by Mark West | May 25, 2016 | Abortion, Absolutes, Bible, Evil, God, Homosexuality, Judge, Life, Marriage, Moral, Political, Religious Liberty, Transgender
In this day in time, there’s hardly a week that passes where some major moral issue isn’t being debated in the court of public opinion. Whether it’s via the courts, primetime TV or social media, it seems more and more of the values that many of us and our parents and grandparents grew up with are now on trial and under full attack. From marriage and abortion, to homosexuality and transgender facilities, the standards that have been in place for generations are now being undermined in an ever more intense manner.
At the same time as these cultural and political battles are taking place, there is an effort by the same elite to stamp out all dissent, whether via political correctness, so-called tolerance, or even through courts, legislation and government regulation. One other popular method that those attacking our most fundamental values are fond to employ is by using the Bible itself to silence Christians. In particular, those who frequently despise the Holy Book, are all too eager to use select passages to either advance their agenda or hush poorly informed Christians, who may not dust their Bible off that often.
A passage that is continuously misquoted, perhaps more than any other in the Bible, is in Matthew 7 where we read, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” And so it would seem that with one short verse, the entire Christian argument on any of today’s difficult issues is silenced. As the passage goes on to say, “why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
No one wants to be a hypocrite, even though, if we are honest with ourselves, there are areas in our lives where we all say one thing and sadly live another. So doesn’t this passage clearly say we must remove the plank out of our eye before we can remove the speck out of someone else’s eye? So how can we ever speak out or “judge” any matters of any importance that involve our “brothers” or even our friends or neighbors?
The truth is that if you and I are the judge and it’s our own law, then we clearly cannot judge others. If the standard by which we evaluate others and their actions is a subjective, personal standard, then who are we to tell someone else what is right or wrong? In fact, if the standard is my own, and thus subjective, then you likely have your own as well. And so then there is no objective, absolute standard, and thus no right or wrong.
But there are in fact absolutes, contrary to today’s prevailing philosophy. We all know this both inherently and because we have experienced these absolutes. The law and even nature are both quick to remind us of them. Break the speed limit, and blue lights will remind you of certain absolutes. Leave a few dollars off your tax return, and the nation’s favorite governmental agency will send you a bill with interest and penalties for forgetting that income. Strike someone with malice, and a man in a black robe may sentence you to years behind bars. Walk off a building, and you’ll quickly learn that nature itself attests to absolutes. So it’s clear we live accountable to absolutes all the time, whether we like them or not.
But back to the “judge not” passage. The Bible is a book of history, prophecy, morality and spirituality, but it is ultimately God’s message to mankind. The Bible instructs mankind on matters of morality and from those precepts, man is then able to discern right and wrong. He is not the judge, as God established the law. Man is simply one who discerns right from wrong, good from evil, based on God’s absolute standard. So God judges. Man discerns.
When you or I speak out on a moral issue that is delineated in Scripture, the judgment being made is not merely our own, but it is one based on a moral standard that supersedes our own. In this case, it is God’s. The Bible is clear in its admonition to reject evil, embrace good and expose darkness, as these passages clearly illustrate:
“Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” Isaiah 5:20
“Depart from evil and do good.” Psalm 37:27
“Putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor.” Ephesians 4:25
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21
Finally, we are called in John 7:24 (just a few verses after the “judge not” passage) to actually “judge with righteous judgment.” This passage clearly suggests that when “judging” is done righteously, meaning according to God’s perfect standard, then that judgment is not only appropriate but it is commanded.
So the next time you hear someone misquote Matthew 7:1 by telling you to stop judging, consider that they are doing so out of either ignorance, or worse, they seek to simply silence you. But now you know better.
by Mark West | May 18, 2016 | Barack Obama, Constitution, Courage, Leaders, Moral, Transgender, Tyrany
“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” John Adams
One would have to be asleep at the wheel these days to not recognize the all out assault on some of the most basic truths of life. One truth under such attack is that the two distinct sexes, male and female, are determined solely at conception. Whether you arrive at this conclusion biologically, theologically, or both, this truth has been known and understood from the beginning of time. But if you’re ever unsure, you need only undress in front of a mirror for self-validation. The evidence is indisputable.
The Lie
Transgenderism falsely challenges this truth.
Today we have reached a new era, or more accurately, we have fallen to a new low. This low is one that rejects facts, both scientific and observable, preferring to embrace feelings, even when they contradict undeniable truths. The transgender lie affirms that a “her” today may become a “him” tomorrow, or vice versa, simply by feeling such. So a Bruce from birth can wake up one morning and assert he is now a she, change his name to Caitlyn, and begin a new life based on a lie. And the cultural-elite affirm the lie, deny the truth, and disparage the truth-affirming “bigots.”
When we were growing up and we feared a boogie man under our bed, our parents would teach us to confront our fear because it was untrue. There was no boogie man. It was merely a false feeling. So obviously, a parent would reveal the fear for what it was — a lie and encourage the child to embrace the truth and reject the lie. Doing anything else as a parent would not only be irresponsible, it would be hurtful to the child, and reveal the negligence of the parent.
Today though, we have men and women and even boys and girls who fear or reject what they were created to be from the moment of conception, either male or female. But rejecting that truth, and feeling something other than the truth, does not change reality. But what is most tragic isn’t the person who is struggling with whether to reject facts and embrace feelings. The most tragic reality, that is even dangerous, is a society, culture, and politicians who wrongly affirm a person’s feelings, when those feelings are diametrically opposed to facts.
Rather than affirming a lie, we should expose the lie. And lovingly help that person whose mental processes have been short circuited from reality.
The Political Battle
On the political front though, our nation is facing a crossroads moment. Will we cower as a tyrant continues to assert his fundamental transformation of our nation, or will we reject his latest edicts and refuse to comply with the lies he perpetrates as he leads our nation further and further into the abyss of moral confusion and depravity?
The unconstitutional edict President Obama announced, via his Department of Education and Department of Justice, is that all public schools, “as a condition of receiving Federal funds” must now make decisions about their students based on their “gender identity” versus their biological sex. So a male who now “feels” he is a female, will be entitled to enter and use the female restrooms, locker rooms, showers, and housing and overnight accommodations. No longer will objective truth as affirmed on one’s birth certificate prevail. Rather, subjective feelings that deny the truth will rule the day. And while our nation will have furthered a lie of a very small minority of mentally troubled individuals, it will trample on the safety, privacy and dignity of millions of young students.
As mentioned, our nation is at a crossroad moment resulting from Obama’s dictator-type edict. The crossroad we face is what will our response be to Obama’s latest “fundamental transformation?” Will we stand up to our own 2016 version of “King George” and declare our independence from the tyranny of lies, thuggery and intimidation?
This is one moment when “We the People” must rise up and beat back the tyranny of men. But it will require our state Governors and legislators to assert a backbone that all too frequent is missing.
We have seen a number of governors step up and announce they will categorically reject Obama’s edict. But there are others, like my own Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, who have issued weak, timid statements, as they have done on nearly every other constitutional assault by Obama. If there is ever an issue where people across the entire political spectrum are in agreement, it is this. No responsible Mom or Dad would accept the notion that their 13 year old daughter could be changing clothes or showering next to a boy who simply asserts he “feels” like he is a girl. Rather, they are concerned about the safety, dignity, privacy, and decency of their child. And while our nation has fallen a long way, I still believe those values are important to 99% of parents across this land.
So will our elected officials step forward and challenge Washington’s tyrant with their own line in the sand? Feckless politicians will not. And we have too many of them. But principled leaders will, regardless of the threats from a tyrant, the screams of the political activists, or the maligning of a leftist media. Because principle will stand in the face of the storm, understanding that if our Republic is to stand, human passions must be bridled by “morality and religion” and absent that, our constitution is “wholly inadequate” to govern such a people.
by Mark West | Apr 27, 2016 | Political, Safety, Transgender
If you’ve been half awake the last week you’ve no doubt heard about Target’s recent pronouncement where they “welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity.” The phrase “gender identity” is code for a person who rejects his or her biological gender at birth as male or female and chooses to act out the opposite of their own physical reality. Thus a male (boy or man) will feel as if he is a female (girl or woman) — regardless of the truth of his/her own anatomy. Consequently, he will begin to act and make decisions in a manner that is at odds with the truth of his gender.
Gender identity is the ultimate rejection of absolute truth, just one more sign that our culture has gone all-in on moral relativism and continues to reject not just basic common sense, but more importantly God, the Author of gender.
While Target’s decision tells us a lot about our culture, it also speaks volumes about the second largest discount retailer in the US. There are serious implications for Target, and you, that will naturally flow from Target’s new policy, that they boast is “inclusive” and something they “celebrate.” Let’s look at just a few of the implications from Target’s celebration.
Target’s foolhardiness is playing with your safety
We are truly in new and unchartered territory with Target’s announcement. Restrooms and fitting rooms that have always offered privacy from members of the opposite sex will no longer operate as such. Target has, under the faux banner of “inclusivity, non-discrimination, and respect,” chosen to exclude, discriminate and disrespect millions of women and men who would frequent their stores.
The privacy afforded to men and women, boys and girls, is no longer a given at Target. Now, a woman or little girl may be in a stall, and a man who simply claims he “feels” like a woman, can enter the stall directly adjoining the woman or little girl. He may simply choose to relieve himself. Or worse, he may have more sinister activities in mind, including peering over or under the stall divider, as your wife or daughter believe they are being afforded their privacy. This is no theory or hypothetical as there are already many instances of men entering women’s restrooms with evil intentions and preying on innocent women and girls (linked at bottom of this post).
Ironically, Target boasts that “everyone deserves to feel like they belong, and you’ll always be accepted, respected and welcomed at Target.” Yet, what respect are they showing for the mother, wife, daughter or even boy who simply desires their privacy when they enter a Target restroom? What respect have they shown for the 12 year old girl, who will now be exposed to a male predator. And the reason for this exposure is due to Target’s new policy, that allows “feelings” rather than reality to destroy privacy barriers that have existed for millennia. Simply claiming identity as a woman, a lie based on a mental delusion, becomes the basis for a man using the woman’s restroom.
Target will face serious legal consequences
Americans are known as people with a propensity to litigate damages and injustices in court. And the legal profession has been more than eager to pursue opportunities to target mega-corporations whose policies jeopardize a customers’ safety and welfare and result in actual harm to that customer. In time, there will be instances where someone using a Target restroom or fitting room, exploits Target’s “inclusive” policy to willfully prey on and sexually assault an innocent victim. While a crime of this nature is heinous, what is perhaps even worse is the fact that Target’s CEO Brian Cornell (whose compensation last year was $28 million) and his team will be willing participants in this crime, as corporate enablers of such a tragic incident.
It is not too difficult to predict that Target will be the target of powerful legal firms as they seek to hold Cornell, his team and the corporation they lead, Target, financially liable for the harm caused to their customers as a result of their negligent and dangerous policy. It’s ironic that the company whose logo is a bullseye, will soon be directly in the crosshairs of a legal profession who is more than eager to prey upon vulnerable, corporate giants.
Target will lose billions in revenue from #BoycottTarget
In this era of boycotts and online petitions, it’s fairly routine to see campaigns targeting corporations, politicians, legislation and more. So it was no surprise that the American Family Association launched its own Petition to #BoycottTarget. In just a few short days, their petition has grown to over 800,000 signatures and it is continuing to mushroom by the thousands every hour.
According to Perfect Price, a database of billions of credit card transactions, the average dollars spent per trip by Target customers is $62. So I’ll use a very conservative calculation to extrapolate the impact of the #BoycottTarget Petition so far. Assuming that the average customer makes two trips per month (a likely conservative number), and the signatures grow to one million in another day or two, we arrive at $1.5 billion dollars in lost revenue annually to Target. But we should also consider that most people who decide to move their business from Target to some other retailer will likely never sign a petition. They’ll simply leave Target in disgust as they see a company that has abandoned common sense values.
So it’s not far fetched to conclude that at the end of the day, the total financial impact to Target will be $5-10 billion in lost revenue annually, approximately 10% of their annual sales. And in a nation where dollars reign supreme, perhaps this is one way you and I can make a difference in this whole debate.
One other way you can directly punish Target relates to your 401K or other investment vehicle. Call up your broker or financial adviser and ask him to sell any of your Target stock (TGT). Dumping your investment in this company will also send a strong signal to both Target and the rest of the mega-corporate world that they should keep their nose out of the social battles and simply focus on selling their products, period.
A Christian’s Response & Final Thoughts
There is a verse in Ephesians which states “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” When you #BoycottTarget you have broken fellowship with a corporation whose works peddle in darkness. And when you share info about the boycott and inform others about Target’s debased policy, you are exposing them.
Your engagement and response to Target’s recent policy may determine whether Target is punished for their aberrant choices and made an example to many other left-leaning corporations or whether Target will pave the way for hundreds of other companies and organization to follow suit. The jury is out and many would-be followers are waiting in the shadows, assessing whether the public will rise up and in solidarity express their vehement outrage over Target’s targeting of women and little girls. If Target is made to pay for their dangerous policy, then others may think twice. But if not, then the tidal wave will follow and the relatively small level of decency left in our nation will be gone.
Will you take action? I trust you will by signing the AFA Petition to #BoycottTarget, joining over 800,000 other shoppers who have said NO to Target.
And finally, please share this post with others and encourage them to join you.
References & Links:
Boycott link: https://www.afa.net/target
Target’s Statement: https://corporate.target.com/article/2016/04/target-stands-inclusivity
Links to news stories (from Petition):
