R. Albert Mohler Jr.'s Blog, page 292

The Briefing 11-20-15

Jewish prayer at shared holy site sparks controversy due to theology of prayer of Judaism, IslamUSA Today (Shira Rubin) — Jewish activists secretly pray at Muslim holy site

Significance of sibling-relationships to later life underlines tragedy of one-child ChinaWall Street Journal (Ann Lukits) — Opposite-Sex Siblings Build Confidence in RomanceNew York Times (Javier C Hernandez and Amy Qin) — End of China’s One-Child Policy Stings Its ‘Loneliest Generation’Wall Street Journal (Mei Fong) — China’s Quiet Two-Child Experiment

Sociologists argue next step in sexual revolution for men to take up more feminine roles New York Times (Richard V. Reeves and Isabel V. Sawhill) — Men’s Lib!

The Briefing 11-19-15

Generic view of religion undermines ability to respond to theological significance of Paris attacksNew York Times (David Brooks) — Finding Peace Within the Holy TextsWashington Post (Miroslav Volf) — In light of the Paris attacks, is it time to eradicate religion?

Abortionist physician for South asserts concern for pregnant woman, neglects babyNew York Times (Willie Parker) — Why I Provide Abortions

Atlanta considers billion dollar casino, fails to consider fallout of casino economiesAtlanta Courier-Journal (Kristina Torres) — Atlanta boosters to study impact of $1 billion casino

The Briefing 11-18-15

In aftermath of Paris, Western nations confronted with inability to predict evilFinancial Times (Anne-Sylvaine Chassany and Adam Thomson) — Paris attacks: How a ‘really great guy’ became a suicide bomberNew York Times (Sylvie Kauffmann) — France’s War WithinNew York Times (Aurelien Breeden, Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura and Katrin Bennhold) — Call to Arms in France Amid Hunt for Belgian Suspect in Paris Attacks

In light of attacks, refugee crisis causes conflicted conscience in Western nationsWashington Post (Missy Ryan, Anthony Faiola and Souad Mekhennet) — Fear of new terrorist plots spreads; German stadium evacuated after threatForbes (Paul Johnson) — Refugee Crisis: More Horrors To Come

China persists in using organs from executed prisoners, undermining human dignityNew York Times (Didi Kirsten Tatlow) — China Bends Vow, Using Prisoners’ Organs for Transplants

Challenge Boy Scouts face after concessions to moral revolution exposes loss of 'boyhood' from public consciousnessWall Street Journal (Michael S. Malone) — Boy Scouts Search for a New Path

The Briefing 11-17-15

Failure to recognize theological will of ISIS raises question of future of Western civilizationNew York Times (Kimiko De Freytas-Tamura, Aurelien Breeden and Katrin Bennhold) — Belgian Who Fought for ISIS Masterminded Paris Attack, Official SaysNew York Times (Michael D. Shear and Peter Baker) — Obama Defends ISIS Strategy, Rejects Blocking Muslim RefugeesNew York Times (Paul Krugman) — Fearing Fear Itself

Supreme Court to take up most significant abortion case in decadesNew York Times (Adam Liptak) — Supreme Court to Hear Texas Abortion Law CaseNew York Times (Editorial Board) — Abortion, Back at the Supreme Court

US gives designation of genocide to Yazidis, but not Middle East ChristiansAmerican Conservative (Rod Dreher) — Are the Democrats Trending Anti-Christian?National Review (Nina Shea) — ISIS Genocide Victims Do Not Include Christians, the State Department Is Poised to Rule Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/427044/christians-isis-genocide-obama-administration

The Briefing 11-16-15

Horror of Paris attacks reflect theological identity and ambition of ISISNew York Times (Adam Nossiter, Aurelien Breeden and Katrin Bennhold) — Three Teams of Coordinated Attackers Carried Out Assault on Paris, Officials Say; Hollande Blames ISISNew York Times (Eric Schmitt and David Kirkpatrick) — Strategy Shift for ISIS: Inflicting Terror in Distant LandsNew York Times (Peter Baker and Eric Schmitt) — Paris Terror Attacks May Prompt More Aggressive U.S. Strategy on ISISInternational Business Times (David Gilbert) — Paris Attacks: ISIS Claims Responsibility For Terror Attacks - Full Statement

Bernie Sanders blames ideologically motivated violence on climate change, not beliefs Washington Post (John Wagner) — Bernie Sanders explains connection between climate change and Paris attacksCBS News (Rebecca Kaplan) — Bernie Sanders doubles down on climate change-terrorism link

Attack on Paris attack on symbol of secularism, European idealSecular Right — Cognitive Dissonance in ParisThe Economist — No European democracy has the perfect way to handle Islam

The Briefing 11-13-15

Utah judge separates child from lesbian foster parents affirming importance of father and motherTIME (Brady McCombs) — Order to Take Baby From Lesbian Foster Parents Under ReviewWashington Post (Justin Wm Moyer) — Utah judge removes lesbian couple’s foster child, says she’ll be better off with heterosexuals

Child murder of younger sibling raises horrifying reality of sin, human natureWikipedia — Jesse PomeroyNew York Times (Alan Blinder) — ‘No Easy Answers’ in Murder Charge Against 8-Year-Old

Effectiveness of crisis pregnancy centers alarming abortion supportersNew York Times (Meaghan Winter) — The Stealth Attack on Abortion Access

Why Can’t Christians Just Join the Revolution?

Why not just join the revolution? This question seems obvious to many people who look at conservative Christians and honestly wonder why we cannot just change our views on homosexuality, same-sex marriage and the entire LGBT constellation of issues.

We are constantly told that we must abandon the clear teachings of the Bible in order to get “on the right side of history.”

It’s not that we don’t understand the argument – we just cannot accept it.

Clearly, many more liberal churches and denominations are not only accepting that argument, they are running away with it. Each of these churches once defined marriage exclusively as the union of a man and a woman, and every one of them once defined human sexuality and gender in agreement with the Bible and with historic Christian teachings.

Now, at least some people seem genuinely perplexed that conservative Christians will not just go along with the program to redefine Christian morality, marriage, and doctrine.

We will not because we cannot. Unlike those who embrace liberal theology, we do not see Christianity as a system of beliefs that we can just change as we see fit. We do not see the Bible as a mere collection of ancient religious writings that can be disregarded or reinterpreted to mean something other than what it says.

Instead, we understand the Bible to be what it claims to be, nothing less than the inspired and inerrant Word of God. We understand Christianity to be grounded in specific truths as revealed by Christ and the Apostles and given to us in the Holy Scriptures. We believe that Christianity is defined by what the Bible calls “the faith once for all delivered to the saints.”

These days, we find ourselves opposed, dismissed and ridiculed for holding to truths that the Christian church has taught for 2,000 years.

The reality is that Christians who define Christianity in terms of historic Christian doctrine and moral teachings do not believe merely that these teachings are true, but that they point to the only way that will produce real and lasting human happiness. We are not merely opposed to same-sex marriage because we believe it to be contrary to Scripture; we believe that anything opposed to Scripture cannot lead to human flourishing.

There can be no question that we are living in the midst of a vast revolution in moral values. We see it, sense it and do not deny it. The more liberal churches and denominations can simply accommodate themselves to this moral revolution and move on. But in so doing they are abandoning, not only the clear teachings of the Bible but also the essence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

That Good News promises salvation to anyone who believes in Christ as the crucified and resurrected Lord and who repents of sin. If we misunderstand or misrepresent what sin is, we undercut the work of Christ and our knowledge of the fact that we need a Savior. Furthermore, if we abandon the teachings of the Bible on sexual morality, we confuse the world – and ourselves – about repentance.

The Bible is not merely an inspired book of doctrinal truths. It tells a story of God’s act of creation and of the reality of human sin, of the depth of God’s saving love for us in Christ, and the story of where history is headed. The Bible also warns us against any effort to change that story or to tell it wrongly. Yes, it warns us against the sin of teaching what the Bible calls “another gospel” than the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The current American landscape includes more liberal churches that are doing their best to join the sexual revolution and conservative churches that cannot follow. Simple honesty requires acknowledgment that it is the conservative churches that are teaching what Christianity has taught for two millennia.

We are told that holding to biblical authority and the historic Christian faith will lead to our marginalization.

Perhaps so, but it is the more liberal churches that have been hemorrhaging members by the millions for the last four decades and, even in a secularizing age, it is the most secularized denominations that have suffered the greatest membership losses.

We do understand what is at stake in terms of the human judgment of history, but we are far more concerned about the divine verdict of eternity. We must speak the truth in love and seek to be good neighbors to all, but we cannot abandon the faith just because we are told that we are now on the wrong side of history.

This article first appeared in The Courier-Journal, online on Nov. 4, 2015, and in print on Nov. 5, 2015.

The Briefing 11-12-15

Mexico Supreme Court strikes down marijuana laws on basis of individualismThe Atlantic (Edward Delman) — Is Smoking Weed a Human Right?

Marijuana start-up companies aim to profit off of expansion of weed marketNew York Times (Farhad Manjoo) — The Next Internet? Marijuana Delivered as Easy as Pizza

Russian athlete doping scandal reminder sin prevents humans from ever policing selfWall Street Journal (Mattew Futterman, Sara Germano, and Paul Sonne) — Anti-Doping Commission Finds Russia Engaged in State-Sponsored DopingWall Street Journal (Matthew Futterman) — Why the Anti-Doping Effort Needs an OverhaulFinancial Times (Editorial Board) — A dark day for Russia and for world athletics

Helmut Schmidt, significant leader of 20th century, dead after seeing rise and fall of Nazism and Soviet UnionNew York Times (Jonathan Kendall) — Helmut Schmidt, Assertive West German Chancellor, Dies at 96

Diplomatic impasse over wine at dinner between France and Iran exposes incapability of theologyWashington Times (Kellan Howell) — France won’t dine without wine, cancels dinner with Iran over menu dispute

The Briefing 11-11-15

Obama administration exercises cultural power of presidency in support revision to Civil Rights ActWashington Post (Juliet Eilperin) — Obama supports altering Civil Rights Act to ban LGBT discrimination

Collision between erotic and religious liberty evidenced in Atlanta fire chief lawsuitWall Street Journal (Jason L. Riley) — Christian Belief Cost Kelvin Cochran His Job

Secularization of America shown in diminishing size of Christian groups on college campusesFlorida Today (Caroline Glenn) — Colleges see interest fade in Christian groups

Supposed Starbucks furor reminder not to confuse church's business with that of corporate AmericaThe Atlantic (Emma Green) — The Inanity of the Starbucks Christmas Cup ‘Controversy’

Veterans Day reminder to give honor to whom honor is due

The Briefing 11-10-15