Musing - How Critical is Religion to the Functioning of Democracy?

Hebraic Musing - How Critical is Religion to the Functioning of Democracy?

Subject of a recent email caught my attention – “If you take away religion, you cannot hire enough police.”  It doesn’t take me long to recognize a “Truism”!  The article was about a Harvard Professor’s conversation with a Marxist economist from China who was asked if he had learned anything surprising or unexpected about America.  Without hesitation he said “Yes, I had no idea how critical religion is to the functioning of democracy..."   Here are interesting snippets from the ensuing discussion.

The Marxist economist observed that the key reason democracy works “…is not because the government was designed to oversee what everybody does.  But rather democracy works because most people, most of the time, voluntarily choose to obey the law.  And in your past, most Americans attended a church or synagogue every week.  And they were taught there by people who they respected.”

This raised a critical observation and a question by the Harvard professor.  “Americans followed these rules because they had come to believe that they weren't just accountable to society, they were accountable to God.  As religion loses its influence over the lives of Americans, what will happen to our democracy?”

As early as May 1775 (during the “War of Independence”) Harvard President Samuel Langdon made some salient and biblical parallels in his address "Government Corrupted By Vice".  He observed "The kingdom of Israel was brought to destruction, because its iniquities were full ... because there remained no hope of reformation ... Their government degenerated … as their vices increased, till few faithful men were left in any public offices ...”   

And Langdon’s warning continued - "When a government is in its prime ... virtue prevails -- everything is managed with justice, prudence, and frugality ...  But vice will increase with the riches and glory of an empire; and this gradually tends to corrupt the constitution, and in time bring on its dissolution ...  This may be considered not only as the natural effect of vice, but a righteous judgment of heaven, especially upon a nation which has been favored with the blessing of religion and liberty, and is guilty of undervaluing them; and eagerly going into the gratification of every lust ..."  (Good preaching from a Harvard president!)

Langdon described what happens when a nation rejects God:  "They were a sinful nation ... who had forsaken the Lord; and provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger ... Their princes were rebellious against God ... seizing the property...  robbing the public treasury.  Everyone loved gifts ... they were influenced … by bribery ... they even justified and encouraged the murder of innocent persons to support their lawless power ...   And God, in righteous judgment, left them to run into all this excess of vice to their own destruction, because they had forsaken Him ...”

As a result, the nation is doomed - “The public greatly suffered, … and wished for better rulers and better management. ... But in vain they hoped for a change ... when the spirit of religion was gone ... corrupted, there could be no rational prospect of any great reformation in the state, but rather of its ruin ..."

Reminder – Langdon was preaching to a young America 245 years ago, concerned for the future of America.

There are many biblical examples of consequences to the Israelites due to forsaking the LORD.  One example - “But they forgot the LORD their God; so he sold them into the hand of … the hands of the Philistines …  They cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned; we have forsaken the LORD …. But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.”  1 Sam.12:9-10

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

How Critical is our Religious freedom to the Functioning of our Democracy?

While reading the above, what similarities did you see to America today?

What can we learn from Israel’s restoration?  Role of leaders, men of God, prophets?
 Prayer?  Repentance?   What is our role in the Third Great Awakening?

 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”  Matt. 28:19

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          July 28, 2020

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Inspired and excerpted from – “American Minute” by Bill Federer (wjfederer@gmail.com)
            "If you take away religion, you cannot hire enough police" June 8, 2020

Musing – What We Should Learn from the Tower of Babel?

Hebraic Musing – What We Should Learn from the Tower of Babel?

The account of the Tower of Babel starts with “Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.” Gen.11:1  Almost all the whole world today is on the internet AND most speech can be translated back into one’s native tongue.  How close are we to “one language” and “speech”?

The current thrust for Globalism or “One World Government” is being promoted by filthy rich, ungodly and powerful leaders around the world.  “They” want to take the earth’s 7 billion population down to as low as 1 billion.  “They” simply don’t trust that God provided sufficient natural resources.  God’s plan commanded man to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” Gen.1:28.  So instead of working God’s plan “They” want and support birth control, euthanasia, abortions, genocides and more to reduce the population to what “They” think is sustainable.

Man’s plan at Babel was exposed in v.3 “They said to each other, ‘Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly.’ They used brick instead of stone,” to “build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”  What in that verse is contrary to God’s plan for us? 

·      So they want to build with man-made bricks, instead of God-made stone!  And build it ourselves.

·      They want to live together in a city where godlessness, greed, sin, crime is highest and far from God’s natural resources!   Why do missionaries have more success in rural and country areas rather than cities?

·      They want a tower to reach heaven on their own, without God’s help.  BTW, there are now more than 50 skyscrapers in the world higher than the “Empire State Building”.  Interesting!

·      They want to make a name for themselves, rather than giving glory and honor to their Creator God!

·      And they don’t want to be scattered where each man can self-govern his life, liberty and pursuits…and have to call on and depend on God.

The LORD came down to see the city and said “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.  Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” Gen.11:5-7  Their plan is not His plan, so He had to scatter them, thus creating a variety of languages, physical characteristics and skin tones as man was separated into nations.  God wants nations.  So in vss. 8-9 the LORD stopped man’s “One World Government” tower plan and scattered them and dubbed the Tower “Babel” – Hebrew for “Confused”.

Was Babel the only time man tried to create a “One World Government”?  The Bible describes in great detail the Babylonian domination and takeover of God’s own disobedient and ungrateful people.  BTW – The Babylonian Empire was conquered and destroyed overnight by the legendary Persian king Cyrus the Great in 539BC after a drunken party by Belshazzar with handwriting on the wall; that’s less than a century after its founding!   Remember these globalist empires – Egyptian, Ottoman, Roman, Mongolian (and Google has many more!)?  Is there a parallel in Nazi Germany’s and Japan’s WWII effort?  International Trade Pacts?  And why is the world now pushing for the “United Nations”?   Why were all those authoritarian empires so short-lived?

“They” believe that Man is the problem, there are too many of us!  So we need to be controlled and eliminated if necessary.  So “They” try to get rid of man by enslavement, destroying old systems like history & education.  Thus it is “Woke” to destroy Christianity.  They threaten and/or bribe businesses and media to cooperate, especially those doing business globally.  Thus we are being lied to!  And because of “pressure” many Christians are kneeling to false gods.  Have we recently been denied life, liberty and pursuit of happiness?

Our role?  We know man is sinful, thus we need to preach Jesus and his sacrifice for our sins.  There’s joy in living righteously with all 10 Commandments written on our hearts; no joy in trying to obey commandments dictated to us by an authoritarian government official. 

The Problem – The Christian church is being too nice!  We accommodate world views to build large churches with lots of “Christians”; but are those churches filled with “Christ Followers”?  Are some “Christians” more concerned about fitting into the world than about being the people God created in His image?  What is God’s priority?  He told us in the creation account – God created man in His image with freedom to choose, to self-govern; and He created family and churches for us to be accountable to. 

“They” would have us governed communistically by a city, state, federal, world government.  What are, or what would be the goal(s) of those self-appointed leaders with (absolute) authority?  Who would be “lord” over us? 

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

What other nation has had a God-ordained & governed peoples besides Israel, and then America?

How many and which false gods are we being pressured to bow to?

Was Jesus always Mr. Nice Guy? 

Has the definition of “Christian” been changed in America?

♫ He is Lord, He is Lord!  He is risen from the dead and he is Lord!
            Ev'ry knee shall bow, ev'ry tongue confess That Jesus Christ is Lord.. ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                     July 21, 2020

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Musing - How Important WAS America’s Christian Foundation?

Hebraic Musing - How Important WAS America’s Christian Foundation?

Yes, I did say “WAS” because we are fast losing the God-given blessings and rights we older folks grew accustomed to.  Compared to other countries in the world, we Americans are SPOILED Kids of the KING.

CHOP and CHAZ, self-declared “autonomous” and cop-free zones, are recent, live experiments revealing what happens when you ignore America’s (Christian based) government.  What can we learn from those experiments?  Here’s what was observed by a reporter who lived undercover inside the area; he observed real, live examples of non-Christian (or “Anti-Christian”) agendas, beliefs and behaviors.*  It doesn’t appear that the people were able to govern themselves; moral and appropriate lifestyles did not come naturally.  Instead…

·         The gay and LGBTQ agenda becomes readily accepted and defiantly promoted; including open sex.

·         Abortion rights accommodated the desires and conveniences of the individuals.

·         Self-appointed morality is enforced spontaneously and/or pre-organized – i.e. BLM & ANTIFA;  but they were not cooperative with each other due to “social and ideological dynamics within the area”

·         Guns and weapons galore seemingly for self-defense as-well-as enforcement of one’s own views.

·         Hatred of Cops - not “love your neighbor” or “respect for authority.”  Rather contrary to the foundations of Christian-based America.

·         Dissemination of extremist left-wing and Marxist literature designed to complete the brainwashing process; and providing instructions to make bombs and other destructive devices!.

·         Businesses in the area were mostly boarded up for their protection; and they suffered loss of business and of their property.

·         Arson, rapes, deaths, shootings, theft, drugs, alcohol, fights, etc. became common, thus fear was rampant!

·         Media publicity and complicit leaders said it was “peaceful and block party-like, and a summer of love”; thus concealing the rampant criminality.  Journalists were managed and not allowed in after dark!  Hmm…

·         And finally they posted their ludicrous list of non-negotiable DEMANDS with threats to “Burn it down”!

And all this observed in just 5 days!!!  It clearly demonstrates that Human Beings without Godly guidance are basically sinners, just like the Bible tries to tell us.  Do we realize the importance of our Christian heritage that has put the Ten Commandments and righteous living on our hearts, just as God planned for us.  “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children…” Deut.6:6-7

He found the support from the outside profoundly interesting.  Apparently they were supported with necessities for “FREE” from the outside – food, port-a-potties, water, electricity (to charge phones), trash pick-up, emergency services, perimeter barriers, etc.  Without support from the community around them, their “autonomous” and cop-free zones are unsustainable.  Furthermore, the “enablers” were effectively encouraging this rebellious take-over; and using tax-payer money, some knowingly and some just good-heartedly!

What’s the “Good News”?  Will people be more inclined to accept the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, as they are confronted by unwanted changes and enforced adjustment to the new normal?  Shouldn’t we be using this opportunity preach the Good News?     What did Jesus tell us to do? 
“You are going to have the light just a little while longer.  Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you.       The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.
Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.”  John 12:35-36

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

How many of God’s Commandment were broken or ignored in CHOP?

Are we at war?  How many battles are we losing, or have lost?  What are we willing to stand for?

Is America still a Christian nation?    What is changing?   Has the “Normalcy Bias”** set in?
(Why did millions of Jews ignore the warnings while Hitler conducted the Holocaust?)

Wake up Americans!
Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                     July 14, 2020
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

*  Article “He Spent 5 Days in Seattle's CHOP - Here’s What He Saw” Daily Signal 6/24/20  Is available on request.

**  Normalcy bias, or normality bias, is a cognitive bias which leads people to disbelieve or minimize threat warnings. Consequently, they underestimate the likelihood of a disaster, when it might affect them, and its potential adverse effects.

Musing – How are Churches & Christians to respond to BLM?

Hebraic Musing – How are Churches & Christians to respond to BLM?

Here is part three of the final selections from the “BLACK LIVES MATTER – a NEW RELIGIOUS CULT” article; dealing with “how to respond.”  In the last two weeks we analyzed the “BLM Religion” and the “Tyrannical, Manipulative and Destructive impact of the BLM Religion.”  Now let’s look at our responsibility going forward – How are we to Respond to the BLM war against Churches and Christians.

Scriptural support:   “For do I now persuade men, or God?  Or do I seek to please men?  For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”  Galatians 1:9-10

A False Religion  (the real problem) – We are involved in a battle for hearts, minds and souls. This social justice revolution is changing the focus and content of the Gospel message.  It is offering another gospel, a false gospel and a false mission plainly derived from Liberation theology (which is nothing more than Marxism wrapped up in religious terminology), Black theology (which is also Marxism, with racism added in), along with Animism (which depersonalizes evil and sees evil in things and systems, rather than personal responsibility). None of this is Biblical Theology. Race politics is not Biblical. The problem is not skin, it is sin. It is not race, but grace that is the solution.

Stand Firm - Those who kneel to God can stand before any man.  We are to fear God, not man.  We are to obey the Bible, not follow the mob.  The Bible teaches the total depravity of man.  The holiness of God alone.  There is only one way of Salvation.  Scripture alone is our ultimate authority.  Everything should be done to the glory of God alone.

Wisdom from Proverbs in the Bible - The first chapter of Proverbs warns us of the need for prudence, discernment and wisdom.  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7

Do Not Join with Angry and Furious People - Proverbs warns us not to cast in our lot with those whose “feet run to evil and they make hast to shed blood.” Proverbs 1:16.  “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, ‘Come with us’… My son, do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from their path.” Proverbs 1:10-15.  The Bible warns us about associating with an angry man and commands us not to go along with the furious man, “…lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul.” Proverbs 22:24-25.

Those Who Hate Knowledge and Reject God will Destroy Themselves - “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, they would have none of My counsel and despised My every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way and be filled to the full with their own fancies.” Prov. 1:29-31

Lockdown Lunacy - The Lockdown lunacy of allowing churches to be closed, side-lined and termed “non-essential,” relegated to irrelevance and suffocated with time and money wasting, unnecessary and unconstitutional, irrelevant regulations and restrictions, is outrageous.  How can so many churches tolerate instructions from any government, in violation of the Bill of Rights and our freedom of worship, freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, freedom of movement, freedom of speech and free enterprise.  How many churches have accepted state restrictions, accepting no public worship services, or no singing and no fellowship allowed after the services!

The Curse of Cowardice - It takes no courage to kick a dead dog, or to flog a dead horse.  There is nothing brave about bowing to the mob and echoing the mantras of the mass media.  Courage is refusing to go with the flow.  “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil…” Exodus 23:2.  But many are following the crowd, the mob and participating in a movement that causes great destruction of property and horrendous injuries, even taking innocent lives during these destructive riots.

War Against Christian Civilization -
(This paragraph is a summarizing recap!  If you read it you get 1,000 points, and points don’t matter.)
What we are facing is a real war against Christian civilization.  Through secular humanist, situation ethics indoctrination in state schools, through the disinformation regularly published in the main stream news media, through distraction and defilement in the so-called entertainment industry, through the debasing of the culture through perverse art and music, which is often nothing more than noise, through the toleration and promotion of perversion throughout the culture, the legalization of pornography and abortion, through guilt manipulation, psychological warfare, violent riots, intimidation and harassment, Marxist mob rule, the manipulation of emotions, through arson and anarchy, sabotage and subversion, we are seeing civilization set ablaze.  Just as Churchill ordered the Special Operations Executive (SOE), to “set Europe ablaze” by using IRA terrorist tactics in countries otherwise at peace to provoke violent reaction.  We are seeing law and order and civilization itself at risk of a catastrophic revolution that could plunge much of the world back into a dark age of anti-Christian paganism and perversion.

Villainizing Victims and Victimizing Villains - It is time for critical thinking, evaluating everything in the light of the Word of God.  We need to call out the hypocrisy and double standards being used and the tactics of villainizing the victims and victimizing the villains.  Facts do not care about your feelings.  Facts ruin the BLM narrative.

The Problem is Sin – Not Skin - Racial stereotypes are not helpful.  The issue is not skin it is sin.  It is not race, but lack of grace that should be our primary concern.  It turns out that the ones who shout “racist!” the most prove to be the most racist of all.  It is easy to convince people that problems are not their own fault. Black Lives Matter is a colossal smoke screen deception operation attempting to deny personal responsibility for fatherless homes, lawless behavior and a cover for greed, envy, malice and hatred.  Playing the blame game is not a pathway to success.  You cannot riot your way to justice.

Love God and Love Your Neighbour - No Christian should have anything to do with such a racist, Marxist Revolutionary, anti-family and anti-Christian movement as BLM.  It is an insult to law-abiding Christian black people to suggest that all blacks support riots, looting and arson!  Yet that is the implication when words are weaponized and #BlackLivesMatter is made a mantra everyone is required to chant.  BLM is a false religion with a false gospel and a false mission.  It is malicious, Marxist and idolatrous.  Reject the virtue signaling, indoctrination and intimidation.  We fear God alone.  We bow to our Creator and Eternal Judge. Jesus Christ is Lord!  “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19:18

(End of article, all three parts.  I know this was long, but I am not apologizing.)

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

Thank you for reading, reviewing and/or pondering this topic?

Is this war only in America?
Might much of the world plunge back into a dark age of anti-Christian paganism and perversion?

How many churches, or Christians, have stopped fighting?  Have you stopped?

To whom else does this need to be shared?

Whose responsibility is it to ♫“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain.” Joel 2:1

♫ Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face,
      And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace. ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                     July 7, 2020

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Credits:  Dr. Peter Hammond   Frontline Fellowship, P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725, Cape Town South Africa
mission@frontline.org.za      www.FrontlineMissionSA.org      www.ReformationSA.org    
www.HMSSchoolofChristianJournalism.org

Note – The entire 6 page article is available on request.