules Committee. [...] Congressman Webster is a small business owner, a family man with six children and seven grandchildren. Known for many things, Daniel Webster holds his faith, his family, and his principles as his biggest assets. (Added Note: Alan Grayson lost to Webster but is challenging him in 2012).

Mountains – All of Them

Congressman Allen West [...] A proud conservative and American patriot, West’s fresh, no nonsense approach launched him from being a virtual unknown to raising the second highest amount of money for a Congressional candidate in the entire country. (Added Note: A classic T-Party candidate with more misinformation to share than reality – and Sarah Palin pick for Romney VP in 2012)

Mountains – All of Them

Minister Moshe Ya’alon is the Vice Premier, Minister of Strategic Affairs, Likud Knesset Member in Israel. He served as the 17th IDF Chief of Staff, from 2002 to 2005. He served as the head of the military intelligence, OC central command and was appointed Chief of Staff on July 9, 2002. Some of his positions include service as a distinguished military fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, distinguished fellow at the Shalem Center’s Adelson Institute for Strategic Studies, chairman of Beit Morasha’s Center for Jewish Identity and Culture, and president of “Shekel”, an organization which provides community services for people with disabilities.

Mountains – Military and Government

Liberty and Regent University Lawyers and Staff:

Mandi Campbell – is the Legal Director of the Liberty Center for Law and Policy, a partnership between the Liberty University School of Law and Liberty Counsel; the Director of Public Policy for Liberty Counsel Action; [...] Mandi focuses her time on monitoring and analyzing legislation and policy and working with local, state, and federal elected and appointed officials and agencies in drafting legislation that relates to the sanctity of life, the family, and religious liberties. Mandi also interfaces with elected and appointed government officials to open opportunities for internships and externships for students.

Matthew H. Krause, J.D. Esq., – is Litigation Counsel for Liberty Counsel. Matthew focuses his practice on appellate practice, free speech, traditional family values, pro-life, and religious liberty constitutional law. He has worked with Liberty Counsel in various capacities since May 2005. [...] recognized as a NAIA All-American Scholar Athlete. His athletic efforts earned him a mention in ESPN the Magazine, and the college named an award after him. Every year, the Matt Krause Award is given to one student athlete who has exhibited athletic, academic, and spiritual leadership on campus. Matthew has a passion for politics and the law and hopes to use these passions to help America return to its moral and spiritual foundations.

Rena Lindevaldsen – is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor of Law, and Associate Director of Liberty Center for Law and Policy at Liberty University School of Law. She is the author of “Only One Mommy: A Woman’s Battle for Her Life, Her Daughter, and Her Freedom: The Lisa Miller Story,” which offers a first-hand account of how people are lured into believing they are born “gay” and cannot change. She offers truth to those struggling with homosexuality, encourages churches to minister to those caught in the lifestyle, and stirs freedom-loving Americans to get involved in the culture war that is raging all around them. Previously, she served as Senior Litigation Counsel to Liberty Counsel, where she was actively involved in efforts throughout the country to preserve traditional marriage through litigation, legislation, and constitutional amendments.

Ryan Messmore D.Phil. – is a fellow in religion and a free society at The Heritage Foundation. His research and writing examines how religious commitments are brought to bear on political life to improve public discourse and strengthen civil society.

Anita L. Staver, Esq., is the  President of Liberty Counsel. Her practice before the United States Supreme Court and numerous federal courts has resulted in more than 30 published opinions.

Mathew D. Staver, Esq. – is the Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel and also serves as Dean and Professor of Law at Liberty University School of Law and Chairman of Liberty Counsel Action. He has the highest AV rating given to attorneys by Martindale-Hubbell and is board certified in Appellate Practice. He has written ten books, most of which focus on constitutional law, including the most comprehensive book ever written on religious freedom called, Eternal Vigilance: Knowing and Protecting Your Religious Rights. He has published hundreds of articles on constitutional law. Mr. Staver produces and hosts Law & Justice, a 30-minute weekly TV program discussing religious liberty issues, Faith & Freedom, a 15-minute daily radio program, and Freedom’s Call, a 90-second daily radio program.

Joshua Straub, Ph.D. – has served on the executive staff for the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) for more than five years and is an adjunct professor at Liberty University for the Center for Counseling and Family Studies.

Dean Matt Barber, J.D. Esq., – is an attorney concentrating in constitutional law. He serves as Associate Dean and Adjunct Professor of Law at Liberty University School of Law. In addition to his law degree, Matt holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy from Regent University. Matt is a published, freelance columnist. Many newspapers and online publications regularly run his columns, including The Washington Times, The Washington Examiner,WorldNetDaily.com, TownHall.com [...] Matt also co-hosts “Faith and Freedom,” a daily legal and cultural issues talk radio program heard on 90 stations across the country. Mr. Barber has a background in political campaigns, was press secretary for former gubernatorial candidate Jim Oberweis (R-IL), and is Vice President of Liberty Counsel Action.

All Liberty University, Heritage and their affiliated organizations strive to fulfill the 7 Mountains Mandate in their entirety. 

There are more attending but you can see that this turned out to be quite long as it is. The reason why I spent the last few hours pulling this together to put in a post is because it is crucial that we keep seeing these same leaders of political Christianity when they crop up at these events across the country. The more I bring it up, the more familiar these faces and names will become and the more confident you will get in appreciation just how organized they are.

Few pay attention to these gatherings because they seem innocuous and that is precisely why I took this time to list the ones I did. These people either have direct influence in our political landscape, are members of legislative bodies or both. This is the seed of theocracy and they have unquestionably infested the Republican Party and redefined ”conservative” politics in the United States.

I do hope you will take the time to at least skim through each one that I included here, and go to the site where you can see a complete list to dig deeper.

It’s the March of the Theocrats and they are getting louder. Don’t be fooled by their 2012 rhetoric now – they are absolutely organizing for 2016 – and so are we.

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Marines Dangerously Use Crusades Symbolism and Put Our Military at Risk

by Leah Posted on April 19, 2012

Here is the latest Dominionist ignorant tactic in their attempt to Christianize our military. As many of you know, I proudly serve on the Board of Directors of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation alongside its founder, Mikey Weinstein and former U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson IV. Chris Rodda is our Senior Researcher at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and has laid the story out for us below from the Huffington Post…

Marines Return to Being “Crusaders”

by Chris Rodda

In 2008, when Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 was preparing to deploy to Iraq, the unit’s commander, Lt. Col. William Lieblein, did something very wise and sensible — he changed the nickname of the unit from “Crusaders” back to its former name, the “Werewolves.” Stating the obvious, Lt. Col. Lieblein said, “The notion of being a crusader in that part of the world doesn’t float.”

But now, under new leadership, the unit is going back to being the “Crusaders,” complete with an insignia of a crusader shield with a big red cross on it and a crusader knight as its mascot.

According to the Beaufort Gazette, the squadron’s new commander, Lt. Col. Wade Wiegel, just doesn’t see calling a U.S. military unit the “Crusaders” as being “politically incorrect.” The paper quoted Wiegel saying of the name change: “It’s a way for our Marines to draw on the service of the Marines before them, and to make their own history under the same name. As the squadron prepared to celebrate its (70th anniversary), my intent was to return the squadron to the Crusader name since 50 of the squadron’s 70 years were under that name. The name change is a reflection of our heritage.”

So, apparently, because it was the unit’s 70th anniversary, Lt. Col. Wiegel decided that continuing to call the unit the “Werewolves” — the name originally given to the unit by its WWII Marines 70 years ago — didn’t reflect the unit’s heritage! This is as nonsensical as the historical revisionists who insist that “In God We Trust,” which didn’t become our national motto until 1956, somehow reflects the intent of the founding fathers more than “E Pluribus Unum,” the motto that the founding fathers themselves actually chose in 1782.

This …

…and changed it to this…

Sources at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort have also confirmed that the “Crusader” insignia is being repainted on the planes flown by Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122. These U.S. Marine Corps planes will once again have a great big red crusader cross on them, as shown in this pre-2008 photo.

While the renaming of the unit from “Werewolves” to “Crusaders” in 1958 was obviously just because the plane the unit was flying at the time was called the F-8 Crusader, and it was all in good fun in that era to do things like dress up the unit’s mascot, a little statue of a crusader knight, in a unit baseball cap, it is not at all cute or funny now. With our troops deployed in Muslim countries where the disregard of religious sensitivities has led to the deaths of U.S. service members and others, it is just sheer stupidity.

And, of course, there is also the pesky little constitutional issue of a U.S. military unit having a big red crusader cross as its insignia. It seems that Lt. Col. Wiegel is having a bit of trouble understanding his own “Command Philosophy,” in which he states: “Everyone wearing the uniform has sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and this oath provides the guideposts of what our country expects in return.” Yeah, Lt. Col. Wiegel, that’s what we expect in return — a version of upholding the Constitution that includes using a big red crusader cross to represent our country!

Mikey Weinstein, the president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), after speaking to a number of Marines, including one from the “Crusaders” who is disgusted by the renaming and is “expecting MRFF to do something about this,” issued the following statement:

“This universally disgraceful ‘renaming’ action by Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122′s Commander is a literally breath-taking example of a wretched alloy of both blatant unconstitutionality and boundless stupidity. It will absolutely serve as a priceless propaganda bonanza of jovian magnitude for our nation’s fundamentalist Islamic foes and, thus, represents a veritable national security threat to the United States of America. Likewise, it will incontrovertibly, directly and indirectly hasten the maiming and deaths of our armed forces members. To this world class cretin masquerading as the MFAS 122′s Squadron Commander, I ask, has your motto now become ‘The Few. The Proud. The Crusaders?’ We’ll be seeing you in Federal Court, chump.”

We will keep you posted on what the response is to the demand that they remove the Crusades symbolism.

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