Home » Posts tagged "Christian"

Fox News: Atheist Billboard vs Christian Billboards

atheist put up one billboard, so the christians put up 7…and wait until you see the next installment of this video series…they aren’t the only ones. but I’ve got the solution to this problem…a government run digital billboard that gives equal time to all religions and atheism…kidding people, kidding…who the hell converts because of a billboard? next installment: (link when I upload) check out my other channel: www.youtube.com shirts: www.cafepress.com www.cafepress.com www.cafepress.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Posted on November 7, 2011 by admin, 25 comments

Christian Non-Profit Fighting to Save Christianity from Self-Destruction

Changing the Face of Christianity Logo

Plano, TX (Vocus/PRWEB) December 28, 2010

Christianity is under attack from the inside. Christians are leaving the religion because of Christian hypocrisy, Christian intolerance, Christian judgmentalism, and Christian homophobia. Instead of living their Christian faith genuinely in the world, defectors see superficial name-tag-only Christians who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. Non-Christians don’t take them seriously, because they often don’t follow their own teaching and preaching, which endangers the effectiveness of Christian evangelism efforts.

Outsiders see blatant hypocrisy between Christian beliefs and actions. Non-believers see prideful and self-righteous Christians who act “better” than others and judge others with an attitude of arrogance and intolerance. Homosexuals and people in the gay community feel rejected and condemned as outcasts by the Christian church and its followers.

Many in the Christian church today pay little more than lip-service to worship or living a Christian life. The phrase “love your neighbor as yourself” is quickly becoming a phrase no longer associated with the Christian religion. A non-profit organization called Changing the Face of Christianity is working to save the Christian religion from self-destruction, by helping Christians become more like Jesus Christ.

Changing the Face of Christianity has launched a bold awareness and education campaign aimed at existing Christians. Its strategy is to expose the perceptions of non-Christians to those within the Christian faith and encourage and assist them to take personal action to reverse the negative stereotypes. Founder and President R. Brad White says, “The Bible tells us that non-believers will always hate us, but not for the reasons they hate us now. Who could hate someone for truly loving their neighbor as themselves? The fact is we don’t do a very good job at loving our neighbor.”

The mission of Changing the Face of Christianity is to reverse Christian intolerance, hypocrisy, homophobia, judgmentalism, and other negative Christian stereotypes, by helping Christians to be more like Jesus Christ. Brad says “If non-believers hated us for truly living our faith and for being the best lovers of people the world has ever known, then our campaign would end. We would joyfully accept the criticism.”

Non-believers despise Christianity for all the wrong reasons. But the problem goes deeper than what non-Christians think. There is a growing exodus within the church too, especially within the younger generations. Younger Christians raised to be more accepting of other people, other lifestyles, and other beliefs, are turned off by Christians who maintain attitudes of bigotry and intolerance. This exodus is even more convicting given the growing trend in churches today to appeal to younger generations with “feel good” messages and more contemporary and entertaining worship services. Brad says “It appears that younger generations want more authenticity and compassion than simply more entertainment.”

In the American Religious Identification Survey of more than 54 thousand respondents released in 2009, the number of people claiming no religious preference (“The Nones”) almost doubled from 1990 (8.2%) to 2008 (15%).

In the book unchristian, written by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons based on research from thousands of interviews by the respected Barna Research Group, Kinnaman concludes “The vast majority of outsiders [to the Christian faith]…are actually dechurched individuals.” This gives support to notion that people are leaving the faith, not simply refusing to join as new Christians.

In the book American Grace, researchers Robert Putnam and David Campbell found that “young Americans are dropping out of religion at an alarming rate of five to six times the historic rate (30 to 40 percent have no religion today, versus 5 to 10 percent a generation ago).”

Changing the Face of Christianity Inc performs ongoing independent research and engages in positive dialogue with atheists and agnostics to maintain an accurate pulse on Christian culture and those in greatest opposition to the Christian religion.

Here are a few “outsider” quotes about Christians from Changing the Face of Christianity interviews:

“I would never consider being a Christian, but I might consider not being so critical if more Christians were open and genuine and willing to actually talk about their beliefs.”
“If one was a faithful Christian in their personal life but was able to respect the freedoms of others, what objection could truly be lodged against them? No one cares what you believe, only how your beliefs affect the personal lives of others.”
“I enjoy cross dressing, it makes me feel good about my appearance. It is my right. However the value of that right is severally damaged when I am constantly under attack by members of various religious groups. Are you personally familiar with what it feels like to have people follow you around shouting rude things, throwing empty coffee cups at you, or cornering you with the intention of goading you into a fight?”
“My grandmother always tried to make me feel bad that my mom didn’t take my brothers and me to church. She would tell me that my mom was a bad person. My mom was raised constantly being told that she was a bad person. I’ve seen the emotional scars it left on my mother.”

Brad White says, “We could easily be confused or misunderstood as being anti-Christian because of how forcefully we discuss these tough issues. However, we also have a positive strategy. We also enjoy highlighting Christians doing good. When engaging with non-believers, we listen instead of preach. We are gracious instead of antagonistic. We are accepting and reasonable instead of intolerant and hysterical. We want to show non-believers that there are positive, like-minded Christians out there that really care about them instead of simply trying to convert them.”

Brad continues, “When we started, we knew we would encounter some opposition within the church and some confusion about our purpose. However, we’ve been overwhelmed and encouraged by the positive response. I continue to meet people who say ‘you are dead on, keep it up,’ and we keep discovering other complimentary ministries that are attacking the problem from different perspectives. I have incredible faith and hope for Christianity even as we enter a very dark time within our church.”

Changing the Face of Christianity Inc has also released a “Christian Face Quiz”. Answer 10 questions and the quiz will return a score, telling you how Christian you are.

About

About Changing the Face of Christianity Inc.

Changing the Face of Christianity Inc is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit Texas corporation, started in 2010 by Founder and President R. Brad White. Their mission is to reverse Christian intolerance, hypocrisy, homophobia, judgmentalism, and other negative Christian stereotypes, by helping Christians to be more like Jesus Christ. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Changing the Face of Christianity Inc is working to change that negative perception. They do this by 1) making Christians aware of the negative stereotypes inadvertently created through their words and actions, 2) by educating Christians on the issues and effective ways to change their words and actions to create a positive stereotype in the world, and 3) by assisting Christians in their transformation into Christ-likeness. Changing the Face of Christianity Inc also strives to bridge the “trust” gap between believers and non-believers, to create positive and constructive dialog, and intellectually honest and friendly conversations with non-Christians.

About R. Brad White

For most of his life, Brad was an unshakable Atheist. But after a miraculous sign from God in 2005′, he shed his blind disbelief and became a believer. He later became a Christian after thorough deliberation and study. Ever since that moment, he has been actively engaged in using his life to Glorify God and to build up God’s kingdom. Brad felt called to start “Changing the Face of Christianity” in 2010′. Brad is also a professional speaker and trainer, speaking to groups large and small on topics such as Changing the Face of Christianity (reversing negative Christian stereotypes), Living a Life of Purpose and Significance (Leaving a Lasting Legacy), and Biblical leadership. Brad is available for interviews, radio segments, opinion pieces, guest blog articles, and commentary on our Christian faith and culture. Visit their website to learn more about R. Brad White and the Changing the Face of Christianity Board of Directors.

Media

NOTE TO EDITORS AND PRODUCERS: Please contact R. Brad White to set up an interview (214) 906-7455 or brad(at)changingthefaceofchristianity(dot)com. For mail correspondence, Changing the Face of Christianity Inc., 4100 River Branch Trail, Plano, TX 75024. Images, videos, and content available upon request. Visit our online press room. The company’s website address is http://www.changingthefaceofchristianity.com. Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ChangingTheFaceOfChristianity. Twitter: http://twitter.com/Christian_Face. RSS Feed at: http://feeds.feedburner.com/ChangingTheFaceOfChristianity-Feed

###

Attachments

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Posted on November 1, 2011 by admin, Reply

Washington State, Catholic Resident Fires Back at Atheist Group’s Anti-Religion Placard next to Christian Nativity Scene

Photo by Associated Press

Olympia, WA (PRWEB) December 6, 2008

A Washington State Resident is responding publicly to a state sanctioned atheist attack on the Christmas holiday.

Steve Sanborn of Mead, Washington, this week sent a formal email to the Washington State Attorney General’s office with hopes he might persuade state officials to understand that an atheistic attack on religion is not equal to an artful depiction of historical religious beliefs.

The state this week authorized a placard to be placed in the state Capitol by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) of Madison, Wisconsin. The placard is placed next to an authorized Christian Nativity scene. Several Christian organizations are also filing complaints to the state.

Sanborn says the offensive placard is not a statement of belief but rather an attack on Christ-centered holy days and Christianity itself.

The placard reads, in part, “At this season of the Winter Solstice may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.”

“Merry Christmas to you too,” Sanborn said. “I’m a Catholic and the placard posted by the Freedom From Religion Foundation essentially states that I am therefore cruel and stupid – and the state has sanctioned this?

“Even Ebenezer Scrooge opted to leave Christmas alone. Why can’t atheists be as generous as Scrooge at Christmas and leave it alone?” Sanborn asked.

The Nativity scene and Atheist placard were installed alongside each other in a hallway between the state Senate and House chambers, separated by a large bust of the state’s namesake, George Washington. These and other displays were granted permits from state groundskeepers to be placed in the Capitol’s grand marble hallways.

Sanborn said he does not recall FFRF ever making a public foray when Muslim or Jewish holidays are in season.

“We live in a predominantly Christian nation, not an atheist one. If it is equal time these people want, then perhaps they ought to erect their own stable with no one in it,” Sanborn said. “This would actually reflect what they believe rather than attack those who believe otherwise.”

FFRF co-president, Dan Barker, was quoted in recent news as saying it was important for atheists to offer their viewpoint alongside the overtly religious Nativity scene.

“Our members want equal time. Not to muscle, not to coerce, but just to have a place at the table,” said Barker.

“For the state to assert that such a placard is somehow equal in the world of ideas merely shows its inability to be logical,” Sanborn stated. “Will the state now allow me to offer my viewpoint on a placard that says Atheism is a form of insanity?”

As Bill O’Reilly did earlier this week, Sanborn says he encourages other Christians to contact Washington State Governor, Christine Gregoire, at 360-902-4111 to respectfully tell her how they feel about the offensive placard.

Contact Steve Sanborn via email at emptystable @ gmail.com.

###

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Posted on October 14, 2011 by admin, Reply

TN native/Navy chaplain leads Sailors and Marines in prayer during a contemporary Christian service in the forecastle of USS Ronald Reagan

Check out these Freedom of Religion images:

TN native/Navy chaplain leads Sailors and Marines in prayer during a contemporary Christian service in the forecastle of USS Ronald Reagan
Freedom of Religion
Image by Official U.S. Navy Imagery
ARABIAN SEA (July 10, 2011) Cmdr. Darrel Wesley, from Chattanooga, Tenn., command chaplain aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), leads Sailors and Marines in prayer during a contemporary Christian service in the forecastle of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14 are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting close-air support missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alexander Tidd/Released) 110710-N-UO379-183

Freedom to Unbelieve
Freedom of Religion
Image by thaths
I am at a state government office in mysore waiting for a powerful bureaucrat to come back from his meeting with his superiors. He ordered us to be here at 11. It is 12:30. No sign of him amid the busy bodies bustling about the place, doing what, i cannot fathom. I dare not step out in the fear that the bureaucrat will swing by his office on his way to a leisurely lunch while i am away sipping tea. Then i’d have to wait for hours on end. A couple of self important peons are curious to find out who we are. We give intentionally vague replies sadistically denying them what they feed on and trade in – information.

Glancing around the office i am struck by just how much religion – especially hinduism – is intermingled with office life in india. There is a peepal tree with a small shrine in the compound of this place. And every surface i see has a smear of these triple tracks of holy ash considered auspicious to shiva. I know that india is not a talibanized theocrazy (much to the regret of the khaki shorts) yet, Religion is so intertwined with everyday life. People like the conservative Right, i am sure, points to India as some place where morals and religion are a way of life. Only someone who has stepped foot in a government office in india will know how wrong they are.

As an atheist i offended by the overt displays of religion in government offices. I do not care in front of which stone someone prays at home. I do care when my tax rupees are subsidizing someone elses superstitions. I wonder if the separation of church and state promised in the constitution is ever actually practiced.

Posted on September 20, 2011 by admin, Reply

The Christian Lady’s Dating Constitution: A Memorandum Addressed to Teens, Their Parents, and Young Adults Book Review by Todd Rutherford

by SQFreak

Geared primarily to Christian pre-teens, the principles presented in the book can translate to men and women of any age.

Review copies of this book are available for media contacts and bloggers upon request. Contact www.askthepublishingguru.com.

Jessica Martin, Examiner.com writer and author of The Christian Lady’s Dating Constitution: A Memorandum Addressed to Teens, Their Parents, and Young Adults addresses the world of dating from the Christian perspective, using Biblical principles to essentially draft a constitution or Bill of Rights. More importantly, this is not the typical abstinence or purity pledge book; instead, the different points outlined in the constitution examine the sometimes-clear triggers of an unhealthy relationship. A stat supplied on Jessica Martin’s website reveals a harrowing fact: Teen suicide-the third leading cause of death in teens-is linked to depression, loneliness, and stress over relationships.

Geared primarily to Christian pre-teens, the principles presented in the book can translate to men and women of any age. In her own words, Martin states, “I believe Satan attacks young adults in two major factors in their spiritual life: ignorance and doubt.” Not surprisingly, these two elements run rampant as young adults face major developmental changes during this life stage; however, Martin argues that Bible teachings and Scripture can be used as a shield to protect young adults from Satanic attacks.

An interesting argument in the book is that parents have an increasing responsibility to not assume that children know their limits and rights in a dating relationship. Topics such as sex are delicately handled among young adults. However, Martin adamantly states that, “You have to instill into your children values that will shape their future
expectations of relationships.” In other words, most people at the age of fourteen are emotionally and mentally fragile, and more often than not, seeking attention and approval from those around them (e.g. peers, family, etc.). We live in an era where media opts to market sex-appeal, whether it is in magazines, films, etc. Hence, it is more important than ever to instill the proper knowledge and Word of God within children at an early age.

Jessica Martin’s own experiences reveal a glaring truth: people on the outside can say what they want about abusive and unhealthy relationships; however, the nature of the beast is entirely different from the inside. Growing up, Martin ridiculed those who allowed their boyfriends to be abusive and controlling. Martin, a perfectionist, found herself trying to make a relationship work that was mired with emotional, verbal, and spiritual abuse by a boyfriend who was allegedly a “Godly-man.” The point is that, no matter how strong one is, guilt, ignorance, fear, and love can alter an individual’s perception.

Ultimately, The Christian Lady’s Dating Constitution: A Memorandum Addressed to Teens, Their Parents, and Young Adults is a must read prevention guide seeking to educate young adults on recognizing and removing one’s self from unhealthy relationships.

Find out more about Jessica Martin by visiting www.dating-constitution.com

Article from articlesbase.com

Find More The Constitution Articles

Posted on June 29, 2011 by admin, Reply

Pawlenty tries to woo Christian conservatives

Pawlenty tries to woo Christian conservatives
He, along with Michele Bachmann and other GOP presidential candidates, stressed morality in a speech to the Faith and Freedom Coalition.
Read more on Minnesota Public Radio

Jerusalem-area settlement asks nearby mosques to turn down loudspeakers
The Ma’aleh Adumim local council is demanding that the loudspeakers announcing the Muslim call to prayer from some mosques in the adjacent Palestinian village of al-Eizariya be turned down because the volume is disturbing residents of the settlement, Palestinian sources told Haaretz.
Read more on Haaretz Daily

Posted on June 5, 2011 by admin, Reply

Dan Barker at Colorado Christian University

December 10, 2010. “Strategic Objectives Workshop” A panel discussion on Christians, Jews, Muslims, & Atheists. Dan Barker, Co-President of the Freedom From Religion Foundation ffrf.org

Posted on April 9, 2011 by admin, 25 comments

The U S Constitution — John Eidsmoe Falls Short Of Proving It’s A Christian Document

by Axel Bührmann

According to John Eidsmoe, the U S Constitution was heavily influenced by Christianity. That is the thesis of his book <i>Christianity and the Constitution</i>. Published in 1987 by Baker House, the book is 415 pages in length.

The book leads off with a survey of various philosophical schools popular in the 18th Century, not least of which was Calvinism. Mr. Eidsmoe states that a majority of Americans were Calvinist, but fails to demonstrate its influence on the Founders.

The book deals briefly with “John Locke’s social contract theory,” which is said to be the “secular expression” of the covenant. Mr. Eidsmoe equates the two, a usual tactic of Christian Federalists to explain away the obvious secularism of the U S Constitution.

For example, he glosses over Locke’s humanism with the assertion that he was “a Puritan by background” who “based his political theories on Rutherford’s Lex Rex.” Thus he excuses Locke’s humanism and Latitudinarianism to arrive at an very tenuous conclusion. John Locke was a Puritan prodigal, not a faithful son.

Mr. Eidsmoe’s repeated confusion of social contract theory and Bible covenant is his biggest problem. He naively mistakes the preamble of the U S Constitution as a commitment to Bible covenantalism, instead of the godless social contract which it is. This confusion is typical of Christian Constitutionalists, who frequently equate the Constitution and the Word of God.

Another chapter looks at aspects of 18th Century Puritanism such as optimistic eschatology and the application of Biblical law to all of life. The author wants his reader to draw the conclusion that these were incorporated into the U S Constitution. But this does not follow. The first Great Awakening of 1742 is described as a revival of Puritanism. This tenuous conclusion supports the non sequitor that Puritanism was built into the U S Constitution of 1787.

Several aberrant philosophies of the time are also discussed, including Freemasonry and Deism. Freemasonry is introduced and then waved off as an innocent social club, useful for political and business networking. Mr. Eidsmoe simply ignores the anti-Christian oaths integral to Freemasonry.

It is hard to summarize all the problems in the chapter on “Law and Government”. For one thing, Mr. Eidsmoe presents Montesquieu as a champion of Biblical law. In reality Montesquieu took the Bible as but one among many authorities, with all subject to natural law.

Likewise Blackstone’s Common Law is presented as a compendium of Biblical law par excellence. The fact of the matter was it had morphed into a barnacle- laiden anachronism by the 1750s. For example, some 200 mostly petty crimes carried the death penalty. Most juries refused to enforce it because it was so obviously unjust.

In reality Blackstone rarely even mentioned the Bible in his Commentaries. We assume Mr. Eidsmoe has read Blackstone, so he should be aware of that.

Returning to Locke, Mr. Eidsmoe justifies his humanism and “blank slate” theory of the mind, which denies original sin. Again he draws the faulty conclusion that Locke’s “social compact theory is similar to the Calvinist idea of covenant.” This is a misleading statement because the two ideas are diametrically opposed. They represent the authority of man versus the authority of God.

All of these misperceptions color the religious biographies of the founders which comprise most of the book. For example, of John Witherspoon he notes that “He devoted his life to instilling the principles of Holy Scripture into the minds and souls of young men who then used these principles to shape America.”

It is difficult to see how anyone who has read Witherspoon’s class notes for his moral philosophy class could draw such a conclusion. Moral philosophy was the culminating class of the curriculum that Witherspoon taught personally to all the graduating seniors at the College of New Jersey. They are an exposition of natural law and secular social contract theory, with very little reference to Holy Scripture.

Typical of Christian apologists for the U S Constitution Mr. Eidsmoe spends a good deal of time arguing that the Founding Fathers were all solid Christians. The usual assumption is that if we can prove the founders were Christian, the document they gave us must of necessity be Christian. But this is a non-sequitor. Space does not permit us to say all that could be said of these biographies.

At the end, Mr. Eidsmoe lists all of the alleged biblical principles he has found in the U S Constitution. But most of what he cites is Enlightenment theory of the natural rights of man, egalitarianism, and natural law. The “consent of the governed” is the source of governing authority rather than God.

Mr. Eismoe is correct in concluding that knowledge of the sinfulness of man prompted the Constitution’s limited, delegated powers. This is the one point at which the Founders got it right, and we have Witherspoon to thank for that. But overall the complexities of this book should limit its use to the advanced student who is well-versed in the issues involved.

<b>For More Information</b>

For more information about the anti-Christian features of the U.S. Constitution visit http://www.america-betrayed-1787.com Dennis Woods is webmaster and also a political pollster and fundraiser in Oregon. Copyright: you may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, the active links and this copyright notice remain intact.”

Article from articlesbase.com

Iraq church horror speeds Christian exodus

Iraq church horror speeds Christian exodus
BAGHDAD, Nov. 1 (UPI) — The slaughter of dozens of Iraqi Christians held hostage in a Baghdad church seized by Islamist insurgents, will accelerate the exodus of a Christian community that is one of the most ancient in the world.

Practical Guide to Christian Financial Freedom

Discover Practical Biblical Secrets to Becoming Free From Debt…Achieving True Financial Freedom…And Walking In Gods Blessings From This Day Forward!
Practical Guide to Christian Financial Freedom

Posted on August 12, 2010 by admin, Reply

Liberty Walk