After the Ruling, part 4

This is the fourth and final article in a series of articles about what to do in the wake of the wicked decision by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to force states to recognize same-sex unions as if they were marriages.  It’s time to stop compromising and get back to doing what is right.  It’s time to stop getting hung up on things that don’t matter and to prepare for what is likely to be a great persecution.

What can a godly statesman or political activist do in these times?

The states can combat the gay marriage ruling by simply refusing to obey it.  If a state chooses to abolish marriage licenses altogether, they might not have to recognize any marriage licenses, including those issued to sodomites.  There are also efforts to call into question the eligibility of two SCOTUS justices Kagan and Ginsburg from the case on the basis of a conflict of interest.  But in the current political climate these are unlikely to succeed.  

Short of that, the best thing to do is to support legislation which reduces the benefits that government hands out as an incentive for marriage.  Get rid of all tax breaks for marriage.  In Ohio, I was part of a successful effort to get rid of our state inheritance tax.  If you have it in your state, urge your representatives to get rid out it or start a ballot initiative to repeal it if that is an option in your state.  If that can’t be done, then support the elimination all exemptions, especially the spousal exemption or allow one to choose any one heir (not necessarily a spouse) to be exempted from the tax.  The only benefit that a married couple needs to receive from the government is the recognition that they have joint custody of their children and that only at the local level.  Try to reduce or get rid of child tax credits, since these now can be had by sodomites.  Support legislation to block same-sex couples from having joint custody of children.  Support state legislation which effectively nullifies unjust federal tax incentives and penalties, by refunding the state’s citizens of their federal income taxes or appropriate portions thereof.

Support legislation to protect parental rights from being taken away by the federal government. 

Do not vote for any candidates unless they refuse to have anything to do with taxpayer funding of sinful behavior.  Do not vote for any candidates for county clerk unless they refuse to issue same-sex marriage licenses.  Do not vote for any judges unless they refuse to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies and refuse to participate in awarding same-sex couples joint custody of children.  They should not even have custody of children at all if they are in a same-sex relationship.  It is very harmful to children.  It warps their minds. 

I have reached the point where I think that most of my time would be best spent building up the church and forming biblical congregations as God intended rather than wasting my time trying to convince those in power who do not know God to do what is just and right.  If you do decide to get involved in politics, don’t bother with the federal government.  Try to reverse the damage at the state and local levels. 

Summary

We are in the world, but we are not of the world.  Avoid situations where people can coerce you into participating in sinful behavior.  Avoid any dealing with the government, especially the federal government.  Be prepared for persecution.  Learn to depend on other Christians and on God and try not to be dependent on the wicked for your livelihood or allow them to have any other hold on you.  Be patient with sodomites and other sinners when witnessing to them realizing that past experiences may have led them into their wicked lifestyle.  But also realize that if they don’t repent, they will be damned.  Rid yourself of all hypocrisy which includes condoning unbiblical remarriage after divorce.

Three Falsehoods and an Absurdity

A billboard put up in Kim Davis’ hometown reads:

“THE FACT YOU CAN’T SELL YOUR DAUGHTER FOR THREE GOATS AND A COW MEANS WE’VE ALREADY REDEFINED MARRIAGE.”

I have one question for the authors of this billboard.  Who is this “we”?

I did a quick search for cattle and goat prices and found that each costs about $200 a head.  But I also looked up the price of marriage licenses in my home state of Ohio and the cost was $50.  A little cheaper, maybe, but the concept is the same.  Instead of exchanging the animals with the parents for their daughter, now the state is the one who owns the women and the groom must pay their price in order to have her as his wife.  So much for “progressivism”.

Actually, to my knowledge, there has never been a definition of marriage which has required payment of goods, services or money by the groom to the parents.  There is nothing about it in the most reputable law dictionaries of early American history.  For example, Bouvier’s Law Dictionary makes it clear that both the man and the woman must be consenting to the marriage in order for it to be legally binding.  This goes all the way back to King Cnut (1016-35 A.D.) whose laws included this :

And let no one compel either woman or maiden to him whom she herself mislikes nor for money sell her unless he is willing to give any thing voluntarily.

And King Henry I :

Liberty of marriage recognized by Cn Sec 74 is here abridged but it is forbidden to demand money for the licence required as by the law of Cnut.

There is nothing that I have found in British Common Law that requires payments to be made to the parents of the bride by the groom.  Actually they had the concept of a dowry, which is almost the opposite.  Wikipedia defines it as “...wealth transferred from the bride's family to the groom or his family, ostensibly for the bride.”

Yes, there are provisions in these laws for buying of a wife like what is supposed to happen when a man buys a wife and the marriage doesn’t actually take place. But it doesn’t say anything about buying a girl from her parents. What if today a man from the U.S. went to some country where slavery is legal, found a slave girl that he wanted to marry and agreed to buy her if she would marry him and come back to the U.S. with him (of her own free will)? Would this not qualify as a real marriage under the laws of any state in the U.S.? The fact that he bought the girl has nothing to do with the definition of marriage. The fact that they were both willing is the important thing.  The problem was with the slavery, not marriage or its definition.

There is nothing in the Bible that says that a man must pay a price to the parents of a woman for her to be his wife.  There are only two things that are even close to this :

Deuteronomy 22:19 says that a man must pay 100 shekels of silver (not animals!) for lying about the bride’s virginity after they are married.

Exodus 22:16-17 and Deuteronomy 22:29 say that a man must pay 50 shekels of silver for committing promiscuity with an unmarried woman.  (Again no animals were being exchanged for that purpose despite the fact that animals were required to be given for a variety of other purposes at that time.)  The man was supposed to marry the woman, unless the father of the woman refused to allow it.  But either way, the man had to pay the 50 shekels.

Some people think that the latter provision implies that this payment was required for any groom.  But this is speculation.  This could have been the tradition of the Patriarchs, the Israelites or the Canaanites living in the land at that time (c.f. Genesis 29:15-18, 34:12), but there is no evidence of a commandment of God to do this anywhere in the Bible. 

It is even a more of a stretch to say that such a provision was ever considered to be part of the definition of marriage according to the one true God, the God of the Bible.  Take for example the tradition of exchanging rings.  If you don’t exchange rings, does this mean that you aren’t really married?  Of course not!  Just because a marriage tradition exists (good or bad), that doesn’t make it part of the definition of marriage.

The commandments concerning the payment of money mentioned above are properly regarded as being for the nation of Israel only.  In particular, Christians are not bound by the Law of Moses.  So even if a “bride price” were included in the definition of marriage in the Law Moses (which is isn’t), the New Testament clearly releases Christians from such requirements because it indicates the Old Covenant has passed away, the people of the Old Covenant are no longer his people, and that God has established a new covenant with a new people, the believers in Jesus (Romans 9:25-6, Galatians 3, Hebrews, etc.).  And even if a “bride price” used to be a part of the definition of marriage, the change was done by God, not the “we” referred to in the billboard.

In early American history, in various states, interracial marriages were illegal.  But these were man made rules, not Biblical precepts.  Moses, an Israelite, married a Cushite (Ethiopian) woman (Numbers 12:1) and Solomon, also a Jew, married a black woman (Song of Songs 1:5-6).

The only time that the real definition of marriage has been significantly changed was when God forbad sexual relations between close relatives (Leviticus 18).  Previously, Abraham had married his half-sister (Genesis 20:12).  But again, it is God who changed the definition, not “we”.  Since God created the institution of marriage in first place, He and only He has the right to change it. 

There is obviously no danger that the tradition of exchanging animals for wives will return (if it ever existed).  But if we continue down the road that these sodomites would have us go, animals won’t be used as a bride price, but they will be the brides!  If “we” can change the definition of marriage in such a radical way as to allow a sodomite relationship to be considered the equivalent of marriage, then “we” could again change it to include bestiality, pedophilia, polyandry and any number of other unnameable sexual perversions.  If we continue in the same direction that we are headed, everyone will be forced to have a same-sex sexual relationship.  Anyone who fails to comply will be considered bigoted or guilty of sexual orientation discrimination.

In summary, the three falsehoods conveyed by the billboard are :

1. In the Bible or in Western Civilization, there is or was some widespread, generally accepted definition of marriage which required a man to purchase a woman from her parents with animals before he could marry her.

2. Some “progressive” activists freed us from this oppressive provision.

3. The same forward thinking leads us to logically conclude that sodomite relationships should be included in the definition of marriage.

And the most absurd proposition of all is that men can change the definition of an institution which was created and defined by God in the first place.

After the Ruling, part 3

This is part 3 in a series of articles about what to do in the wake of the wicked decision by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to force states to recognize same-sex unions as if they were marriages.  It’s time to stop compromising and get back to doing what is right.  It’s time to stop getting hung up on things that don’t matter and to prepare for what is likely to be a great persecution.

What can a church do in these times?

My advice for churches will be for naught unless the church repents of its wicked support of what Jesus calls adultery (remarriage after divorce under most circumstances).  So my advice is directed toward the few churches which do not practice this or any other perversion, yet are compassionate and forgiving of anyone willing to repent. 

Biblical church discipline must be practiced as described in Matthew 18:15-20, I Corinthians 5, 2 Thessalonians 3:14, Titus 3:10.  Put a certain distance between the church and the rest of the world (2 Corinthians 6:11-18 and 2 John 1:9). 

Make it clear that being a part of Body is not like being a member of social club.  Make the church a safe place for Christians to build one another up, not primarily an evangelistic outreach.  Evangelism should mainly be done on an individual basis.  Jesus sent out his disciples in twos.  Don’t leave it up to the church to do.  Don’t just invite a non-Christian to church hoping that the preacher will say something to grab their attention.  Give them the gospel, the whole gospel, yourself.  You don’t have to do it all at once, but try to give them as much of it as you can as soon as you can.  Don’t hide the fact that this is something urgent, a matter of eternal life and death!

Get out of any arrangement made with the government such as 501(c)(3)  status.  How can you think that the church of Christ should continue such a covenant with such a wicked institution as the federal government which murders unborn babies and subsidizes sodomy?  Get out of Babylon!  I anticipate that the next step down this wrong road we are on will be for the government to require all 501(c)(3)’s to have a non-discrimination policy towards sodomites.  I am further anticipating that the government will make 501(c)(3)  status mandatory for all churches.  If I am right, that means that the church must necessarily go underground.  Any church that does not will become a vassal of the state like in Nazi Germany.  The churches need to make a dramatic paradigm shift. 

To avoid paying income taxes, the church should stop hiring employees.  This will also prevent the government from forcing us to hire sodomites (at least temporarily).  There is nothing in the Bible that says that a church has to have paid employees.  Most churches hire one or a few individuals and give them a large amount of responsibility.  These are often called “lead pastor”, “the preacher” or “senior minister”.  These titles are not mentioned in the Scripture and are therefore completely unnecessary if not harmful.  There is nothing in the Bible that says that one person must do all of the preaching, visiting of the sick, funerals, weddings and all of the counseling. It is probably better to divide these responsibilities up among the congregation even when the church is not under persecution.  If you have to pay somebody for doing work in the church, it should be on a completely voluntary basis, such as is often done when a love offering is collected for a visiting music group.  Under current federal law, an individual can give up to $10,000 per year as a gift to another person tax free.

At some point the government is likely to disallow true Christian churches to meet publicly.  Christians should prepare now by starting to meet secretly in small groups in homes and at random times and places.  We need to get rid of this foolish, legalistic notion that churches must have services in a church building and that it has to be on Sunday.  There is no such commandment in Scripture.  Get rid of all such man made traditions but do not compromise on what is essential according the scriptures.  Upon dissolving their incorporation, churches should turn their property over to members of their congregations so that it is less likely that the government will confiscate it for “hate speech” or whatever else they can dream up to stop us. 

There is nothing in the Bible that says that a wedding cake is necessary for a marriage.  If you really want one, someone in your congregation should make it, rather than buying it from someone who is forced to sell cakes to same-sex couples for their ceremonies.  Apply this same principle to photographers, florists, etc.  Be willing to give up all these things for the sake of Christ.

There is nothing in the Bible that says that people should have to have marriage licenses issued by the state in order for their marriage to be recognized or proper in God’s eyes.  From the time of Adam and Eve to Abraham Lincoln, there was no such thing.  The idea that one must obtain a license from the state in order to do what is a God given right should be offensive to any Christian.  And since the state issues marriage licenses to same-sex couples, then of course such a license means nothing!  Therefore churches should stop this practice and simply require that a verbal covenant be made that satisfies the conditions for marriage which I have listed in part 1 along with all of the other biblical requirements that God has for an acceptable marriage.  If you really think you need a piece of a paper to make your marriage feel real to you, then have your church issue you a certificate of its own making.

Wrong to Issue Marriage Licenses in These Cases as Well

With all of this talk about gay marriage and the issuing of marriage licenses to gay couples, it’s got me to thinking even more about marriage licenses.  Not only should whole concept of marriage license be offensive to a Christian, but it also puts county clerks and justices of the peace in a precarious position if they are true Christians.  There shouldn’t be any law or judicial precedent requiring the government to issue licenses to gay couples.  Maybe a state could get away with not having gay marriage if they didn’t issue licenses at all. 

But what about other instances in which a marriage is unbiblical?  Take for instance, if a Christian marries a non-Christian (I Corinthians 7:39, II Corinthians 6:14).  Or for example, what if a man marries a divorced woman (Matthew 5:31-32, Mark 10:12, Luke 16:18, Romans 7:2-3, I Corinthians 7:10-11, 39) or a man remarries after having divorced his wife for some reason other than (her) fornication (Matthew 19:9)?  Shouldn’t the same governing officials have a crisis of conscience in these cases?  Shouldn’t they also be willing to go jail in order to refuse to participate in these violations of Scripture as well?

No they shouldn’t, because they shouldn’t be put in that position in the first place.

Many politicians, some even who claim to be conservatives, say that Christians who are county clerks or justices of the peace must take off their “Christian hat” and put on their “public official hat” when they are acting on behalf of the government.  This type of compartmentalization is completely unbiblical and unacceptable.  This type of thinking should completely rejected by all Christians.

Another option for a Christian who is a county clerk or justice of the peace would simply be to resign from the position.  But this is also a very undesirable alternative especially in a nation founded on biblical principles.

Another way to avoid situations where there is a crisis of conscience is to simply ban all unbiblical marriages.  But, marriages that are mixed by religion being unbiblical for a Christian, this would mean that the government would have to make a judgment as to who is a Christian and who isn’t.  Yes, the marriage is unbiblical even if the non-Christian spouse is a churchgoer but not really a true believer in his/her heart.  Thus, the government would have to judge the heart of a man.  It is way beyond the scope of government to make this type of judgment.  It would give the governing authority power which belongs to the Church and it would be deleteriously abused from the get-go.  It is for this same reason that all Christians should oppose hate and thought crime legislation.

Jesus says that it is adultery for a man to marry a woman who is divorce or for a man to remarry after divorcing his wife for any reason except fornication.  But Jesus indicates that these teachings are for Christians only and that God does not expect unbelievers to follow them.  The Pharisees correctly pointed out that these things were permitted under the Law of Moses.  Jesus said that this was because the hearts of the people were hard.  The Old Testament teaches that the hearts of the Israelites were hard as stone, but in the future their hearts would be replaced with hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19).  Surely, Christ has fulfilled this passage in us (true believers) through the work of the Holy Spirit and we do not live by the inferior standard of Deuteronomy 24 which was preferred by the Pharisees.  By the power of Christ in us we can and must receive Jesus’ teaching and live by the higher standard.  Jesus indicated this further by saying, “He that is able to receive it, let him receive it” (Matthew 19:12 (KJV)), implying that not everyone is able to receive it.  So why then should we try to force it on the unwilling?

Having eliminated all other alternatives as being unbiblical, the only one left is to abolish marriage licenses.  I am not saying that the government should have no records or recognition that a marriage has taken place.  Giving someone a license to something implies that you condone the action.  Marriages that are mixed by religion and marriages after divorce are sinful, but nevertheless they are real marriages in God’s eyes.  If it is sinful for a couple to be married, then if you grant them a marriage license for a fee, you are quite literally selling them a license to sin!  The issuing of a license to do something necessarily comes before the action, by definition of the word license.  If that action is sinful then it is the same thing as the indulgences that used to be sold to parishioners in Roman Catholic Church before the sin was even committed!  A marriage can be a real marriage in God’s eyes even though the decision to enter into it was sinful.  Thus for purposes of questions arising before a court about child custody and other similar issues, it is prudent for the government to recognize that marriage has taken place even though it was a sinful decision to enter into the marriage covenant.  But that does not mean that they have to sell licenses before the covenant is sealed.  When a Christian couple is married, it should only be the family and the Church that is involved in the joining.  The civil government should not be involved in that process.  In their official capacity, no Christian county clerk should ever have to make a judgment about the rightness or wrongness of the decision to marry.  Originally the justice of the peace had nothing to do with marriage and that is the way it should be.  Originally they were only charged with keeping the peace (thus the name).  At most the civil authorities should only be charged with the responsibilities of deciding whether a marriage covenant has taken place and protecting the God given rights of the couple if it is the case that they are married.  And this determination should be solely based on God’s Word and the facts of the case in question.  Obviously no government official should ever recognize a union of a same-sex couple as being a marriage.

In summary, a Christian should never recognize or declare a relationship to be a marriage when it isn’t.  The most obvious example of pseudo-marriage is a homosexual relationship.  A Christian should never be involved in the process of joining a couple in matrimony if such a marriage is a violation of Scripture, even though it may be a real marriage in God’s eyes.  It follows from this that the concept of a marriage license is inherently sinful or at least bars any genuine Christian from certain public offices.  But it is prudent and necessary for a Christian to record or recognize the fact that a marriage has taken place when the Christian is properly acting in an official capacity for purposes of protecting the parental and marital rights of the married couple even though the decision to enter into that marriage covenant may have been sinful.

After the Ruling, part 2

This is part 2 in a series of articles about what to do in the wake of the wicked decision by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to force states to recognize same-sex unions as if they were marriages.  It’s time to stop compromising and get back to doing what is right.  It’s time to stop getting hung up on things that don’t matter and to prepare for what is likely to be a great persecution.

What can an individual do in these times?

As an individual, every time you make a purchase or get paid by an employer, you are paying taxes that can be used to murder unborn babies.  And now that “gay marriage” is “the law of the land” your taxes will also soon be used to subsidize sodomy if they aren’t already.  Prepare yourself to try to make due with things you already have or can get for free.  Expect that as time goes on, more and more of your taxes will be used for wicked purposes.  So if there is anything that you will need in the future, buy it now. 

Be protective of your personal information.  Treat the government, especially the federal government, as if it were just another criminal trying to get information from you to steal from you or to use against you.  Romans 13 teaches that we should obey governing authorities, but this is talking about legitimate government.  This is talking about a government which rewards those who do good and punishes those who do evil.  Since the federal government does the exact opposite of what Romans 13 describes, there is no need to regard it as such.  There are so many federal rules and regulations, you couldn’t possibly obey all of them even if you wanted to.  But don’t try to confront the government by yourself; instead try to avoid dealing with it as much as possible.  Use the “turn the other cheek” principle up to the point where the government starts to force you participate in sinful behavior.

As much as possible, buy your food at small farmer’s markets or grow it yourself.  Whenever you have to buy food at grocery store, buy foods that can be stored for long periods of time in bulk so that less of your money will be used to support sodomy and baby killing. 

If you can get by without having a job, then do so.  If your job requires you to recognize or support sodomite relationships, then refuse to comply.  If you get fired, all the better.  God will take care of you if you truly put your trust in Jesus, believing the words he speaks in the Bible. 

Don’t join the military.  Remember who the Commander-in-Chief is.  If you’re already in it, get out ASAP.  If you can’t get out of it legally, join Oath Keepers.

Get off of health insurance and join a Christian health sharing group like Samaritan Ministries.  Find doctors who take patients who don’t have insurance.  Boycott any hospital or doctor involved in baby killing, sex change operations, Gardasil shots or any other immoral practice.

Don’t get social security numbers for your children.  Don’t encourage them to register with selective service or to get on any other government lists.  If things get really bad, don’t even get them birth certificates.

Homeschool your children.  Ask members of your church for help with this if you are not good at any particular subject or at teaching in general.  Teach your children morality, the Bible and how to survive in times of persecution.  Don’t allow ungodly people to brainwash them.  Don’t allow them to be put into situations where they will be unnecessarily tempted to sin, especially the sin of premarital sex.

I don’t recommend getting rid of land to avoid paying property taxes.  Those taxes will be paid no matter who owns the land.  It is best just to keep your property values as low as possible so that as little taxes as possible will wind up in the hands of the sodomites and baby killers.  Get off the grid and use solar energy instead. 

If you own a business, it is not necessarily wrong to hire non-Christian employees even if they are sodomites.  (Employing or doing business with a sodomite isn’t any worse than it is with any other sinner.)  But if the government gives them non-discrimination rights then watch out.  Be prepared and willing to lose your business for the sake of Christ.  Do not tolerate anything that is an incentive to commit sodomy.  If you are required to give the same benefits to same-sex partners as you do to real spouses of your employees, then don’t give any marriage benefits at all if this is an option for you.  Another option is to allow all employees to choose any other person (not necessarily a spouse) to receive the benefits.  Otherwise you must either defy the government or defy God.  Do not sell anything to a sodomite if you know that they are going to use the good or service in a same-sex marriage ceremony.  If you own a pharmacy, don’t sell drugs that can be used to murder babies.

Sell all stocks, mutual funds and bonds and don’t fall for bitcoin or other “alternative money” schemes.  Buy gold, silver, guns and ammo other tangible assets necessary for survival.    Use weapons only as a last resort to protect you and your family.  When necessary, employ non-violent forms of civil disobedience which do not infringe on the legitimate rights of others.  Be forgiving.  Search for a church with like-minded Christians preferably with the characteristics which will be described, Lord willing, in my next article.

SATURDAY SATIRE: The Great Wall of Donald Trump

Hat tip goes to Walter Cronkite @CronkiteSays on Twitter who "reported" this BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump outlines his plan to build a wall to protect The American way of life.

Purging California

This would not be such a bad idea. A lot of the most seamy stuff originates in California especially Hollywood. So maybe a wall would slow down or prevent some of the worst of Governor Jerry "Moon Beam" Davis-led perverted and radical anti-American ideology and policies.

The Trump-It Sounds

Donald Trump is a super showman and wheeler-dealer, however, his candidacy for Presidential will be a relatively short-term phenomena. His campaign will burn out during or before the early primaries. He is performing a great service, however, in bringing to the forefront some of the major issues both the Democrat President and the Republican Congressional Leaders refuse to deal with or address or are going against the will of the majority of the  people.

In the End Trump is Not THE Answer

Immigration, indeed, is a very important issue and Trump has capitalized on Americans frustrations and is bringing attention to it. However, he is incoherent, undisciplined in addressing critical conservative social issues such as protecting Life or Marriage.  In my estimation Donald Trump is a closet Democrat who has found and is effectively using a "conservative" shtick, it is resonating for the time being with many Americans on a number of issues.

After the Ruling, part 1

This is a series of articles about what to do in the wake of the wicked decision by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to force states to recognize same-sex unions as if they were marriages.  It’s time to stop compromising and get back to doing what is right.  It’s time to stop getting hung up on things that don’t matter and to prepare for what is likely to be a great persecution.

Introduction

OK so the sodomites and their black-robed cohorts have declared that government recognition of their perversion is “the law of the land”.  What do we do now?

We need to recognize that these sodomites are in need of a Savior.  Even though what they are doing is extremely wicked, we need to remember that Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.”  Paul said, “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief… Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:13-16)

We need to recognize that no matter how high the court, no matter what legislative body or executive declares about marriage, the definition of marriage is not changed in God’s eyes and that’s all that counts.  Homosexuality is a perversion and that will remain true even if there comes a time when there is not one person on the face of the earth who agrees.  God trumps everybody.  And that is true on every issue, not just the gay issue. 

We need to recognize what the definition of marriage is.  I am not only talking about the “one man, one woman” part, but I mean what does a marriage covenant really consist of? Here is the definition:

Marriage is a covenant which satisfies the following properties:

1.      It is between a man and a woman and God.  (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:18,24, Matthew 19:5-6, Mark 10:6-9, Ephesians 5:31, Leviticus 18:22-23, and etc.)

2.      They must not be close relatives.  (Leviticus 18:6-18, I Corinthians 5:1, Acts 15:20, 29, 21:25)

3.      They must enter into the covenant willingly and without coercion.  (Otherwise, it would be rape which is vilest form of sexual immorality.  Deuteronomy 22:25-26, Judges 19:22-21:25, 2 Samuel 13:12.  Also all through I Corinthians 7 it is assumed that marriage is a choice for both men and women.)

4.      They must agree to love and care for each other. (Ephesians 5:25-33, Colossians 3:18-19)

5.      They must agree to be faithful to one another in regards to their sexual relationship.  (Leviticus 18:20, Galatians 5:19, Romans 7:2-3, I Corinthians 7:5, 39)

6.      They must agree to jointly take responsibility for teaching, discipline, and physical needs of any children they may have.  (Ephesians 6:1-4, Colossians 3:20-21)

7.      It must be a lifelong commitment.  (Matthew 5:32, Romans 7:2-3, I Corinthians 7:10, 39)

In some cases, a relationship may qualify as a marriage in God’s eyes, but the decision to enter into the marriage covenant is unwise, sinful or even damning.  Two examples of this are when a Christian marries a non-Christian and remarriage after divorce. 

We need to recognize that SCOTUS has not ruined marriage.  The institution of marriage in America was ruined a long time ago.  It was not the government that did it; it was the church.  In 99% of the churches, people can get divorced and remarried for almost any reason.  They can change partners almost as often as they like.  Most churches may as well not even have marriage ceremonies, for the words spoken in them mean as little to them as the words Jesus spoke about this subject (Matthew 5:30-31, 19:9, Mark 10:12, Luke 16:18).  In those churches, people may as well just live together.  Marriage covenants have no teeth.  There is no accountability.  Let judgment start in the house of the Lord.  Until people start trusting in Jesus instead of the worldly view of marriage, things will never turn around.  Remarriage after divorce is adultery and those who do it without turning away from it afterward are in the same boat as the unrepentant homosexual:

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

I Corinthians 6:9-10 (KJV)

Once one form of sexuality becomes acceptable in the church culture, it is only a matter of time before all others will become acceptable.  The SCOTUS ruling should not at all be a surprise.  Because most Christians have rejected Jesus’ position on adultery, we do not a have a leg to stand on when arguing against homosexuality. 

Sodomy is ultimately unsatisfactory for the homosexual.  It ultimately doesn’t fulfill their desires.  They end up looking for something more.  Some turn to pedophilia.  They think that if what they do is sanctioned by the government and accepted by society, then they will satisfied.  But this is a chasing after the wind.  They will likely continue demand more and more rights and they will probably be even more vocal and vicious about it.  Obama said in his speech following the ruling, “We still have a long way to go.”  Expect that the worst is yet to come.

But we also need to remember that Christ died even for the homosexual.  Even though they are filthy sodomites, Christ’s love is so great that he can even deliver them from their wicked ways if they will simply repent and put their trust in Him.  The above passage continues…

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

I Corinthians 6:11 (KJV)

Note the use of the word “were”.  It is past tense. 

We need to realize that when God changes a wicked individual, he usually uses believers to accomplish this purpose.  We need to understand where homosexual desires come from (besides the pit of hell).  Those who identify themselves as homosexual are much more likely to have been sexually abused as a child than those who do not.  Not having a strong male role model as a child is also a contributing factor in someone becoming a homosexual.  Some evangelical Christians argue that there is no “gay gene”.  Certainly none has been found or else this would be front page news.  But even if there is some genetic predisposition to homosexuality, that doesn’t mean that a person with those particular genetic markers has to become a homosexual.  It’s just like some who doesn’t drink alcohol, and never has drank it will not become an alcoholic even if they have a genetic predisposition to alcoholism.  It is clear that, homosexual desires come about as a result of childhood experiences and that genetics is at most a small contributing factor.

We need to realize that God can use even something as wicked as this Supreme Court ruling for good.  It may serve as a wake up call, sparking a discussion on issues like remarriage after divorce and hopefully lead to a lot of repentance.  Some people who voted for Obama may repent and realize how selfish they were.  Others who refuse to repent will be exposed as false converts.  It will be almost impossible for someone who is still supportive of Obama to be sincerely wanting follow Jesus and merely misinformed about political issues.  Some judges are refusing requests to officiate same-sex ceremonies and some county clerks are refusing to issue licenses to them.  Some states may allow these individuals to keep their positions in defiance of the SCOTUS ruling.  If we pray and repent of our wicked ways, God may use this as opportunity to free our land from the tyranny of the federal government and restore a proper balance between the branches and levels of government.

But not seeing much evidence of a mass repentance, we need to realize that things are likely to get a lot worse before they get better.  Right now we are forced to subsidize sodomy every time we pay taxes at any level of government.  But soon churches may be forced to hire homosexual employees and perform same-sex weddings.  

So what are we going to do about it?  A political solution is unlikely.  The majority of the population has warped view of the institution of marriage.  I will discuss first what you should do as an individual, then what the churches should do, and finally (though it is unlikely to succeed any time in the near future) political solutions which do not involve changing the constitution, succession, an armed revolution or anything as drastic as that.

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GOP Congressional Leaders Inflicted With E.D., Executive Domination

Where Did The GOP Go?

Neither was it surprising, nor was it uncharacteristic of the current Congressional Republican leadership, yet, frankly I was incensed when I saw a www.TheHill.com article on Facebook Tuesday.  That article, "McConnell: Defunding Planned Parenthood must wait for new president," indicates exactly what is wrong with majority party that cowers in Congress today.

My immediate response was to tweet the following:

Is this stupidity, ineptness, fecklessness, cowardice, ignorance or laziness? It has me just baffled. [The GOP has] 2/3s control of the government, then this! Outrageous!

Mere words cannot describe the sheer futility of the situation. However, it helps to explain the phenomenal rise in the popularity and polls of the egotistical showman and undocumented Democrat Donald Trump. Trump has tapped into the utter frustration of the people who had worked so hard to elect Republican majorities in the House and Senate in 2010 and 2014.  

Cowardly Kowtowing Congress.

We had expected some fight from the GOP.  Unfortunately, there has been little push back against the Presidents poisonous Progressive agenda. In fact, it seems that Mr. Boehner, the alleged ('and soon to be contested) Speaker of the House, and Mr. McConnell, the so-called Majority "Leader" are usually found on the Democrat side of the aisle contending against the more conservative elements of their own party on most major policy issues of concern to the majority of Americans (ObamaCare, Amnesty, Education, Spending, etc). 

Politico.com Photo of Two Obama Boys

Who's in Charge?

The Washington cartel of entrenched politicians and lobbyists who hold sway over them, the status quo, a tyrannical President and an out-of-bounds U.S. Supreme Court seem to be vying for power, control and are leading the (wrong)way. Everyone seems to be putting the Constitution aside and ignoring the laws of the land if it doesn't fit their political agenda despite what the people care about, not to mention trashing the well-established traditions and values that made America exceptional.   

Is There a Solution?

A good dose of courage and backbone may be the recommended treatment for Executive Domination (E.D.) which plagues the party of Lincoln's leaders. If Boehner and McConnell can't or won't respond to treatment ordered, then they must step aside and allow others to do the job. Strong leadership is required to hold back the flood of disastrous plans, policies and spending of the current occupier of the White House and his accomplices in Congress and government agencies and offices.

The current GOP leadership has put party and the preservation of power solidly ahead of principle and what is good for all of America. This is why even someone like Trump has captured the imagination or pure disgust of a great block of the electorate. The GOP needs to stand like the Democrats did when they believed in the very flawed ObamaCare and even sacrificed their majority to gain this key pillar of their socialist agenda.

The GOP must resist at all costs allowing anymore federal funding for Planned Parenthood going into the new year starting in October. They need to resist the temptation to restore the Export-Import Bank. They need to resist SCOTUS' redefining of marriage. They need to resist with everything they have to thwart the Iran Nuclear Deal.

Why I No Longer Support the RNSC Candidates

Ironically, as I finished writing this blog tonight I received an email from the Republican National Senatorial Committee (RNSC), which wrote in part, "According to our records, it has been over a year since you last made an online contribution to the NRSC supporting our Republican senators." They asked me to complete the following survey, which I did:

We’ve Missed You! You’ve been a strong grassroots Republican supporter in the past, and we’ve missed hearing from you.  

Share your thoughts with us below to tell our Senate Republican team what we can do to earn your support again.  

1. What is the primary reason you haven’t donated to the NRSC in over a year?   

___I forgot to make a donation and would like to donate now  

___I only donate to campaign organizations during election years    

_X_ I'm dissatisfied with the direction Republican Party

___ I don't think the NRSC is doing a good job to strengthen the majority

___The NRSC contacts me too much

2. What could the NRSC do better to receive your continued support?   

Urge John Boehner and Mitch McConnell to resign their positions and find people who will follow the Republican platform faithfully, who will provide leadership, and who will stand up to and resist the current occupier of the White House. I will only contribute to and support Senate Conservative Fund candidates and directly contribute and support true conservative candidates' campaigns.