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This ‘n That: April 28, 2016

April 28, 2016 by Steve Matthews

Ted Cruz_2

Ted Cruz and Carly Fiorina.

This is the first of what, Lord willing, I hope will be a regular feature on this blog. Posts that deal in brief with multiple topics. For lack of a better name, I’ll stick with calling it This ‘n That for now.

 

Peddling Fiction

In his January State of the Union speech, President Barak Obama shot back at critics of his economic policies, saying they were “peddling fiction.” Since that time, the stock market has staged a recovery and now sits at all time highs, despite the steady stream of bad economic news.

But while the stock market continues to levitate, the incomes of ordinary Americans stagnate. As trends forecaster Gerald Celente tells it, “A report by the University of Michigan illustrates the Gilded Age wealth inequality that now prevails. The median American household was 19.6 times poorer than an average household in the 95th percentile in 2003. By 2013, the average household in the 95th percentile (top 5 percent) was 24.2 times richer than the median household and 426.5 times richer than the average household in the 25th percentile.”

Constitutional capitalism, the economic and political system of the Bible, is what lifted the people of Western Europe and North America out of poverty in the wake of the Reformation. It is the application of the implications of the Gospel created the broad-based prosperity of the middle class that those of us blessed to live in the West have come to enjoy and even take for granted.

But as the heirs of the Reformation have rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the chimera of humanism and socialism and big government, prosperity has been destroyed, freedom has shrunk, and the inevitable result has followed: the re-enserfment of the once-prosperous and free middle classes of these nations.

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American Oligarchy

April 24, 2016 by Steve Matthews

Pat McCrory

Pat McCrory, embattled governor of North Carolina.

Oligarchy:  Government by the few; a form of government in which the power is confined to a few persons or families; also, the body of persons composing such a government.

 

American oligarchy. What a strange term it is. In the years immediately following the cold war, it was common to hear about the Russian oligarchs. These were unscrupulous men who were alleged to have acquired great power and wealth after the breakdown of the Soviet Union, and to have done so in a dishonest fashion. But back then, no one ever spoke of an American oligarchy.

But now, more and more it is common to hear people speak of about an American oligarchy. And it would seem they are onto something. Consider:

  • Gay Marriage: In June 2015, a body of nine lawyers on the Supreme Court found that the US Constitution guarantees homosexual couples the right to marry. And this in spite of the fact that 1) the Constitution says nothing about marriage, that 2) large numbers of the American people oppose gay marriage and that 3) many states, including Ohio where I live, had laws prohibiting gay marriage that were put there as a reflection of the will of the people. In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling, any attempt by states to offer some measure of protection to those who oppose the encroachments of the aggressive, unbiblical homosexual lobby are met with the strictest denunciations from oligarchs in both business and culture.
  • Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid: Some politicians come with baggage. Hillary comes with a whole baggage train. That Mrs. Clinton is a felon is almost a certain. For her guilt has nothing to do with the content of the emails she had on her private server. As former CIA officer Scott Uehlinger put it, “The fact that she set up a private server, in and of itself, means she is guilty of a felony right there. Obviously, by having a private server, she was conspiring to evade her signed sworn statements that she would uphold secrecy agreements. The fact that simply established that (private server) regardless of what was on it, she intended to go around and circumvent the law.” Any ordinary American would long ago have found himself rotting in a cell in Leavenworth for committing just a fraction of the violations Hillary almost certainly has committed, and yet not only does she not suffer the legal consequences for her actions, but she is allowed to run for the nation’s highest office with nary a peep from the national press.

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Bernie and Bergoglio, Part 2

April 16, 2016 by Steve Matthews

Bernie Sanders_2.png

Bernie Sanders

Last week we reported that democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was off to see the wizard. And sure enough, he got his audience. According to this report from the Daily Beast, Sanders, in Rome for a conference celebrating Centesimus Annus – Centesimus Annus, a papal encyclical by John Paul II, is a semi-Marxist celebration of an earlier papal encyclical by the 19th century socialist pope Leo XIII; pope Leo’s encyclical, titled Rerum Novarum, is a strident, socialist attack on constitutional capitalism, the economic and political system of the Bible – received his hoped for meeting with the pope during the senator’s stay in the Vatican.

 

The article quotes the pope as saying, “This morning as I was leaving [Rome], Senator Sanders was there. He knew I was coming out at that time, and he had the kindness to greet me. When I came down, he introduced himself, I greeted him with a handshake, and nothing more. It’s common courtesy, this is called common courtesy.”

The pope is further added, “If someone thinks that greeting someone is getting involved in politics, I recommend that they find a psychiatrist.”

In that case, I’d better schedule some couch time next week, because by all means I believe that the pope’s decision to meet with Sanders was political.

I’m not sure what is more offensive about this meeting. The fact that the pope is clearly attempting to influence the American presidential election, or the fact that he’s lying about it. The Roman Catholic Church-State is perhaps the most political organization on earth. And this pope may well be the most openly political man to hold the office in some time. For Francis I to dissimulate about his political meddling is insulting, but not unexpected coming from a Jesuit.

Of course, Sanders is not the only current presidential candidate to cozy up to the current occupant of the seat of Antichrist. Shortly before the pope’s visit to the US in September 2015, Hillary Clinton had this to say about Francis I,

I am not a Catholic, but I am a great admirer of the pope. I think that what he’s trying to do is take this venerable institution, the Roman Catholic Church, and really, once again, place it on a firm foundation of scriptures of Christ’s words.”

A few weeks later, still in September 2015, she penned an article for the National Catholic Reporter, in which she opined,

His Holiness Pope Francis calls Earth “our common home.” “Our common home requires our striving for the common good,” Social Service Sr. Simone Campbell, one of the Nuns on the Bus, wrote earlier this year.

In one short paragraph, Clinton used the blasphemous title favored by the popes, His Holiness, flacked for the socialist environmentalist movement, and for good measure threw in one of Rome’s favorite, antichristian economic buzz words, “the common good.” Quite an achievement that, and in a mere thirty-five words to boot.

At the same time Hillary went pandering in the National Catholic Reporter, Ted Cruz decided he wanted a piece of the papal action as well. In an article appearing in the Federalist, Cruz gushed about Pope Francis, writing,

Pope Francis has spoken to the world, proclaiming the inherent truth and goodness of life, marriage, and religious liberty. I am grateful for his leadership on these central issues. In an era when many global leaders are descending to relativism, his courageous defense of the dignity of the human person, the beauty in the sacrament of marriage[as a Baptist, Cruz is well aware that Evangelicals do not consider marriage a sacrament; here, he adopts the language of Rome, apparently to score political points with Romanists; it is this sort of subtle pandering that casts Cruz as a political opportunist rather than a man of principle], and the duty to speak for those who are persecuted is a light to the world of the scriptural truths that are ever-present in our lives.

So, Ted Cruz believes that the Man of Sin can too speak the truths of Scripture. Given the abject failure of the Protestant pulpit to warn people about the true nature of the papacy and the Roman Catholic Church-State, we now are treated to the spectacle of a an Evangelical Senator from Texas falling all over himself to praise Antichrist. A strange sight indeed.

The only candidate who thus far has not kissed the Bishop of Rome’s ring is Donald Trump, who called the pope “disgraceful” for questioning his Christian faith. From what this writer has been able to observe, Donald Trump is no Christian. But when it comes to assessing the pope, I’d say he’s right on target.


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Donald Trump’s Abortion Logic, Right or Wrong?

April 3, 2016 by Steve Matthews

The past week saw US presidential candidate Donald Trump at the center of another controversy, this time related to the issue of abortion. In an exchange with MSNBC host Chris Matthews during a Town Hall in Wisconsin, Trump responded to Matthews’ question, “Do you believe in punishment for abortion, yes or no as a principle?,” by saying, “The answer is that there has to be some form of punishment.” Matthews asked a clarifying question, “For the woman?” To which Trump answered, “Yes, there has to be some form.”

As a result of his remarks, Trump has come under fire from both pro-choice and pro-life advocates. On the pro-choice side, critics have been quick to seize on Trump’s statement as a correct logical inference of the pro-life position and, therefore, a good reason to reject pro-life arguments in favor of continuing support for Roe v. Wade. As pro-choice writer Jill Filipovic put it, “If abortion is murder, then women who have them are criminals – right?,” and further, “When you make something illegal, it comes with penalties – this is how criminal law works.”

Many pro-life advocates have moved to distance themselves from Trump’s comments, with one abortion opponent stating categorically, “No pro-lifer would ever want to punish a woman who has chosen abortion.” Marjorie Dannenfelser, another pro-life supporter, responding to Trump’s remarks said, “But let us be clear: punishment is solely for the abortionist who profits off the destruction of one life and the grave wounding of another.”

Matthews’ question should be of interest to anyone involved in the abortion debate, especially to Christians, whose faith implies respect for both life, law and logic. With that in mind, what should Trump have said in response to Matthews’ question? The best option open to Trump, and he would have been entirely within his right to do this, would have been for him to punt. Why is this? Because Matthews asked the question of Trump as one, “running for president of the United States [who] will be chief executive of the United States.” But the Federal government has no constitutional role in the abortion debate. As Ron Paul observed,

[T]he Constitution says nothing about abortion, murder, manslaughter, or any other acts of violence. There are only four crimes listed in the Constitution: counterfeiting, piracy, treason, and slavery. Criminal and civil laws were deliberately left to the states (Liberty Defined, 2).

But underlying both Matthews’ question and Trump’s response appears to be the assumption that abortion does, in fact, properly fall within the jurisdiction of the federal courts. But if there is no mention of abortion in the Constitution itself, it is hard to see any reason for the federal courts to have jurisdiction on the matter of abortion.

Instead of allowing himself to be dragged into Matthews’ trap, Trump could have sidestepped the issue by stating he would like to see jurisdiction concerning abortion returned to the states. This can be done, “with a majority vote in Congress and the signature of the President” (Liberty Defined, 7). This approach would have allowed Trump honestly to position himself both as an opponent of Rove v. Wade and an advocate of limited, constitutional government. It would also have saved him a good deal of embarrassment and backtracking.


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A Shave, a Haircut, and the 1964 Civil Rights Act

April 2, 2016 by Steve Matthews

The latest LGBTQ attack on property rights comes to us courtesy of Rose Trevis, a transgender man – i.e. a woman posing as a man – who has filed suit against Hawleywood’s barbershop in Long Beach, California.

The suit was prompted when Trevis was refused service by the barbershop that has a policy of serving men only. “I felt very upset, I guess discriminated against,” Trevis said. Trevis has retained famed attorney Gloria Allred to represent her.

The last few years have seen an explosion of such suits. Florists, bakers, photographers and bed and breakfast owners, all going about their own business, have found themselves the targets of an aggressive, fascist, unbiblical homosexual rights movement that seeks to use the power of the state to force its agenda on everyone.

In many cases, the business owner’s Christian beliefs were the basis of the refusal of service. In others, such as the barbershop in Long Beach, no religious objection was put forth, only company policy was cited.

Some who support a business owner’s decision to refuse service to homosexual or transgender customers attempt to defend this decision on the basis of free speech, while others do so on the basis of religious liberty. Both defenses, well intentioned as they are, fail for the same reason: the issue is not one of free speech or religious liberty. This issue at hand is one of property rights. Does a business owner reserve the right to refuse service for any reason, or may a customer force him to perform a service against his will?

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Just Choose From What Works

March 30, 2016 by Steve Matthews

Obama_Young Leaders .jpg

President Barak Obama addresses the Young Leaders of the Americas Town Hall in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 23, 2016.   

“So often in the past,” said president Barak Obama to a group of Argentinian youth, “there has been a division between left and right, between capitalists and communists or socialists, and especially in the Americas, that’s been a big debate.” The president continued, “Those are interesting intellectual arguments, but I think for your generation, you should be practical and just choose from what works. You don’t have to worry about whether it really fits into socialist theory or capitalist theory. You should just decide what works.”

 

Obama’s remarks have drawn a good deal of fire from conservatives, and rightly so. To downplay the division between communism and capitalism betrays a profound ignorance of economics and of history. Capitalism, the economic system of the Bible with its emphasis on private property, has lifted millions out of poverty and produced relatively free and just societies in the nations where it has been practiced; communism, the collectivist economic system of Karl Marx that places ownership of the means production with the state, has produced untold suffering and death for millions.

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Book Review: The Atonement

March 27, 2016 by Steve Matthews

Atonement_ClarkThe Atonement by Gordon H. Clark (Jefferson, MD: The Trinity Foundation, 1987, 163 pages), $8.95.

Chapters Include: Introduction on Method; The Doctrine in its Simplicity; The Covenant of Redemption; The Covenant of Grace; The Incarnation; The Virgin Birth; The Human Nature of Christ; The Purpose of the Incarnation; Active Obedience; The Covenant of Works; The Vicarious Sacrifice; Expiation; Propitiation; Satisfaction; Federal Headship; Absolute Necessity; Traducianism; The Sovereignty of God; The Extent of the Atonement.

A few years back, American Express ran a television advertisement that featured the story of a man who visited Norway thinking he was going to see the land of his ancestors only to find upon arrival that he actually was of Swedish descent. Or perhaps it was the other way around. At any rate, he wasn’t who he thought he was.

I had a similar experience when I first began to study theology. As I worked through a book on systematic theology with a very generous and learned reformed Baptist pastor, I found, much to my surprise, I was an Arminian. This was particularly shocking to me, as I had never so much as heard the word before, let alone realized I was one. In truth, my experience wasn’t so unusual. Such is the dominance of Arminian theology in American Evangelical churches that Arminians generally are unaware of their Arminianism. It’s taken for granted that Christ died for all men, and little or no serious thought is given to an alternative. When the doctrines of grace, what we would call Calvinism, are discussed, many folks raised in the broad evangelical church are shocked and offended that someone actually could believe that God does not love all men, that some are in fact reprobate and fitted for destruction, and that this is the historic teaching of the Reformation.

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Curse God and Die

March 20, 2016 by Steve Matthews

job_curse God

Curse God and die.

Things had hit an absolute low point for Job. He had lost his oxen and his donkeys and his sheep. Most of his servants were dead, killed by the edge of the sword. His sons and daughters had perished amidst the merriment of a banquet. To top it all off, Job himself had come down with painful boils which covered him from head to toe.

 

And with all this, what advice did Job get from the person closest to him, his wife? “Curse God and die,” she told him. The words shock us. They seem so out of place in the home of a believer. Scripture doesn’t tell us much about Job’s wife, but certainly she knew of her husband’s faith. And it seems not unreasonable to suppose that she herself shared that faith. But her words of advice to Job at his very lowest point were not, “let us go before the Lord and seek his council and his mercy.” Her reaction was not even one of silent empathy, as was that of Job’s friends when they first came to see him. No. What she did on that occasion was proffer some of the worst advice imaginable, “curse God and die.”

It’s easy from the comfort of my home and sipping a cup of coffee that I would never say such a thing. I could sit here and boast all day about what an unshakable tower of faith I would be were I faced with a similar situation. But if I were to speak in this way, I would very much be guilty of the sin of bearing false witness. Or to put it a little less gently, I’d be lying to you.

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Servants or Masters?

March 18, 2016 by Steve Matthews

Rehoboam_The Arrogance of

The Arrogance of Rehoboam – Han Holbein the Younger, 1530.

The Bible is filled with statements that touch on political philosophy, but perhaps none is more important than the words Jesus spoke to his disciples when they argued amongst themselves about who was the greatest. The disciples seemed to have taken their understanding of government from examples in the world around them. The Roman Caesars were the foremost models of leadership in the time of Christ, and they were typical of sort of proud men who have ruled in most times and places. In the words of Christ, they “lorded it over” the people. A bit closer to Judea, the Pharisees were of a similar cast of mind. They loved to be greeted with “rabbi, rabbi” and to have the best seats in the synagogues. They were the masters. The people were the servants

 

But Jesus had an entirely different view on those in authority. In his words, “whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be you slave” (Matthew 26:26, 27). It is this teaching that forms the basis of the Western idea of government as a servant of the people. A notion that gained traction after the 16th century Reformation brought about the widespread preaching of, and belief in, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

If the teachings of Christ laid the foundation for the idea of government as a servant, what would one expect to see if the Gospel were to fade from men’s consciousness but a reversion to the default position of mankind, rulers who lord it over the people? And this is just what we see happening today.

The Wall Street bailouts of 2008 are one example of this. I read recently that constituent calls to Congress ran 200 to 1 against the bailout. But it happened anyway. In the realm of politics, Hillary Clinton continues her bid for the White House while lugging more legal baggage than any candidate for any office I have ever seen. None of it seems to matter. her campaign goes on with hardly a peep from the mainstream media about the massive investigation surrounding her. In today’s world, being a master of the universe means, among other things, never having to say you’re sorry…or answer for your crimes.  Donald Trump openly insults his rivals during televised debates.  And an official from the Republican party recently told and incredulous CNBC panel that it is the party officials who choose the nominee for president, not the voters in the primaries.

Bailouts, likely criminals getting away with running for president, political parties that ignore the will of their own members, what is this, if not oligarchy? What is this, if not rulers lording it over the people. What is this, if not the very thing for which Christ rebuked his disciples?

Who will our governors be?  Our servants, or our masters? It seems to me that this, more than anything else, is the central question of the 2016 election.


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