by La Shawn on February 27, 2004
in Faith
In my two-year writing “career,” I’ve never written extensively about homosexuality before. When I decided to write America on the Decline, I knew it was only a matter of time before the e-mail came in from people calling me a “homophobe.”
I fear no man, so a “fear of homosexuals” doesn’t describe me. Like God, I hate sin. That’s all. God says homosexual behavior is sinful. For that matter, fornication and adultery are sinful. Lying is sinful. Murder is sinful. I sin, you sin, we all sin!
The difference between believers and unbelievers is that believers are forgiven. Believers have repented and accepted the sacrifice Christ made on the cross to pay for their sins. That’s God’s grace.
What liberals and “progressives” don’t seem to realize is that a secular, atheistic and humanistic worldview is a religion. Religion is defined as “a personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.”
Secular humanism is a religion! Why do humanists believe they have every right to defend their value system but Christians have no right?
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by La Shawn on February 26, 2004
in Lunacy
Just so you know, Rep. Corinne Brown (D-Fl) is exempt from being labeled a racist because she’s a black liberal, so don’t even try to call her one. She and her ilk can say whatever pops into their heads.
In a briefing about the crisis in Haiti, Brown called the Bush administration “a bunch of white men” because she thinks President Bush’s policy on Haiti is racist. I believe her comment was intended to offend.
When State Department official Roger Noriega, who is of Mexican descent, took offense at being called “white” (a slur!), Brown said, “[Y]ou all look alike to me.”
Expect no 24-hour news coverage from CNN or apologies from Ms. Brown. “I just want to save the Haitian people,” she said.
The last time I checked, the Democratic leadership consists of “a bunch of white men” and one white woman, House Minority Whip Nancy Pelosi (I don’t count vice-chairs or seconds-in-command). Correct me if I’m wrong.
They all need to take a vacation.
by La Shawn on February 26, 2004
in Faith
After further research, I decided to remove yesterday’s post linking to an article critical of The Passion of the Christ. Although I thought the author made good points about why this movie shouldn’t be held up as a beacon of hope for Christians, the church’s theology is questionable.
Therefore, I’m linking to a site from a ministry that has demonstrated sound theology with a thorough understanding of Scripture. The article is a review of the movie.
Update (9/16/05): Why this old post is generating so much discussion is…strange. Just for the record, I didn’t write nor imply in this post that God is no longer “protecting America,” whatever that means. Whether true or false, it doesn’t have anything to do with what I’ve written. I would hope that those who’ve publicly criticized the post will also publicly clear up the misrepresentation. As for the rest of the criticism, no comment.
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In The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, author Edward Gibbon discusses several reasons for the great civilization’s demise, including the undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home and the decay of religion.
America has been compared to the Roman Empire in secular and religious ways. Regardless of its ultimate legacy, America is a civilization on the decline. A couple of centuries from now (or sooner), someone will write a book called The Decline and Fall of the American Empire.
Historians will lament the loss of a once-great civilization that brought prosperity to the world and tried to make it safer for democracy. The glory that was the United States will lay in ruins, brought down not by terrorists but its own debauchery and complacency.
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In 1947, a man named Dr. Carle Zimmerman wrote a book called Family and Civilization. He reviewed the decline of multiple civilizations and empires, and found eight patterns of domestic behavior that signaled the decline of a civilization:
1) Marriage loses its sacredness; is frequently broken by divorce.
2) Traditional meaning of the marriage ceremony is lost.
3) Feminist movements abound.
4) Increased public disrespect for parents and authority in general.
5) Acceleration of juvenile delinquency, promiscuity, and rebellion.
6) Refusal of people with traditional marriages to accept family responsibilities.
7) Growing desire for and acceptance of adultery.
Increasing interest in and spread of sexual perversions and sex-related crimes.
Sound like any civilization you know?
“Union reunion toasts marriages…”
“Couples shop for basics at Gay Wedding Expo”
“Civil marriage is a civil right”
“San Francisco Honors Same-Sex Newlyweds” Hear the word of the Lord:
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper…” Romans 1:24-28
by La Shawn on February 21, 2004
in Bloggers
Hey, this blog stuff might be catching on! Welcome two new bloggers to the instant-publishing-gratification world where anybody can be a pundit!
1) Stereo Describes My Scenario. Avery is a refreshing new voice in the marketplace of ideas. Drop by and see him sometime.
2) Imperfect But Forgiven appears to be very Christ-centered. I look forward to his/her posts (the author is anonymous).
Welcome to the blogosphere!
Enjoy your Saturday as I work on my column. Seems like I was just doing this two weeks ago. Come to think of it, I was!
by La Shawn on February 20, 2004
in Lunacy
Professor and columnist Mike S. Adams deserves credit for exposing the hypocrisy of a liberal professor for singling out a student for expressing his belief that homosexuality is “disgusting.”
From the Raleigh News & Observer:
In an e-mail message sent Feb. 6 to her “Literature and Cultural Diversity” students, the lecturer, Elyse Crystall, wrote, “[W]hat we heard [T]hursday at the end of class constitutes ‘hate speech’ and is completely unacceptable. [I]t has created a hostile environment.”
Crystall went on to name the student, identified as Tim, and said he was a perfect example of the topic of discussion during class: privilege.
That’s right. In a university classroom where free speech should abound, a student’s right to free speech in a public (taxpayer-supported) university is violated because of his…”white male privilege.”
Not only did the professor have to apologize, but her class is being monitored for the rest of the semester! They’re making sure someone stays in her business. Accountability on this level needs to permeate college campuses across the country. Let’s hope this is a lesson learned.
by La Shawn on February 19, 2004
in General
This guy is complaining about Wal-Mart. I like Wal-Mart, especially the really big stores.
He writes:
Why do people shop at these behemoths, when they know full well that they are driving out of existence small businesses owned and operated by their neighbors, employing other neighbors?
They shop because of price, and they are forced to do so by the declining standard of living we have offered working people for more than a generation. People who work for minimum wage, with little or no benefits, who cannot afford to fix their car or their kids’ teeth have no choice but to search out the lowest price.
So searching out the lowest price is a bad thing?
I enjoy shopping for things to fill my little abode, and I really like browsing in Office Depot for home office supplies. I don’t know anyone who likes doing this as much as I do, so I guess I’m in the minority here, too!
by La Shawn on February 19, 2004
in Faith
I remember Passion Week as a kid, the week leading up to Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. My church was bustling with activity all week. My siblings and I were busy memorizing lines and verses for the Easter program. It didn’t mean much to me then.
I hope Christians will take advantage of The Passion of the Christ to explain to an unbelieving world just how significant that week is.
Beginning on Palm Sunday, Christ made His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. By Friday, He was dead and His work was finished. Three days later, Resurrection Sunday, He’d arisen from the grave.
What was the purpose of it all? Why did Christ have to be scourged and tortured and killed? Because God is just and perfect. God commanded us to obey His law. But who has perfect obedience? “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
A just God cannot excuse crime. There must be a penalty for breaking the law. Until that crime is paid for, we’re under God’s just wrath.
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by La Shawn on February 18, 2004
in Faith
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I can’t even fathom what Christ’s suffering must have been like. When I think of His crucifixion, my mind harkens back to all the sins I’ve committed, even forgotten sins, and those I still commit. It was His Father’s will that He die to pay for those sins, and I have no desire to see a depiction of His murder.
Most Christians I know are looking forward to seeing “The Passion of the Christ.” Except me. Everybody’s blogged about it so I wanted to offer my view.
The main issue is shrouded in the anti-Semitic “controversy” of the film. I ask whether Christians should see the movie or even encourage other Christians to do the same in the first place. This is a conversation for believers, not the secular world, which couldn’t care less about the Gospel message. I just don’t like depictions of God in movies, even those which purport to be biblically accurate.
In my opinion, Hollywood films about Christ, well-made or otherwise, aren’t necessary. We already have the Gospels, which are as well-made as you can get. I’m in the minority on this, I think. At least I haven’t read or heard about other Christians who won’t see the movie based on similar reasons.
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by La Shawn on February 17, 2004
in General
I found this site, Ladies Against Feminism (LAF), while doing research for a column. You’ll find great articles about the lost art of homemaking, as well as advice about femininity and modesty.
LAF says this about men and women:
They are different creatures with differing roles. Will we complement each other in our distinctive, God-given roles, or will we tear each other to shreds in a territorial dispute? L.A.F. promotes the former. We are for maidenhood, modesty, virtue, intelligence, womanly arts and femininity. Join the new revolution!
Here’s a quote from one article:
Egalitarianism has tried to convince women that dressing like a sloppy man is a compliment and a privilege. We at LAF say, “The empress has no clothes!” Time to find femininity again and glory in womanliness. Time to realize that modesty is the real secret of feminine power. It’s time to return to maidenhood and womanly beauty.
There’s even a section for men called Responsible Manhood.
It’s a lovely site.
World Magazine’s blog just added little La Shawn Barber’s Corner to their links! Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. Now if only they’d let me write for the magazine…
I don’t begrudge anyone’s wealth. In fact, I’d like to be well-off myself. But to hear Kerry and Edwards criticize Bush’s tax cuts “for the rich” and incite class envy when they live like this ruffles my feathers, to put it in the kindest way possible.
The difference between wealthy liberals and wealthy conservatives is that liberals don’t want other people to become rich. While wealthy conservatives like George Bush push economic policies that promote job growth and investment, liberals push failed, bloated social programs designed to keep people dependent, programs that require revenue, which, in turn, require tax increases.
Conservatives want to privatize social security so hard-working folks can choose to invest more of their own money instead of relying on the government to take care of them in their retirement.
I listened to a 34 year-old, single male caller on Rush Limbaugh yesterday who said he wasn’t voting for George Bush because the tax cut he received was too small! He whined that the tax cut netted him only $13.00 every pay period.
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