Speak Compassion

I read about 150 blogs a day with my Google Reader, many of them are anti-gay religious folks. I am always a bit frustrated as I read some of the crazy notions they have that lack substance in reality. In other words, they make lots of statements that cannot be backed up with the real facts.

Mark, a nice guy from Va, runs the blog Chester Street. I have been reading his blog for over a year. I use to email back and forth with Mark, so I know well that he has a good heart. The problem is Mark is caught up in evangelical Christianity. For those of you who don’t know what that means, it simply means you take the bible literally. Not a good plan when you really investigate what the bible says you need to do to get into heaven.

Any who, as I was saying, I am always a bit frustrated when I hear folks making unfounded claims about the world and history just so they can back up their claims about god. Mark has posted a list of thoughts he has had on government and the god. Here are a few of his thoughts and my thoughts on his thoughts, only cause I don’t care to leave comments on his blog to challenge his comments, I would just assume state the facts as history has them here as corrections to Marks statements. I shouldn’t even really being feeding his need for attention, but it is Friday and I am bored.
Mark says:

1. God’s purpose in Government: protect the sanctity of ALL human life and protect private property. See Old Testament story of King Ahab for property issues.

Really,Mark? It has been god’s mix in the government that has led to dozens of faith based sex education programs that lacked the proper information about sexually transmitted infections. If God’s purpose in government is the sanctity of life should government in god’s name be giving people every piece of info possible to save lives from aids, and other diseases? Fact is that god in government is responsible for the prevention of life saving things like condoms! Africa is a dying nation due to the ravage of Aids. The pope, and the influence of Christianity on the government and people there has been the main barrier to preventing the deaths of millions. So much for the sanctity of those lives.

2. Government is to serve God’s purpose first.

Which god’s purpose? Yours? So much for religious freedom.

3. When Government (State) has the power to take what is yours and give to another, it is acting under the influence of evil, not God.

Most all religions agree, including the bible, that “things” or “material” objects are just distractions. Jesus Christ told his followers to sell “what is theirs” and follow him. Government cannot serve god and protect material things at the same time. It is a direct contradiction.

4. The Government’s function is never an instrument towards salvation of lost peoples.

I have no idea what this means,. but I think Mark is expressing his need to have others who don’t believe as he does about the world (the lost) get found to believe as he does. He seems to be expressing a need for the government to aid this effort in some way. Interesting, but I could also have read it wrong. I really have no idea.

5. Christians that think the Government (State) should take property from others to serve their personal beliefs or purpose are wrong, unbiblical, and working for evil, not God.

Again, I have to go with the focus Mark has on material things. The Jesus of the bible is clear as could be about material stuff. Sell it and follow him. This reinforces my belief that you cannot be a Christian without cherry picking the bible. It is not possible. Will Mark sell it all and follow Jesus?

6. There is a timeless battle between Good and Evil. The church should never be married to the Government(State). When this happens, the church is serving evil, not God. Christ is not a whore for the State. Christ is King of all nations and He will return.

This sounds like mindless rambling that is void of rational thought. The church cannot be married to the state, but the state should only serve god? which is it? Make up your mind.

7. A Government(State) that serves God’s purpose first, will be blessed.

Really, prove it……show me one country that is doing this and how it has blessed them.

8. The State sanctioned killing of the unborn should bring you to your knees.

This argument is way to in depth for me to cover in one sentence and that is all I can give to this. I will ignore this part.

9. The US constitution was written to serve God’s purpose first. No one religion required to agree.

Most of our founding fathers where deists, meaning they didn’t believe in a personal god. A few were athesits and some where Christian. I don’t agree with Mark that our Constitution was about god in anyway. No evidence exists to prove such a thing and ample is available to make me believe otherwise.

10.In all of human history, a Government(State) that has not put God’s purposes first, have and will experience massive death, destruction, and suffering. God sends rain and sun on both the good and evil.

Really, Mark? Care to back that up with some facts? Here is some humor to correct your misinformation….

lastly, Mark writes:

Finally, it is a written historical fact (his personal diary) that Hitler worshipped / served Satan, thus the twisted cross. It is also a historical fact that the world watched. Private property and the sanctify of ALL human life, should ring a bell.

What history book did you read? What is a fact is that Hitler’s diaries have been forged to say all sorts of things. You cannot believe all that you read. That facts don’t stand behind this.