Digging into the Wall!
http://www.standingthegap.org/Digging%20into%20the%20Wall.htm
DIG into that Wall and LOOK inside! They are Worshiping false gods and have erected an IMAGE of Jesus that complies with the lust of their flesh. The Preachers appear as Lambs but are Speak the language of the Dragon and they have brought the ENTIRE WORLD under their Deception. The spirit of error is in full control. Pulpits are seething with demonic energy and the people are memorized. There is NO TIME to Waste! Act Now or be swallowed up into the Pit of despair.
“Then He Said to me, Son of Man DIG into the Wall!” Ezk8:8
Over the years I’ve seen many people who recognized something was seriously wrong with the Christian churches. Although none of them could put their finger on the problem, they seemed to know that the Gospel being preached was NOT the Gospel of the Bible. Many along the line have attacked particular doctrines and the Luke warmness of the people. But nothing they have done has made any impact into the massive hypocrisy in the churches. Some have vehemently come out against the false doctrine of eternal security, calling it: ‘Cheap Grace’! They have written large volumes and spent tremendous effort to combat it in debates, with attempts to expose the fallacy to the people of the church.
Still they gain no advantage over the lies. Iniquity abounds and the lies just keep getting worse. Those of us who have Dug Deep into the Wall and SEEN their abominations going on inside the temple, realize that the ENTIRE SYSTEM has gone Corrupt! They not only Preach Lies to the people, promising them LIFE while they remain SLAVES to their Sins! But they Rejoice in their iniquity as though it was True! In ancient times the false teachers would say: ‘No evil shall befall you!’ Jer23:27, ‘The Lord said you shall have Peace! And EVERYONE WALKS according to the imagination of his own heart!”
NOTHING has changed in four thousand years. The people still clamor after the Lies and Believe they are Safe and Secure in God’s hands. They Steal, murder (in their hearts!) commit adultery, (with their eyes as well as bodies) swear falsely, speak abominations and go after false gods. Then Come and Stand before the Lord (in their churches!) and Say ‘We are delivered from our sins in Christ!’ Jeremiah7:7-10. They trust in Lying Words that CANNOT Profit! But to the Pastors in the churches it’s La La Land. They haven’t got a CLUE what’s coming down on their heads. EXACTLY the same attitude Ezekiel and Jeremiah encountered thousands of years ago.
Yet NO ONE inside the System, who THINKS they are combating the hypocrisy, can see the head of the Snake. Collectively they have NEVER seen a real conversion. Mainly because their version of Salvation is based on the same lies they are combating! Bottom line they STILL think a person can be Saved by ‘Receiving’ Jesus or Repeating some words All of Which eliminates real the Repentance Preached by the Apostles, recorded throughout the New Testament. (Acts20:21, 26:18-20, 2Cor7:10-11, Matt3:1, Mk1:15)
Many of these Teachers will even mention that the Bible Does Not support the ‘Receive Jesus’ method but Continue to Preach it as their Salvation message! WHY?
In the System they CANNOT see that their OWN Doctrines have brought about this so-called: Great Falling Away. Problem is the people who have Received Jesus under the lies, Can’t fall away from the faith, BECAUSE they NEVER had Faith to Begin With! That’s why the Preachers remain Deaf, Dumb and Blind to the Real predicament: Which is, ‘EVERYONE IS GETTING SAVED IN THEIR SINS!!!’
The end product is: NO MATTER what the Pastors say about the end times or if they recognize that something is desperately wrong with the Modern Day Christianity, the outcome is always the same. As long as they REFUSE to Revolutionize their method of Gospel Presentation and bring it into line with the Scriptures, AND keep referring to and treating the present day church goers as genuine Christians, NOTHING is going to change. If the People can continue to THINK they are Right with God and Covered by His Grace, they will make NO EFFORT to escape from the corruption of sin and get Clear of their wrong doings. (as the Bible Commands)
What is Required is a COMPLETE Renovation from Present day Churchianity. This would involve a Painful transition in everything they consider the common practice of the churches. In the Acts of the Apostles when the Gospel Message was Preached it brought about either a dramatic conversion of the Masses or a RIOT! (Acts7, 14, 18, 19, 21) Today, with the exception of the emotional based Denominations, the Churches follow a set pattern of ‘Worship’ and Preach only what is pleasing to the ears of the people. They Warn no one, Demand Nothing and make no progress toward the Kingdom. Even those inside the System who SEEM to know that the churches are in an awful state of affairs, will only go so far in exposing the error, because if they step too far over the line they would be EXPOSING Themselves!
Perhaps many of these Teachers stop short of going down the Rabbit Hole of Deception. Because inevitably, when you descend to the bottom of that hole you will come face to face with Satan! Whether its Politics or Religion, he is always lurking in the Shadows pulling the strings and doling out his demonic powers to power hungry minions who have sold their souls for gain. In the Religious realm they cannot openly support doctrines of devils, so they swallow the Red Pill of Deception and convince themselves that the Lies are actually Truth. They then learn to Confirm them in the Bible by ‘Molding’ their words into a fashion or form of godliness, (2Pet2:1-3, 2Tim3:5) that becomes the Strong Delusion few can escape from.
This is why you find such a wide variety of Preachers / Teachers in the Church System, and the reason it’s so easy to be deceived into a FLAVOR of Doctrine that tickles your fancy. Many have escaped the System and separated themselves from its deceptions, and began to Dig into the Rabbit hole for answers, ONLY to be drawn back in by some Slick sounding Preacher who APPEARS to be touching the Truth. But as the Bible so Clearly says: It’s merely ‘Great Swelling Words of Emptiness!’ WHY? Because it is still founded on the LIE! You must FIRST tear down the Strongholds of their lies and that means coming against their precious Doctrines with Full Force. No holds bard!
Just like the Prophets we are up against s SYSTEM of Destruction. DIG into that Wall and LOOK inside! They are Worshiping false gods and have erected an IMAGE of Jesus that complies with the lust of their flesh. The Preachers appear as Lambs but are Speak the language of the Dragon and they have brought the ENTIRE WORLD under their Deception. The spirit of error is in full control. Pulpits are seething with demonic energy and the people are memorized. There is NO TIME to Waste! Act Now or be swallowed up into the Pit of despair.
AVOID like Plague the Counterfeit Patriot movement wrapped in the American Flag and going forth as Soldiers of the Cross to Combat Tyranny on earth. It is FALSE and being used by Satan as another of his many diversions to keep you off the Narrow Way and believing that Striving to establish a Republic is Service to God. The Bible teaches no Such thing and the early Christians never participated in protest.
AVOID also the Multitude of charlatans, phony healers, false signs and wonders and emotion driven non-sense that has no bases in Scripture. Don’t get caught up in their fake revivals believing that you have touched by the Spirit of God. They have NOTHING to do with the TRUTH and the Only spirit among them is the spirit of error. Many of them are already Demon Possessed and very dangerous to befriend.
Always remember what the Apostles warned about the Armor of God and Satan as the Roaring Lion. DO NOT under estimate the Power and Depth of this System to which they have sold their souls.
Keep yourself Clear of the Heaps of Celebrity Preachers, book writers, Seminar speakers, TV personalities, and those puffed up with knowledge. False teachers love to be seen as Bible Scholars with ready answers to every objection, so they can impress you with their great learning. These large Ministries thrive on showmanship and glitter. They have tons of money at their disposal (the wages of unrighteousness!) to broadcast, publish and buy their way into every activity under the sun. That’s what makes them so appealing to the flesh. They offer every vain amusement the people could desire and top it off with a Gospel that has everyone Saved and Covered.
Remember: No Matter What a Preacher may say or how good it Sounds, IF he Believes that a person is Born in Sin hating God, then the Soul MUST be Saved in sin. NO EXCEPTIONS! Every Doctrine that defends this premise ends up at the Bottom of the Rabbit Hole directly from the Mind of Satan himself!
The Battle begins here, NOT in doctrinal debates. You MUST first Expose the fallacy of Original Sin and be able to FULLY Prove by the Word of God that man is NOT Born a Sinner by Nature. He becomes a Slave to Sin BY CHOICE, NOT By Nature. Then the force of habit puts him in Bondage.
Anything you can DO or Say inside the System will be to no Purpose whatsoever, unless you can pull down the Stronghold of this lie (original sin) First and foremost. It is what Supports the entire structure of False Doctrines across every denomination, creed, and all religious practice. As long as the Preachers are fully convinced that man is born a sinner, Christianity will remain a ‘Sinning Religion’ and everyone by Necessity MUST be Saved in Sin. Which means NO ONE is being Saved! That’s a hard pill to swallow, but when you do take it in, Your Eyes will be FULLY Open to the Truth.
Friday, 12 March 2010
Merchandising Souls!
FIRST SEE: MIKE DESARIO'S YOU TUBE SERIES
http://www.standingthegap.org/You%20Tube%20Aricles.htm
Merchandising Souls!
http://www.standingthegap.org/Merchandising%20Souls.htm
Recently while driving my wife to store outside of our town we passed several massively large churches right off the highway that had the appearance of Global Company headquarters. These churches were situated on large plots of land, probably over a hundred acres or more, and decked out with more fan fare to advertise their location than most fast food restaurants. I felt overwhelmed by the sheer scope of these citadels, let alone their enormous size! I imaged the amount of people attending the place and the financial support it must require to maintain such a thing. It made me feel pretty insignificance. A VERY SMALL number of us (brothers & sisters in Christ) battle this onslaught, but against THIS, what could we possible do? How could anyone gain an inroad into deception on this scale? It’s MASSIVE!
I Concluded that Preaching the Lie is an Expensive Undertaking, but it seems to Work very well. And it pays just as well. NO ONE in this System is going to DO ANYTHING to Jeopardize the set up. They are obligated to Keep the people happy, comfortable and coming back for more. No one is going to come if they are made to feel convicted of anything or condemned for their bad behavior. So Gospel MUST be designed in such a way as to accommodate these desires. Sins are Forgiven in advance, Personal behavior doesn’t count, Jesus Obeyed for you and you’re Eternally Secure no matter what! Could anything be better? Have fun, live it up and Don’t worry about it! The Pleasure Palaces you call Churches will hand it to you on a silver platter!
But I’m preaching to the choir, right? NO ONE in the System is going to read any of this, or CARE if they did. They FEAR NOTHING, Especially God. To them He is a big jovial loving being somewhere out there in the vast universe handing out goodies to those who profess belief in His Son Jesus. He makes NO Demands on anyone and bestows His Free Grace on all despite their continued wrong doing. Everyone can feel good about themselves, no one will ever Judge them and the activities keep them busy so no one can focus on the true state of things.
The Preachers who run these Multi-Million dollar country clubs are the greatest con men on earth. Like expert circus performers they motivate and keep everything on a positive note. It’s there job to dance around the Scriptures in the Bible in such a manner that convinces the people they are telling the truth, but also keeps them in the dark and in a state of confusion. Thus they spoon feed them Doctrine, quoting from other famous, celebrity type teachers to add creditability into the mix. The people lap it up like Chicken soup, never questioning anything that is said, lest they be exposed for their own hypocrisy.
Many of these people probably do THINK that the Core Message is really true, that they are forgiven in advance and God can’t see them sinning or doesn’t care that they do. Its COMPLETE Foolishness, based on NOTHING, but it sells very well to the masses and like the Sheep they are, they follow these Preachers to their Doom, wholly unaware that the whole thing is a HUGE LIE. Even if they did Read their Bibles its without discernment. The Preachers tactfully use all the KEY words, like Faith, Repentance, Grace, Not of works and no one is perfect. They basically have the Gospel capsulated down to: ‘Accept, Receive and Trust’ as a Package Plan for Eternal Salvation. The People certainly seem to love it because they respond in droves and like I said, MOST of them Really Believe they are getting SAVED by a God who loves them Just the way they are!
Accordingly the Preachers and leaders in these Clubs have only to adopt the standard of a motivational speaker and a story telling comedian to keep the people happy. Attending these monster churches over the years I’ve noticed that the folks LOVE to hear a good anecdote told by the preacher. And it usually sets the stage well for their little sermonette that follows. Then they will most likely throw in something about continued giving or attending some up-coming seminar about how to donate your estate to the church after you go home to be with Jesus! Everyone walks away all smiles, warm and fuzzy inside, wishing the preacher well and thanking him for giving them such a great message. It’s like Dorothy in the Land of Oz, everything is in LIVING COLOR and the little people are dancing and singing for Joy!
I think of things like: Strong Delusion, the Spirit of Error, Ministers of Satan dressed as Sheep! How they have Traded the Truth of God for a Lie and taken Pleasure in their sins. That God has probably GIVEN they up and over to Reprobated Minds feasting on the lusts of the flesh.
But I’ve Said all these things a thousand times before and shouted them from the roof-tops with our faithful brothers in this Mess. We have written reams of warnings and plastered them all over the web, mailed literally thousands of pastors all over the entire planet. TALKED until we were blue the face with others, only to be written off as heretics, reprobates or devils! It occurs to me that if ANYONE in these Systems was going to hear us or Examine the Word for themselves to escape their delusion, it would be happening already. Bottom Line: THEY SIMPLY DON’T CARE.
The Master told us not to cast our Pearls before Swine and to Shake the dirt off our feet of those who would not Receive our Message with a yielded heart. There is ONLY ONE Option Open for the Modern Day Churches (No Exceptions!) and it Starts with Sack Cloth and Ashes in Bitter and Broken Repentance. Like Nineveh, they would have to SHUT down their operations from top to bottom, get on their faces and Cry Mightily to God for Mercy! But the likelihood of that happening on any grand scale is much the same as what the Lord and His Disciples faced in Judea.
ONE GREATER than ANYONE was there among them, CALLING them to Repentance proven by Deeds. What did they Do? They Called Him the Devil and Killed Him in their ignorance.
A Preacher once told me, ‘All you preach is Repentance, don’t you think you’re overdoing it? The people think you don’t love them!’
You know, a Church surly doesn’t have to be a Million Dollar cathedral to be promoting this Lie. I’ve seen pastors who don’t even collect a pay-check up to their eyeballs in it! They won’t listen to anything else either. I guess for them the same things are at stake if they descent, as for the six figure guys. It’s not a popular notion to become an outcast when the rewards for compromise are so gratifying.
What’s the answer? WHO was the Greatest Preacher? Among ALL the Great Prophets and Holy Apostles the Lord Picked: John The Baptist! WHAT Did he Preach? (hint: it was a pretty simple message!)
REPENTANCE PROVEN BY DEEDS!!!!
He Paved the Way for the rest of us, WHO are willing the COUNT the COST, Take up our Cross and Follow! Our earthly rewards will be nil and perhaps many of use will Die for what we believe, like he did. But, to that preacher, I say: “UNTIL the People DO Repent, I Shall Preach NOTHING Else!”
http://www.standingthegap.org/You%20Tube%20Aricles.htm
Merchandising Souls!
http://www.standingthegap.org/Merchandising%20Souls.htm
Recently while driving my wife to store outside of our town we passed several massively large churches right off the highway that had the appearance of Global Company headquarters. These churches were situated on large plots of land, probably over a hundred acres or more, and decked out with more fan fare to advertise their location than most fast food restaurants. I felt overwhelmed by the sheer scope of these citadels, let alone their enormous size! I imaged the amount of people attending the place and the financial support it must require to maintain such a thing. It made me feel pretty insignificance. A VERY SMALL number of us (brothers & sisters in Christ) battle this onslaught, but against THIS, what could we possible do? How could anyone gain an inroad into deception on this scale? It’s MASSIVE!
I Concluded that Preaching the Lie is an Expensive Undertaking, but it seems to Work very well. And it pays just as well. NO ONE in this System is going to DO ANYTHING to Jeopardize the set up. They are obligated to Keep the people happy, comfortable and coming back for more. No one is going to come if they are made to feel convicted of anything or condemned for their bad behavior. So Gospel MUST be designed in such a way as to accommodate these desires. Sins are Forgiven in advance, Personal behavior doesn’t count, Jesus Obeyed for you and you’re Eternally Secure no matter what! Could anything be better? Have fun, live it up and Don’t worry about it! The Pleasure Palaces you call Churches will hand it to you on a silver platter!
But I’m preaching to the choir, right? NO ONE in the System is going to read any of this, or CARE if they did. They FEAR NOTHING, Especially God. To them He is a big jovial loving being somewhere out there in the vast universe handing out goodies to those who profess belief in His Son Jesus. He makes NO Demands on anyone and bestows His Free Grace on all despite their continued wrong doing. Everyone can feel good about themselves, no one will ever Judge them and the activities keep them busy so no one can focus on the true state of things.
The Preachers who run these Multi-Million dollar country clubs are the greatest con men on earth. Like expert circus performers they motivate and keep everything on a positive note. It’s there job to dance around the Scriptures in the Bible in such a manner that convinces the people they are telling the truth, but also keeps them in the dark and in a state of confusion. Thus they spoon feed them Doctrine, quoting from other famous, celebrity type teachers to add creditability into the mix. The people lap it up like Chicken soup, never questioning anything that is said, lest they be exposed for their own hypocrisy.
Many of these people probably do THINK that the Core Message is really true, that they are forgiven in advance and God can’t see them sinning or doesn’t care that they do. Its COMPLETE Foolishness, based on NOTHING, but it sells very well to the masses and like the Sheep they are, they follow these Preachers to their Doom, wholly unaware that the whole thing is a HUGE LIE. Even if they did Read their Bibles its without discernment. The Preachers tactfully use all the KEY words, like Faith, Repentance, Grace, Not of works and no one is perfect. They basically have the Gospel capsulated down to: ‘Accept, Receive and Trust’ as a Package Plan for Eternal Salvation. The People certainly seem to love it because they respond in droves and like I said, MOST of them Really Believe they are getting SAVED by a God who loves them Just the way they are!
Accordingly the Preachers and leaders in these Clubs have only to adopt the standard of a motivational speaker and a story telling comedian to keep the people happy. Attending these monster churches over the years I’ve noticed that the folks LOVE to hear a good anecdote told by the preacher. And it usually sets the stage well for their little sermonette that follows. Then they will most likely throw in something about continued giving or attending some up-coming seminar about how to donate your estate to the church after you go home to be with Jesus! Everyone walks away all smiles, warm and fuzzy inside, wishing the preacher well and thanking him for giving them such a great message. It’s like Dorothy in the Land of Oz, everything is in LIVING COLOR and the little people are dancing and singing for Joy!
I think of things like: Strong Delusion, the Spirit of Error, Ministers of Satan dressed as Sheep! How they have Traded the Truth of God for a Lie and taken Pleasure in their sins. That God has probably GIVEN they up and over to Reprobated Minds feasting on the lusts of the flesh.
But I’ve Said all these things a thousand times before and shouted them from the roof-tops with our faithful brothers in this Mess. We have written reams of warnings and plastered them all over the web, mailed literally thousands of pastors all over the entire planet. TALKED until we were blue the face with others, only to be written off as heretics, reprobates or devils! It occurs to me that if ANYONE in these Systems was going to hear us or Examine the Word for themselves to escape their delusion, it would be happening already. Bottom Line: THEY SIMPLY DON’T CARE.
The Master told us not to cast our Pearls before Swine and to Shake the dirt off our feet of those who would not Receive our Message with a yielded heart. There is ONLY ONE Option Open for the Modern Day Churches (No Exceptions!) and it Starts with Sack Cloth and Ashes in Bitter and Broken Repentance. Like Nineveh, they would have to SHUT down their operations from top to bottom, get on their faces and Cry Mightily to God for Mercy! But the likelihood of that happening on any grand scale is much the same as what the Lord and His Disciples faced in Judea.
ONE GREATER than ANYONE was there among them, CALLING them to Repentance proven by Deeds. What did they Do? They Called Him the Devil and Killed Him in their ignorance.
A Preacher once told me, ‘All you preach is Repentance, don’t you think you’re overdoing it? The people think you don’t love them!’
You know, a Church surly doesn’t have to be a Million Dollar cathedral to be promoting this Lie. I’ve seen pastors who don’t even collect a pay-check up to their eyeballs in it! They won’t listen to anything else either. I guess for them the same things are at stake if they descent, as for the six figure guys. It’s not a popular notion to become an outcast when the rewards for compromise are so gratifying.
What’s the answer? WHO was the Greatest Preacher? Among ALL the Great Prophets and Holy Apostles the Lord Picked: John The Baptist! WHAT Did he Preach? (hint: it was a pretty simple message!)
REPENTANCE PROVEN BY DEEDS!!!!
He Paved the Way for the rest of us, WHO are willing the COUNT the COST, Take up our Cross and Follow! Our earthly rewards will be nil and perhaps many of use will Die for what we believe, like he did. But, to that preacher, I say: “UNTIL the People DO Repent, I Shall Preach NOTHING Else!”
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Joel Osteen and The Prosperity Gospel
FIRST SEE: JOEL OSTEEN: TRUE OF FALSE
http://www.av1611.org/osteen.html
ALSO SEE: NEW AGE FAITH IS BEING TAUGHT AS BIBLE FAITH
http://www.combineharvesting.com/new%20age%20faith%20%A0is%20being%20taught%20as%20bible%20faith.htm
Joel Osteen and The Prosperity Gospel
http://www.svchapel.org/resources/articles/22-contemporary-issues/620-joel-osteen-and-the-prosperity-gospel
Written by Gary Gilley
(June/July 2009 - Volume 15, Issue 4)
The New Age book and video by Rhonda Byrne, The Secret, which gained popularity recently due to Oprah Winfrey’s strong promotion, teaches that we can “create [our] own happiness through the law of attraction.” Whether it is cash, health, prosperity or happiness, all can be ours if we will just learn to use “the secret.” Byrne tells us, “Disease cannot live in a body that is in a healthy emotional state.” But be warned: “If you have a disease and you are focusing on it and talking to people about it, you are going to create more disease cells.”[1]
Such rhetoric should sound familiar to anyone even faintly aware of the Word of Faith Movement, often termed “the prosperity gospel.” This group has been infiltrating evangelicalism for decades and is now the fastest growing segment of Christianity in the world. Some have estimated that up to 90 percent of those claiming to be Christians in Africa are of the prosperity gospel variety.
Well-known personalities within the movement include Kenneth Hagin (deceased), Kenneth Copeland, Robert Tilton, Paul Yonggi Cho, Benny Hinn, Marilyn Hickey, Frederick Price, John Avanzini, Charles Capps, Jerry Savelle, Morris Cerullo, Joyce Meyer and Paul and Jan Crouch.
As implied by the title “Word of Faith,” the supporters of this movement believe that faith works like a mighty power or force. Through faith we can obtain anything we want — health, wealth, success, or whatever we please. However, this force is released only through the spoken word. As we speak words of faith, power is discharged to accomplish our desires.
In Christianity in Crisis, Hank Hanegraaff summarizes the theology of Kenneth Hagin (considered by many to be the father of this movement) as found in his booklet How to Write Your Own Ticket with God:
In the opening chapter, titled “Jesus Appears to Me,” Hagin claims that while he was “in the Spirit,” Jesus told him to get a pencil and a piece of paper. He then instructed him to “write down: 1, 2, 3, 4.” Jesus then allegedly told Hagin that “if anybody, anywhere, will take these four steps or put these four principles into operation, he will always receive whatever he wants from Me or from God the Father.” That includes whatever you want financially. The formula is simply: “Say it, Do it, Receive it, and Tell it.”
Step number one is “Say it.” “Positive or negative, it is up to the individual. According to what the individual says, that shall he receive.”
Step number two is “Do it.” “Your action defeats you or puts you over. According to your action, you receive or you are kept from receiving.”
Step number three is “Receive it.” We are to plug into the “powerhouse of heaven.” “Faith is the plug, praise God! Just plug in.”
Step number four is, “Tell it so others may believe.” This final step might be considered the Faith movement’s outreach program.[2]
Kenneth Copeland states the faith formula this way: “All it takes is 1) seeing or visualizing whatever you need, whether physical or financial; 2) staking your claim on Scripture; and 3) speaking it into existence.” [3]
Paul Yonggi Cho, pastor of the world’s largest church in South Korea , borrowing from the occult, has developed what he calls the “Law of Incubation.” Here is how it works: “First make a clear-cut goal, then draw a mental picture, vivid and graphic, to visualize success. Then incubate it into reality, and finally speak it into existence through the creative power of the spoken word.”[4]
If a positive confession of faith releases good things, a negative confession can actually backfire. Capps says the tongue “can kill you, or it can release the life of God within you.” This is so because, “Faith is a seed . . . you plant it by speaking it.” There is power in “the evil fourth dimension” says Cho.
Hagin informs us that if you confess sickness you get sickness, if you confess health you get health; whatever you say you get. The spoken word releases power — power for good or power for evil is the commonly held view of the movement. It is easy to see why the title “positive confession” is often applied to this group.
As you might guess, the teachings of the “Word of Faith” movement are very attractive to some. If we can produce whatever our hearts desire by simply demanding what we want by faith, if we can manipulate the universe and perhaps even God, then we have our own personal genie just waiting to fulfill our wishes. The similarities between Word of Faith teachings and The Secret are unmistakable.
The New Look: Joel Osteen
Many Christians can discern the obvious error of New Age teachings behind The Secret and similar books such as Eckhart Tolle’s The New Earth (another Oprah favorite), as well as the over-the-top proclamations of many within the prosperity gospel movement. However when similar teachings are repackaged, reworded and presented in a winsome fashion, a larger number will fall prey. Enter Joel Osteen and his brand of the prosperity gospel-lite. As we will see, Osteen teaches essentially the same theology as his Word of Faith mentors, but he gives it an updated twist.
Joel Osteen has become a household name due to his incredible success. He “pastors” the largest church in America , Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, which in 2008 boasted average weekend atten dance of 43,500, almost double that of its nearest competitor.[5] Osteen took the helm of Lakewood Church in 1999 upon the death of his father, John. John Osteen was openly a prosperity gospel preacher who founded Lakewood in 1959 and had built it into a 6000 member church before his son replaced him. Joel, who until that point had given leadership to the television ministry of Lakewood and had preached only once before, was thrust into the pulpit and immediately the church began to explode. Today Lakewood services are broadcast in over 100 countries, Joel has written two multi-million seller books, and he, along with his wife, mother, and numerous musicians from Lakewood, travel throughout the world offering an event they call “A Night of Hope.” While most churches struggle to find and keep members, people are willing to purchase $15 tickets to attend “A Night of Hope” and the auditoriums are usually packed.
Osteen has no theological training and it is obvious from his books, sermons and interviews on television that he has little knowledge of the Scripture. Nevertheless, he has caught an unprecedented wave of popularity and could clearly claim the title as the most admired pastor in America . This popularity of course is due largely to his message. Eschewing anything controversial or negative (such as hell or judgment or even sin), Osteen proclaims a message of pure positivism. The title of his first book, Your Best Life Now, summarizes what Osteen has to offer his many audiences. If we will follow certain principles or steps (seven to be exact), so the storyline goes, our existence will be happy, healthy, and blessed with everything that would make this life wonderful. This is a message that appeals to the flesh of unbelievers and worldly- minded Christians and would account for the superstar status that Osteen now has. Of course this is a harsh accusation. I am charging Joel Osteen with being a false teacher: a man who has twisted the gospel to entice the fallen nature of people, who has turned God into a genie, and who has distorted Scripture to present a warm and fuzzy yet warped form of Christianity. In order to see if I am correct or just being mean-spirited, we need to turn to Osteen’s actual words as found in Your Best Life Now.
What the reader will find in this best selling book is a mixture of common sense, helpful practical advice, and a multitude of success stories interlaced with a heavy dose of deceitful teaching. Let’s begin with the gospel. It is not so much that Osteen presents a false gospel (which he seems to do in Your Best Life Now) but rather, no gospel at all. In a 300 page book which will be read by millions of unbelievers, the closest Osteen ever comes to the gospel is, “Work out your own salvation. Salvation is more than a onetime prayer. It is constantly working with God, dealing with the issues He brings up and keeping a good attitude, fighting through until you win the victory.”[6] What Osteen believes concerning the gospel is uncertain, but what is undeniable is that the emphasis of his ministry is maintaining a positive outlook on life rather than a right relationship with God. Except for this one sentence, the entirety of the book is taken up with “seven steps to living at your full potential” as stated in the subtitle. This theme resonates with the thinking of those whose lives and minds are in conformity with this world system rather than being “transformed by the renewing of our minds” (Rom 12:2).
It really should not surprise us that men like Osteen have caught the public’s eye since they are merely telling it what it wants to hear (2 Tim 4:3) which is: we need to make the best of this life, enjoy every minute we can, because this is the best it is ever going to be. This philosophy is the world’s, not God’s who consistently calls us to live for higher values than this world and self (1 John 2:15-17). As Paul wrote to the church at Colossae, “Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on the earth” ( Col 3:2). Paul did not mean by this, as conservative Christians are often accused, that we are to ignore life on this planet and go hide somewhere until the Lord returns. It means that we live for a higher purpose than personal pleasure and success “for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” ( Col 3:3). Osteen makes no attempt to draw his readers to this higher purpose, to a life lived for God. Instead God is to be manipulated for our own pleasure. I think Osteen would appreciate Eliphaz’s advice to Job (later condemned by God), “Yield now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you” (Job 22:21).
Let’s take some looks at specifics:
The Offer
Osteen’s attraction is found in what he is offering which is nothing less than a life of good health, abundance, wealth, prosperity and success, “If you develop an image of victory, success, health, abundance, joy, peace, and happiness, nothing on earth will be able to hold those things from you” (p. 5).[7] Since these are the things most people treasure and, since Jesus informed us that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:21), it is predictable that the seductive promise of a map leading to these treasures would find many adherents. And it certainly does. But what specifically is being offered?
Health
If we follow the teachings of Osteen we can expect good health. His mother for example was diagnosed with terminal cancer twenty years ago, but because she confessed good health she is cancer free today (pp. 126-127). As a matter of fact, one of the highlights of the “A Night of Hope” events is the testimony by Osteen’s mother concerning her physical healing – implying of course, that those in the audience can also be healed if they will but do what Joel suggests.
Abundance
Osteen, without qualification, declares that all of us are destined for greatness of every kind: “You were born to win; you were born for greatness, you were created to be a champion in life” (p. 35), and abundance, “He wants you to live in abundance. He wants to give you the desires of your heart…God is turning things around in your favor” (p. 78). As a matter of fact, apparently irrespective of our relationship with God, “Before we were ever formed, He programmed us to live abundant lives, to be happy, healthy, and whole. But when our thinking becomes contaminated it is no longer in line with God’s Word” (p. 114).
Two things should be noted at this juncture. First, the Scriptures teach no such thing. While eternal life with the Lord is the ultimate destiny of the redeemed, judgment and then the lake of fire is the ultimate destiny of the lost (2 Thess 1:9; Rev 20:14-15). In the meanwhile, in this life the rain falls on the just and the unjust, and Christians may suffer as many trials as unbelievers, perhaps more (Rom 5:3-5; James 1:2-4; 2 Cor 4:8-12, 11:23-29; Heb 11:35-40). It is true that Psalm 37:4 promises, “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart,” but upon a little reflection it will be seen that one who delights himself in the Lord desires God, not mere material blessings, good parking spots, success in business and a nice wardrobe. Osteen’s program trivializes the abundant life Jesus came to give His followers (John 10:10).
Secondly, when the prosperity teachers use the phrase “God’s Word,” the reader must carefully discern what is meant. Often, as in this case, “God’s Word” is not a reference to the Bible but to words spoken, supposedly by God, extrabiblically through the Word of Faith adherents. Osteen then is not accusing people of being out of step with the Scriptures, but being out of step with the teachings of men such as himself. This is nothing less than a claim that God has revealed His Word apart from Scripture and through prosperity leaders.
Wealth
“God wants to increase you financially, by giving you promotions, fresh ideas and creativity” (p. 5), or so Osteen promises. How does he know this since in biblical times promotions were not common practice, fresh ideas and creativity did not carry the value they do today and wealth was not necessarily seen as a sign of God’s pleasure? Someone might counter that David and Solomon were wealthy, but this was not the case for Jeremiah and Habakkuk, both godly men who lost everything. Job flourished for a time, lost it all, and then gained it back. Did one of Job’s “comforters” clue him in on prosperity philosophy? Was that the turning point? Hardly. It was when Job repented of his arrogance that God restored his former affluence, and God was under no obligation to do that. The scriptural principle is that the Lord is sovereignly at work in our lives. He can choose to bless us with riches, or He can choose to bless us by taking our riches away.
So where does Osteen come up with the idea that “God wants to increase us financially?” His basis is in his very limited and selective experience. He tells us, for example, that when his father was “willing to go beyond the barriers of the past [by applying the principles found in this book], he broke that curse of poverty in our family. Now, my siblings and I, and our children, grandchildren, even great-grandchildren, are all going to experience more of the goodness of God because of what one man did” (p. 25). Of course, millions of examples throughout the world and throughout history could be given of godly people living in poverty, and the children of the wealthy wasting their inheritance and privileges, but Osteen seems to conveniently ignore such examples. Instead he is convinced “God wants to give you your own house” (p. 35). The U.S. government and the banking system seemed to agree with Osteen until the recent economic crash. Now they’re taking away many of those houses. But this does not deter Osteen; he is persuaded that we will prosper.
Prosperity
Prosperity is more than health and wealth; it includes all the good things life can give. Apparently God is working extra hard to make life easy for us. Osteen promises, “It’s going to happen… Suddenly, your situation will change for the better…He will bring your dreams to pass” (pp. 196-198). Such statements leave no room for the cancer patient who does not get better, the factory worker who is laid off and never again finds a comparable job, the athlete who has a career-ending injury, or all those losers at the “American Idol” auditions (we can be thankful for this one at least). Such people would have reason to question Osteen’s pronouncement that, “God didn’t make you to be average. God created you to excel” (p. 82). Just two minutes of reflection would unveil the fallacy of this statement. By definition everyone cannot be above average – somebody has to be in the middle of the pack, and someone has to bring up the rear. This kind of idea sounds like the familiar grade inflation going on in many of our schools and universities today. If ninety percent of students all make an “A” average (which is not uncommon anymore) that does not mean that they are smarter than past students, it just means that the evaluation system has been changed so that more students (and potential employers) think they are successful. In addition, did not Paul tell us that of the ones God calls there are “not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise…” (1 Cor 1:27)? Our Lord seems to have standards and values that are out of alignment with Osteen’s.
Still Osteen insists, “You will often receive preferential treatment simply because your Father is the King of kings, and His glory and honor spill over onto you” (p. 40). Osteen prays, “Father, I thank you that I have Your favor” (p. 41). By God’s favor Osteen has in mind such earth shaking issues as finding the perfect parking spot in a crowded lot (pp. 41-42). Why a perfectly healthy middle-aged man would pray for the premier parking spot, knowing of course that someone with greater physical needs will be denied such a spot, is never explained. Osteen admits God sometimes refuses to answer his parking prayer, but this “doesn’t mean that I am going to quit believing in the favor of God” (p. 43). Osteen can’t lose. If he finds the best spot in the lot he has God’s favor; if he circles for 15 minutes and fails in this all-important task, it is not going to derail his theology.
Success
“God wants you to go further than your parents” (p. 8). This statement is made without a speck of biblical evidence. On the contrary it was a rarity in Scripture to find a child who exceeded a godly or successful parent. Further, the same is often true in our own experience – some children go further than their parents, others do not. Osteen is making an unsupportable statement.
But not to be deterred we are told, “God wants you to live an overcoming life of victory. He doesn’t want you to barely get by. He’s called El Shaddai, ‘the God of more than enough’” (p. 33, emphasis his). On the contrary: El Shaddai is a title used for our Lord in the Old Testament which is often translated “God Almighty.” It speaks of the all sufficiency of God, and is a special title of reverence. Osteen has invented his own meaning and in the process turned God into our personal sugar daddy, ready to hand out the goodies to any who think they have discovered the secret to His heart.
Good self-image
“God wants us to have healthy, positive self-images, to see ourselves as priceless treasures. He wants us to feel good about ourselves… God sees you as a champion… He regards you as a strong, courageous, successful, overcoming person” (p. 57-58). Really? From what source does Osteen draw his view of self-image? Certainly not Scripture which never mentions such a thing. Rather than chase after good self-images Paul warns us “not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment” (Rom 12:3). But instead of taking seriously the instruction of Scripture, Osteen is happy to chase after the fads found in pop-psychology. He goes on, “When you are tempted to get discouraged, remind yourself that according to God’s Word, your future is getting brighter; you are on your way to a new level of glory” (p. 67). Eternally this is a true statement for the child of God, but to promise such will be the case in this life is pure deception. And since Osteen makes no distinction between the redeemed and the unregenerate in his book, he is offering a false and damning hope to most of his audience, those who do not know Christ as their Savior.
The Belief System
Upon what does Osteen base his belief system? It is certainly not Scripture for the Bible never teaches anything remotely similar to this prosperity brand of Christianity. That is not to say that Your Best Life Now is totally devoid of biblical references, but the few that are attempted are almost all hopelessly out of context or twisted beyond recognition (see pp. 10,14,18, 30-31, 33, 61, 76, 79-83, 87-89, 104, 115, 129-130, 134,164). Osteen gives notice early and often that his views are not drawn fundamentally from Scripture but from his experiences and those of others. Still, in the introduction Osteen writes, “Within these pages, you will find seven simple, yet profound, steps to improve your life, regardless of your current level of success or lack of it. I know these steps work, because they have worked in the lives of my family members, friends, and associates, as well as in my own life” (p. viii).
Osteen supports his thesis through the use of numerous success stories of one type or another. Some of his stories are impossible and/or at best incapable of being documented and therefore raise a red flag concerning his integrity (pp. 12, 23, 73, 122, 161, 167, 201-202, 229, 280-281, 292). Others are highly selective examples of happy endings (see pp. 4, 7-8, 27, 111-112, 125, 127, 199-200, 246). As a result of such stories Osteen can promise that, if his theories are embraced, “suddenly, things will change, suddenly, that business will take off. Suddenly, your husband will desire a relationship with God. Suddenly, that wayward child will come home. Suddenly, God will bring your hopes and dreams to pass” (p. 199). Or maybe not! Inexplicably (given his belief system and insistence that God will bring prosperity to our lives if we follow the formula) Osteen must admit that all things do not end in success. Both his sister and father experienced the failure of divorce (pp. 151, 176), some people are not healed (pp. 181-182), things don’t always work out the way we desire (pp. 207-209), his father suffered kidney failure and was on dialysis for years (p. 247) and died of a heart attack (p. 248). While Osteen declares “God does not send problems” he admits that “sometimes He allows us to go through them” (p. 205). But the fact is that even in Osteen’s story-theology world the people of God suffer the same ups and downs, successes and failures, health and sickness and so forth as the unbeliever. One has only to glance through the Psalms to realize that this is not our “best life now.” We live in a corrupt world and until the Lord returns our sin-tainted universe will often disappoint and grieve us. Stories of success (and failure) can be lined up from here to eternity, but such stories are not the basis of truth, or of life; the Word of God is.
The Methods
Drawing, however, from many selective stories, and ignoring what God has to say, Osteen presents a methodology that he promises will produce a life of abundance, success, health and affluence. This system is not unique to Osteen, having come almost verbatim from the prosperity teachers mentioned above, but he has taken this false teaching to a new audience. Let’s examine how the program works.
There are three basic steps to “your best life now.”
Visualization
The initial step in Osteen’s program is visualization: “The first step to living at your full potential is to enlarge your vision. To live your best life now, you must start looking at life through eyes of faith, seeing yourself rising to new levels. See your business taking off. See your marriage restored. See your family prospering. See your dreams coming to pass. You must conceive it and believe it is possible if you ever hope to experience it” (p. 4, emphasis his).
The reason why visualization is necessary is because it has the power to bring about what you envision. “You will produce what you’re continually seeing in your mind… If you develop an image of victory, success, health, abundance, joy, peace, and happiness, nothing on earth will be able to hold those things from you… Start anticipating promotions and supernatural increase. You must conceive it in your heart and mind before you can receive it… You must make room for increase in your own thinking, and then God will bring those things to pass” (pp. 5-6).
Apparently even God is at the mercy of that which we visualize; after all, “Thoughts [not God] determine destiny” (p. 101). “If you don’t think your body can be healed, it never will be… When you think positive, excellent thoughts, you will be propelled toward greatness, inevitably bound for increase, promotion, and God’s supernatural blessings” (p. 104).
Faith
It is not enough to think about and visualize what we want, we must also express faith. “God works by faith. You must believe first, and then you’ll receive” (p. 33). “We receive what we believe. Unfortunately, this principle works as strongly in the negative as it does in the positive” (p. 72). “Understand this: God will help you, but you cast the deciding vote… [we must] get into agreement with God” (p. 74). “It’s our faith that activates the power of God” (p. 306).
It is vital that we visualize what we want and to expect (“express faith”) because our faith attracts what we visualize. While Osteen never calls this the “law of attraction" notice its similarity to the same concept as taught by New Age teachers such as Eckhart Tolle, Rhonda Byrne and others. “Your life will follow your expectations. What you expect is what you will get” (p. 13). “Our thoughts contain tremendous power. Remember, we draw into our lives that which we constantly think about. If we’re always dwelling on the negative, we will attract negative people, experiences, and attitudes. If we’re always dwelling on our fears, we will draw in more fear. You are setting the direction of your life with your thoughts” (p. 109).
Words
Still, it is not enough to think good thoughts and express faith in them; it is necessary to speak your desires out loud. This is why the prosperity gospel is often called the “Word of Faith” movement – for power lies in the spoken word. Follow Osteen’s thinking. “Our words have tremendous power, and whether we want to or not, we will give life to what we’re saying, either good or bad… Words are similar to seeds, by speaking them aloud, they are planted in our subconscious minds, and they take on a life of their own” (p. 122). Osteen suggests, “Get up each morning and look in the mirror and say, ‘I am valuable. I am loved. God has a great plan
for my life. I have favor wherever I go. God’s blessings are chasing me down and overtaking me. Everything I touch prospers and succeeds. I’m excited about my future!’ Start speaking those kinds of words, and before long, you will rise to a new level of well-being, success, and victory. There truly is power in your words” (p. 123).
But there is more. We must also speak to our problems, “Whatever your mountain is, you must do more than think about it, more than pray about it; you must speak to that obstacle… Start calling yourself healed, happy, whole, blessed, and prosperous. Stop talking to God about how big your mountains are, and start talking to your mountains about how big your God is” (p. 124). Osteen can confidently promise us, “Friend, there is a miracle in your mouth” (p. 125). How so? “The moment you speak something out, you give birth to it. This is a spiritual principle, and it works whether what you are saying is good or bad, positive or negative” (p. 129). Therefore, “You must start boldly confessing God’s Word, using your words to move forward in life, to bring to life the great things God has in store for you” (p. 130).
And it is totally up to us to pull this kind of life off. “God has already done everything He’s going to do. The ball is now in your court. If you want success, if you want wisdom, if you want to be prosperous and healthy, you’re going to have to do more than meditate and believe; you must boldly declare words of faith and victory over yourself and your family” (p. 132). Osteen is presenting a pure self-help program and baptizing it in the name of God. Those who fail to reach these promised benefits have only themselves to blame, since they apparently did not follow Osteen’s formula.
Conclusion
Whenever the supposed things of God and people of God become popular with the inhabitants of this fallen world we would be wise to walk softly and be extra discerning. The Jews persecuted and/or killed almost every one of their prophets (Acts 7:52); the apostles were despised by the world and Jesus was murdered by those He came to save. Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness (Matt 5:11) and warned, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). Why? Because the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Cor 1:18). Therefore when we find a Christian message or ministry or man or woman being praised by unbelievers we can be assured that either unregenerate humanity has not yet caught on to what is being said, or that what they are saying is in line with what the unbeliever already believes. As we have demonstrated Osteen’s message is exactly what unbelievers and undiscerning Christians want to believe and they are thrilled to have someone who claims to be a reliable spokesperson for God agree with them. This would account for Osteen’s incredible success, but it does not account for, or excuse, the inconceivable gullibility and immaturity of professing Christians.
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[1] Taken from The Secret DVD.
[2] Hank Hanegraaff, Christianity in Crisis (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1993), p. 74, 75.
[3] Ibid., p. 80.
[4] Ibid., pp. 83, 84.
[5] http://churchrelevance.com/top-100-largest-churches-in-america-of-2008/. It is worthy of note that according to this source, attendance has dropped by 3,500 people from the previous year; a virtual megachurch in its own right.
[6] Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now ( New York: Faith Word, 2004), p. 212.
[7] Quotes and page numbers throughout the rest of this book are taken from Osteen, Your Best Life Now.
http://www.av1611.org/osteen.html
ALSO SEE: NEW AGE FAITH IS BEING TAUGHT AS BIBLE FAITH
http://www.combineharvesting.com/new%20age%20faith%20%A0is%20being%20taught%20as%20bible%20faith.htm
Joel Osteen and The Prosperity Gospel
http://www.svchapel.org/resources/articles/22-contemporary-issues/620-joel-osteen-and-the-prosperity-gospel
Written by Gary Gilley
(June/July 2009 - Volume 15, Issue 4)
The New Age book and video by Rhonda Byrne, The Secret, which gained popularity recently due to Oprah Winfrey’s strong promotion, teaches that we can “create [our] own happiness through the law of attraction.” Whether it is cash, health, prosperity or happiness, all can be ours if we will just learn to use “the secret.” Byrne tells us, “Disease cannot live in a body that is in a healthy emotional state.” But be warned: “If you have a disease and you are focusing on it and talking to people about it, you are going to create more disease cells.”[1]
Such rhetoric should sound familiar to anyone even faintly aware of the Word of Faith Movement, often termed “the prosperity gospel.” This group has been infiltrating evangelicalism for decades and is now the fastest growing segment of Christianity in the world. Some have estimated that up to 90 percent of those claiming to be Christians in Africa are of the prosperity gospel variety.
Well-known personalities within the movement include Kenneth Hagin (deceased), Kenneth Copeland, Robert Tilton, Paul Yonggi Cho, Benny Hinn, Marilyn Hickey, Frederick Price, John Avanzini, Charles Capps, Jerry Savelle, Morris Cerullo, Joyce Meyer and Paul and Jan Crouch.
As implied by the title “Word of Faith,” the supporters of this movement believe that faith works like a mighty power or force. Through faith we can obtain anything we want — health, wealth, success, or whatever we please. However, this force is released only through the spoken word. As we speak words of faith, power is discharged to accomplish our desires.
In Christianity in Crisis, Hank Hanegraaff summarizes the theology of Kenneth Hagin (considered by many to be the father of this movement) as found in his booklet How to Write Your Own Ticket with God:
In the opening chapter, titled “Jesus Appears to Me,” Hagin claims that while he was “in the Spirit,” Jesus told him to get a pencil and a piece of paper. He then instructed him to “write down: 1, 2, 3, 4.” Jesus then allegedly told Hagin that “if anybody, anywhere, will take these four steps or put these four principles into operation, he will always receive whatever he wants from Me or from God the Father.” That includes whatever you want financially. The formula is simply: “Say it, Do it, Receive it, and Tell it.”
Step number one is “Say it.” “Positive or negative, it is up to the individual. According to what the individual says, that shall he receive.”
Step number two is “Do it.” “Your action defeats you or puts you over. According to your action, you receive or you are kept from receiving.”
Step number three is “Receive it.” We are to plug into the “powerhouse of heaven.” “Faith is the plug, praise God! Just plug in.”
Step number four is, “Tell it so others may believe.” This final step might be considered the Faith movement’s outreach program.[2]
Kenneth Copeland states the faith formula this way: “All it takes is 1) seeing or visualizing whatever you need, whether physical or financial; 2) staking your claim on Scripture; and 3) speaking it into existence.” [3]
Paul Yonggi Cho, pastor of the world’s largest church in South Korea , borrowing from the occult, has developed what he calls the “Law of Incubation.” Here is how it works: “First make a clear-cut goal, then draw a mental picture, vivid and graphic, to visualize success. Then incubate it into reality, and finally speak it into existence through the creative power of the spoken word.”[4]
If a positive confession of faith releases good things, a negative confession can actually backfire. Capps says the tongue “can kill you, or it can release the life of God within you.” This is so because, “Faith is a seed . . . you plant it by speaking it.” There is power in “the evil fourth dimension” says Cho.
Hagin informs us that if you confess sickness you get sickness, if you confess health you get health; whatever you say you get. The spoken word releases power — power for good or power for evil is the commonly held view of the movement. It is easy to see why the title “positive confession” is often applied to this group.
As you might guess, the teachings of the “Word of Faith” movement are very attractive to some. If we can produce whatever our hearts desire by simply demanding what we want by faith, if we can manipulate the universe and perhaps even God, then we have our own personal genie just waiting to fulfill our wishes. The similarities between Word of Faith teachings and The Secret are unmistakable.
The New Look: Joel Osteen
Many Christians can discern the obvious error of New Age teachings behind The Secret and similar books such as Eckhart Tolle’s The New Earth (another Oprah favorite), as well as the over-the-top proclamations of many within the prosperity gospel movement. However when similar teachings are repackaged, reworded and presented in a winsome fashion, a larger number will fall prey. Enter Joel Osteen and his brand of the prosperity gospel-lite. As we will see, Osteen teaches essentially the same theology as his Word of Faith mentors, but he gives it an updated twist.
Joel Osteen has become a household name due to his incredible success. He “pastors” the largest church in America , Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, which in 2008 boasted average weekend atten dance of 43,500, almost double that of its nearest competitor.[5] Osteen took the helm of Lakewood Church in 1999 upon the death of his father, John. John Osteen was openly a prosperity gospel preacher who founded Lakewood in 1959 and had built it into a 6000 member church before his son replaced him. Joel, who until that point had given leadership to the television ministry of Lakewood and had preached only once before, was thrust into the pulpit and immediately the church began to explode. Today Lakewood services are broadcast in over 100 countries, Joel has written two multi-million seller books, and he, along with his wife, mother, and numerous musicians from Lakewood, travel throughout the world offering an event they call “A Night of Hope.” While most churches struggle to find and keep members, people are willing to purchase $15 tickets to attend “A Night of Hope” and the auditoriums are usually packed.
Osteen has no theological training and it is obvious from his books, sermons and interviews on television that he has little knowledge of the Scripture. Nevertheless, he has caught an unprecedented wave of popularity and could clearly claim the title as the most admired pastor in America . This popularity of course is due largely to his message. Eschewing anything controversial or negative (such as hell or judgment or even sin), Osteen proclaims a message of pure positivism. The title of his first book, Your Best Life Now, summarizes what Osteen has to offer his many audiences. If we will follow certain principles or steps (seven to be exact), so the storyline goes, our existence will be happy, healthy, and blessed with everything that would make this life wonderful. This is a message that appeals to the flesh of unbelievers and worldly- minded Christians and would account for the superstar status that Osteen now has. Of course this is a harsh accusation. I am charging Joel Osteen with being a false teacher: a man who has twisted the gospel to entice the fallen nature of people, who has turned God into a genie, and who has distorted Scripture to present a warm and fuzzy yet warped form of Christianity. In order to see if I am correct or just being mean-spirited, we need to turn to Osteen’s actual words as found in Your Best Life Now.
What the reader will find in this best selling book is a mixture of common sense, helpful practical advice, and a multitude of success stories interlaced with a heavy dose of deceitful teaching. Let’s begin with the gospel. It is not so much that Osteen presents a false gospel (which he seems to do in Your Best Life Now) but rather, no gospel at all. In a 300 page book which will be read by millions of unbelievers, the closest Osteen ever comes to the gospel is, “Work out your own salvation. Salvation is more than a onetime prayer. It is constantly working with God, dealing with the issues He brings up and keeping a good attitude, fighting through until you win the victory.”[6] What Osteen believes concerning the gospel is uncertain, but what is undeniable is that the emphasis of his ministry is maintaining a positive outlook on life rather than a right relationship with God. Except for this one sentence, the entirety of the book is taken up with “seven steps to living at your full potential” as stated in the subtitle. This theme resonates with the thinking of those whose lives and minds are in conformity with this world system rather than being “transformed by the renewing of our minds” (Rom 12:2).
It really should not surprise us that men like Osteen have caught the public’s eye since they are merely telling it what it wants to hear (2 Tim 4:3) which is: we need to make the best of this life, enjoy every minute we can, because this is the best it is ever going to be. This philosophy is the world’s, not God’s who consistently calls us to live for higher values than this world and self (1 John 2:15-17). As Paul wrote to the church at Colossae, “Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on the earth” ( Col 3:2). Paul did not mean by this, as conservative Christians are often accused, that we are to ignore life on this planet and go hide somewhere until the Lord returns. It means that we live for a higher purpose than personal pleasure and success “for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” ( Col 3:3). Osteen makes no attempt to draw his readers to this higher purpose, to a life lived for God. Instead God is to be manipulated for our own pleasure. I think Osteen would appreciate Eliphaz’s advice to Job (later condemned by God), “Yield now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you” (Job 22:21).
Let’s take some looks at specifics:
The Offer
Osteen’s attraction is found in what he is offering which is nothing less than a life of good health, abundance, wealth, prosperity and success, “If you develop an image of victory, success, health, abundance, joy, peace, and happiness, nothing on earth will be able to hold those things from you” (p. 5).[7] Since these are the things most people treasure and, since Jesus informed us that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:21), it is predictable that the seductive promise of a map leading to these treasures would find many adherents. And it certainly does. But what specifically is being offered?
Health
If we follow the teachings of Osteen we can expect good health. His mother for example was diagnosed with terminal cancer twenty years ago, but because she confessed good health she is cancer free today (pp. 126-127). As a matter of fact, one of the highlights of the “A Night of Hope” events is the testimony by Osteen’s mother concerning her physical healing – implying of course, that those in the audience can also be healed if they will but do what Joel suggests.
Abundance
Osteen, without qualification, declares that all of us are destined for greatness of every kind: “You were born to win; you were born for greatness, you were created to be a champion in life” (p. 35), and abundance, “He wants you to live in abundance. He wants to give you the desires of your heart…God is turning things around in your favor” (p. 78). As a matter of fact, apparently irrespective of our relationship with God, “Before we were ever formed, He programmed us to live abundant lives, to be happy, healthy, and whole. But when our thinking becomes contaminated it is no longer in line with God’s Word” (p. 114).
Two things should be noted at this juncture. First, the Scriptures teach no such thing. While eternal life with the Lord is the ultimate destiny of the redeemed, judgment and then the lake of fire is the ultimate destiny of the lost (2 Thess 1:9; Rev 20:14-15). In the meanwhile, in this life the rain falls on the just and the unjust, and Christians may suffer as many trials as unbelievers, perhaps more (Rom 5:3-5; James 1:2-4; 2 Cor 4:8-12, 11:23-29; Heb 11:35-40). It is true that Psalm 37:4 promises, “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart,” but upon a little reflection it will be seen that one who delights himself in the Lord desires God, not mere material blessings, good parking spots, success in business and a nice wardrobe. Osteen’s program trivializes the abundant life Jesus came to give His followers (John 10:10).
Secondly, when the prosperity teachers use the phrase “God’s Word,” the reader must carefully discern what is meant. Often, as in this case, “God’s Word” is not a reference to the Bible but to words spoken, supposedly by God, extrabiblically through the Word of Faith adherents. Osteen then is not accusing people of being out of step with the Scriptures, but being out of step with the teachings of men such as himself. This is nothing less than a claim that God has revealed His Word apart from Scripture and through prosperity leaders.
Wealth
“God wants to increase you financially, by giving you promotions, fresh ideas and creativity” (p. 5), or so Osteen promises. How does he know this since in biblical times promotions were not common practice, fresh ideas and creativity did not carry the value they do today and wealth was not necessarily seen as a sign of God’s pleasure? Someone might counter that David and Solomon were wealthy, but this was not the case for Jeremiah and Habakkuk, both godly men who lost everything. Job flourished for a time, lost it all, and then gained it back. Did one of Job’s “comforters” clue him in on prosperity philosophy? Was that the turning point? Hardly. It was when Job repented of his arrogance that God restored his former affluence, and God was under no obligation to do that. The scriptural principle is that the Lord is sovereignly at work in our lives. He can choose to bless us with riches, or He can choose to bless us by taking our riches away.
So where does Osteen come up with the idea that “God wants to increase us financially?” His basis is in his very limited and selective experience. He tells us, for example, that when his father was “willing to go beyond the barriers of the past [by applying the principles found in this book], he broke that curse of poverty in our family. Now, my siblings and I, and our children, grandchildren, even great-grandchildren, are all going to experience more of the goodness of God because of what one man did” (p. 25). Of course, millions of examples throughout the world and throughout history could be given of godly people living in poverty, and the children of the wealthy wasting their inheritance and privileges, but Osteen seems to conveniently ignore such examples. Instead he is convinced “God wants to give you your own house” (p. 35). The U.S. government and the banking system seemed to agree with Osteen until the recent economic crash. Now they’re taking away many of those houses. But this does not deter Osteen; he is persuaded that we will prosper.
Prosperity
Prosperity is more than health and wealth; it includes all the good things life can give. Apparently God is working extra hard to make life easy for us. Osteen promises, “It’s going to happen… Suddenly, your situation will change for the better…He will bring your dreams to pass” (pp. 196-198). Such statements leave no room for the cancer patient who does not get better, the factory worker who is laid off and never again finds a comparable job, the athlete who has a career-ending injury, or all those losers at the “American Idol” auditions (we can be thankful for this one at least). Such people would have reason to question Osteen’s pronouncement that, “God didn’t make you to be average. God created you to excel” (p. 82). Just two minutes of reflection would unveil the fallacy of this statement. By definition everyone cannot be above average – somebody has to be in the middle of the pack, and someone has to bring up the rear. This kind of idea sounds like the familiar grade inflation going on in many of our schools and universities today. If ninety percent of students all make an “A” average (which is not uncommon anymore) that does not mean that they are smarter than past students, it just means that the evaluation system has been changed so that more students (and potential employers) think they are successful. In addition, did not Paul tell us that of the ones God calls there are “not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise…” (1 Cor 1:27)? Our Lord seems to have standards and values that are out of alignment with Osteen’s.
Still Osteen insists, “You will often receive preferential treatment simply because your Father is the King of kings, and His glory and honor spill over onto you” (p. 40). Osteen prays, “Father, I thank you that I have Your favor” (p. 41). By God’s favor Osteen has in mind such earth shaking issues as finding the perfect parking spot in a crowded lot (pp. 41-42). Why a perfectly healthy middle-aged man would pray for the premier parking spot, knowing of course that someone with greater physical needs will be denied such a spot, is never explained. Osteen admits God sometimes refuses to answer his parking prayer, but this “doesn’t mean that I am going to quit believing in the favor of God” (p. 43). Osteen can’t lose. If he finds the best spot in the lot he has God’s favor; if he circles for 15 minutes and fails in this all-important task, it is not going to derail his theology.
Success
“God wants you to go further than your parents” (p. 8). This statement is made without a speck of biblical evidence. On the contrary it was a rarity in Scripture to find a child who exceeded a godly or successful parent. Further, the same is often true in our own experience – some children go further than their parents, others do not. Osteen is making an unsupportable statement.
But not to be deterred we are told, “God wants you to live an overcoming life of victory. He doesn’t want you to barely get by. He’s called El Shaddai, ‘the God of more than enough’” (p. 33, emphasis his). On the contrary: El Shaddai is a title used for our Lord in the Old Testament which is often translated “God Almighty.” It speaks of the all sufficiency of God, and is a special title of reverence. Osteen has invented his own meaning and in the process turned God into our personal sugar daddy, ready to hand out the goodies to any who think they have discovered the secret to His heart.
Good self-image
“God wants us to have healthy, positive self-images, to see ourselves as priceless treasures. He wants us to feel good about ourselves… God sees you as a champion… He regards you as a strong, courageous, successful, overcoming person” (p. 57-58). Really? From what source does Osteen draw his view of self-image? Certainly not Scripture which never mentions such a thing. Rather than chase after good self-images Paul warns us “not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment” (Rom 12:3). But instead of taking seriously the instruction of Scripture, Osteen is happy to chase after the fads found in pop-psychology. He goes on, “When you are tempted to get discouraged, remind yourself that according to God’s Word, your future is getting brighter; you are on your way to a new level of glory” (p. 67). Eternally this is a true statement for the child of God, but to promise such will be the case in this life is pure deception. And since Osteen makes no distinction between the redeemed and the unregenerate in his book, he is offering a false and damning hope to most of his audience, those who do not know Christ as their Savior.
The Belief System
Upon what does Osteen base his belief system? It is certainly not Scripture for the Bible never teaches anything remotely similar to this prosperity brand of Christianity. That is not to say that Your Best Life Now is totally devoid of biblical references, but the few that are attempted are almost all hopelessly out of context or twisted beyond recognition (see pp. 10,14,18, 30-31, 33, 61, 76, 79-83, 87-89, 104, 115, 129-130, 134,164). Osteen gives notice early and often that his views are not drawn fundamentally from Scripture but from his experiences and those of others. Still, in the introduction Osteen writes, “Within these pages, you will find seven simple, yet profound, steps to improve your life, regardless of your current level of success or lack of it. I know these steps work, because they have worked in the lives of my family members, friends, and associates, as well as in my own life” (p. viii).
Osteen supports his thesis through the use of numerous success stories of one type or another. Some of his stories are impossible and/or at best incapable of being documented and therefore raise a red flag concerning his integrity (pp. 12, 23, 73, 122, 161, 167, 201-202, 229, 280-281, 292). Others are highly selective examples of happy endings (see pp. 4, 7-8, 27, 111-112, 125, 127, 199-200, 246). As a result of such stories Osteen can promise that, if his theories are embraced, “suddenly, things will change, suddenly, that business will take off. Suddenly, your husband will desire a relationship with God. Suddenly, that wayward child will come home. Suddenly, God will bring your hopes and dreams to pass” (p. 199). Or maybe not! Inexplicably (given his belief system and insistence that God will bring prosperity to our lives if we follow the formula) Osteen must admit that all things do not end in success. Both his sister and father experienced the failure of divorce (pp. 151, 176), some people are not healed (pp. 181-182), things don’t always work out the way we desire (pp. 207-209), his father suffered kidney failure and was on dialysis for years (p. 247) and died of a heart attack (p. 248). While Osteen declares “God does not send problems” he admits that “sometimes He allows us to go through them” (p. 205). But the fact is that even in Osteen’s story-theology world the people of God suffer the same ups and downs, successes and failures, health and sickness and so forth as the unbeliever. One has only to glance through the Psalms to realize that this is not our “best life now.” We live in a corrupt world and until the Lord returns our sin-tainted universe will often disappoint and grieve us. Stories of success (and failure) can be lined up from here to eternity, but such stories are not the basis of truth, or of life; the Word of God is.
The Methods
Drawing, however, from many selective stories, and ignoring what God has to say, Osteen presents a methodology that he promises will produce a life of abundance, success, health and affluence. This system is not unique to Osteen, having come almost verbatim from the prosperity teachers mentioned above, but he has taken this false teaching to a new audience. Let’s examine how the program works.
There are three basic steps to “your best life now.”
Visualization
The initial step in Osteen’s program is visualization: “The first step to living at your full potential is to enlarge your vision. To live your best life now, you must start looking at life through eyes of faith, seeing yourself rising to new levels. See your business taking off. See your marriage restored. See your family prospering. See your dreams coming to pass. You must conceive it and believe it is possible if you ever hope to experience it” (p. 4, emphasis his).
The reason why visualization is necessary is because it has the power to bring about what you envision. “You will produce what you’re continually seeing in your mind… If you develop an image of victory, success, health, abundance, joy, peace, and happiness, nothing on earth will be able to hold those things from you… Start anticipating promotions and supernatural increase. You must conceive it in your heart and mind before you can receive it… You must make room for increase in your own thinking, and then God will bring those things to pass” (pp. 5-6).
Apparently even God is at the mercy of that which we visualize; after all, “Thoughts [not God] determine destiny” (p. 101). “If you don’t think your body can be healed, it never will be… When you think positive, excellent thoughts, you will be propelled toward greatness, inevitably bound for increase, promotion, and God’s supernatural blessings” (p. 104).
Faith
It is not enough to think about and visualize what we want, we must also express faith. “God works by faith. You must believe first, and then you’ll receive” (p. 33). “We receive what we believe. Unfortunately, this principle works as strongly in the negative as it does in the positive” (p. 72). “Understand this: God will help you, but you cast the deciding vote… [we must] get into agreement with God” (p. 74). “It’s our faith that activates the power of God” (p. 306).
It is vital that we visualize what we want and to expect (“express faith”) because our faith attracts what we visualize. While Osteen never calls this the “law of attraction" notice its similarity to the same concept as taught by New Age teachers such as Eckhart Tolle, Rhonda Byrne and others. “Your life will follow your expectations. What you expect is what you will get” (p. 13). “Our thoughts contain tremendous power. Remember, we draw into our lives that which we constantly think about. If we’re always dwelling on the negative, we will attract negative people, experiences, and attitudes. If we’re always dwelling on our fears, we will draw in more fear. You are setting the direction of your life with your thoughts” (p. 109).
Words
Still, it is not enough to think good thoughts and express faith in them; it is necessary to speak your desires out loud. This is why the prosperity gospel is often called the “Word of Faith” movement – for power lies in the spoken word. Follow Osteen’s thinking. “Our words have tremendous power, and whether we want to or not, we will give life to what we’re saying, either good or bad… Words are similar to seeds, by speaking them aloud, they are planted in our subconscious minds, and they take on a life of their own” (p. 122). Osteen suggests, “Get up each morning and look in the mirror and say, ‘I am valuable. I am loved. God has a great plan
for my life. I have favor wherever I go. God’s blessings are chasing me down and overtaking me. Everything I touch prospers and succeeds. I’m excited about my future!’ Start speaking those kinds of words, and before long, you will rise to a new level of well-being, success, and victory. There truly is power in your words” (p. 123).
But there is more. We must also speak to our problems, “Whatever your mountain is, you must do more than think about it, more than pray about it; you must speak to that obstacle… Start calling yourself healed, happy, whole, blessed, and prosperous. Stop talking to God about how big your mountains are, and start talking to your mountains about how big your God is” (p. 124). Osteen can confidently promise us, “Friend, there is a miracle in your mouth” (p. 125). How so? “The moment you speak something out, you give birth to it. This is a spiritual principle, and it works whether what you are saying is good or bad, positive or negative” (p. 129). Therefore, “You must start boldly confessing God’s Word, using your words to move forward in life, to bring to life the great things God has in store for you” (p. 130).
And it is totally up to us to pull this kind of life off. “God has already done everything He’s going to do. The ball is now in your court. If you want success, if you want wisdom, if you want to be prosperous and healthy, you’re going to have to do more than meditate and believe; you must boldly declare words of faith and victory over yourself and your family” (p. 132). Osteen is presenting a pure self-help program and baptizing it in the name of God. Those who fail to reach these promised benefits have only themselves to blame, since they apparently did not follow Osteen’s formula.
Conclusion
Whenever the supposed things of God and people of God become popular with the inhabitants of this fallen world we would be wise to walk softly and be extra discerning. The Jews persecuted and/or killed almost every one of their prophets (Acts 7:52); the apostles were despised by the world and Jesus was murdered by those He came to save. Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness (Matt 5:11) and warned, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). Why? Because the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Cor 1:18). Therefore when we find a Christian message or ministry or man or woman being praised by unbelievers we can be assured that either unregenerate humanity has not yet caught on to what is being said, or that what they are saying is in line with what the unbeliever already believes. As we have demonstrated Osteen’s message is exactly what unbelievers and undiscerning Christians want to believe and they are thrilled to have someone who claims to be a reliable spokesperson for God agree with them. This would account for Osteen’s incredible success, but it does not account for, or excuse, the inconceivable gullibility and immaturity of professing Christians.
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[1] Taken from The Secret DVD.
[2] Hank Hanegraaff, Christianity in Crisis (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1993), p. 74, 75.
[3] Ibid., p. 80.
[4] Ibid., pp. 83, 84.
[5] http://churchrelevance.com/top-100-largest-churches-in-america-of-2008/. It is worthy of note that according to this source, attendance has dropped by 3,500 people from the previous year; a virtual megachurch in its own right.
[6] Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now ( New York: Faith Word, 2004), p. 212.
[7] Quotes and page numbers throughout the rest of this book are taken from Osteen, Your Best Life Now.
The Manhattan Declaration: Agreement with Hell
FIRST READ: WHAT IS ECUMENISM/ECUMINICALISM?
www.kizitomg.webs.com
http://www.svchapel.org/resources/articles/24-ecumenicalism/568-evangelicals-and-catholics-together-part-1
The Manhattan Declaration
http://www.svchapel.org/resources/articles/22-contemporary-issues/653-the-manhattan-declaration
Written by Gary Gilley
(February/March 2010 - Volume 16, Issue 1)
The Christian village is all abuzz these days about The Manhattan Declaration, yet another brainchild of Charles Colson (along with Timothy George and Robert George) in his ever vigilant attempts at societal improvement and ecumenical unity. In his earlier efforts, in particular the Evangelicals and Catholics Together documents, Colson and Roman Catholic priest John Neuhaus attempted, with some apparent success, to convince Christendom that their two separate traditions held far more in common than it realized and it was time for both sides to lay down their arms and unite against liberal Christianity and secular ideology for the good of society. While admitting that strong differences still remained, Colson, Neuhaus and their supporters tried to maintain that the two communities were preaching essentially the same gospel message and therefore it was time to join forces against their greater enemies. The Manhattan Declaration addresses a similar theme but focuses more on remedying morally corrupting influences in America than on the nature of the gospel. While there are a great number of social evils that need attention this document zeros in on what the authors would consider the big three: abortion, homosexual marriage and religious liberties. These are important matters bout which all true Christians, and many others, are concerned.
Therefore it should not surprise us that over four hundred thousand individuals have signed the Declaration as of the date of this writing. Whether it is the better part of wisdom to sign this document, and the original drafters encourage everyone to do so, is further complicated by a strong difference of opinion among highly respected evangelical leaders who are recognized for their discernment. We are not startled to find the signatures of those known for softer sentiments toward ecumenism and leanings toward outward shows of unity such as Ravi Zacharias, Ron Sider, J. I. Packer, Leith Anderson, Ken Boa, James Dobson, Jerry Jenkins, Tim Keller, Joseph Stowell, Kay Arthur, Jonathan Falwell, Wayne Grudem, Josh McDowell and anyone connected with Christianity Today. A bit more surprising are Mark Bailey, Randy Alcorn, Bryan Chapell, Joni Eareckson Tada, Michael Easley, Michael Youssef, and in particular Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Joining this roster of evangelicals are numerous Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox priests and bishops. Vocal opponents include R. C. Sproul, John MacArthur, Michael Horton and Alistair Begg.
In order to determine what our reaction to The Manhattan Declaration should be, we will take a brief look at some of the highlights of the manifesto, examine some written responses, pro and con, and then subject the document to the scrutiny of Scripture.
The Manhattan Declaration
The statement itself is about 4700 words in length and was drafted by Colson and the two Georges in Manhattan, hence its name. It was publicly announced on November 20, 2009, and was originally signed by 140 leaders representing virtually every branch of American Christianity. As this article goes to press 400,000 more have signed the document largely via the internet. The Declaration is a strong protest against the moral drift of America and the laws that have been passed or are pending that reflect that drift. It is a call to arms by those within the Christian framework against such laws which have an impact on the issues of sanctity of life, the definition and institution of marriage, and freedom of religion. Perhaps more than a protest it is a line drawn in the sand telling the American governmental system that Christians will retreat no further. We (Christians) are declaring that we are happy to allow others the right to believe what they will, but we will not compromise on basic moral issues that we deem nonnegotiable. The three issues addressed in the Declaration are the ones the authors see as most important at this moment.
While I and all of my readers are concerned about these issues, many of us are disturbed by statements within the document which seamlessly link Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy with evangelicalism. For example in the third paragraph we are reminded that Papal edicts in the 16th and 17th centuries (when the Reformation battles were at their height) decried the practice of slavery even as evangelicals such as John Wesley and William Wilberforce did in the 18th and 19th centuries. This is apparently an attempt to demonstrate that Catholics and evangelicals have linked arms before in the battle against social evils, but it should be carefully noted that, while both recognized and fought the sin of slavery, evangelicals in neither time period officially joined Catholics in resistance to slavery, nor did evangelicals pretend that Rome taught the same gospel as they did.
The first line under the subheading of “Declaration” makes clear the authors’ ecumenical position: “We, as Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christians, have gathered…” While recognizing distinctions within the three major communities each acknowledges the others as “Christians.” The last paragraph in this section begins, “We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences…” Later we read, “We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers…” There is little question that this declaration is being published by those who see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ despite the fact that the signatories vary widely on their understanding of the gospel. It is assumed as the next to last paragraph on the document attests, that evangelicals are united with the Orthodox and Catholics on the gospel: “Going back to the earliest days of the church, Christians have refused to compromise on the proclamation of the gospel.” Which gospel does the manifesto have in mind? The gospel of faith alone, as found in the New Testament, or the gospel of Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism which makes the sacraments and other works necessary for salvation? It would be difficult to skirt the appearance that evangelicals signing this manifesto are in agreement with the other two traditions in their understanding of salvation.
It is also instructive to note the “Christians” actually quoted in the document: Pope Paul II, the epistle written by Diognetus (a second century apologist), and Martin Luther King Jr. This is an interesting trio at best. Pope Paul II represents the Roman Catholic Church in its purest form. That is, while certain Catholics may actually be saved, it would be because they have rejected Rome’s heretical understanding of the gospel and are trusting in Christ alone; the Pope can make no such claim. As the leader of the Roman Catholic Church he would believe and represent everything Rome pronounces including its sacramental understanding of salvation. Therefore by biblical definition the Pope cannot be a Christian. Martin Luther King Jr., while rightly given credit for his stand on civil rights, was not an evangelical by any definition and not known for his personal moral behavior. Yet these are the kinds of “Christians” that we are asked to join in our stand against the moral crises of our day.
Responses
As has already been mentioned, a large number of prominent evangelicals have signed The Manhattan Declaration; others have been vocal in their opposition. Before we take a look at reasons some have given for their resistance, let’s first check out the rationale Al Mohler gives for signing it. Mohler has unquestioned credentials as a conservative evangelical. While not all would be in agreement with his Reformed theology, all would agree that Mohler is a deep thinker with a solid stand on the sufficiency of the Word of God. He is not one, by his own admission, to sign such statements because he is not impressed with their effectiveness and he is concerned with how they might be construed by others. But he signed this one because “I believe we are facing an inevitable and culture-determining decision on the three issues centrally identified in this statement. I also believe that we will experience a significant loss of Christian churches, denominations, and institutions in this process.”[1] Mohler is concerned that our religious liberties are at stake and therefore courageous steps, such as this one, must be taken to avoid losing these liberties altogether.
His concerns are real and he is not alone in pondering what appropriate actions should be taken. The issue that must be considered is, can a conservative believer such as Mohler sign The Manhattan Declaration without compromise? Mohler believes he can. He writes,
I signed The Manhattan Declaration because it is a limited statement of Christian conviction on these three crucial issues, and not a wide-ranging theological document that subverts confessional integrity. I cannot and do not sign documents such as Evangelicals and Catholics Together that attempt to establish common ground on vast theological terrain. I could not sign a statement that purports, for example, to bridge the divide between Roman Catholics and evangelicals on the doctrine of justification… My beliefs concerning the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches have not changed. The Roman Catholic Church teaches doctrines that I find both unbiblical and abhorrent – and these doctrines define nothing less than the Gospel of Jesus. But The Manhattan Declaration does not attempt to establish common ground on these doctrines. We remain who we are, and concede no doctrinal ground.[2]
But is Mohler correct that no doctrinal ground is being conceded? Others are not so sure. For example R. C. Sproul writes,
The drafters of the document… used deliberate language that is on par with the ecumenical language of the Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ETC) movement that began in the 1990s. The Manhattan Declaration states, “Christians are heirs of a 2000-year tradition of proclaiming God’s Word,” and it identifies “Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelicals” as “Christians.” The document calls Christians to unite in “the Gospel,” “the Gospel of costly grace,” and “the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness.” Moreover, the document says, “It is our duty to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness, both in season and out of season.”[3]
While Sproul claims he would march with the Pope to resist the slaughter of innocents in the womb, we would “never ground that cobelligerency on the assumption that we share a common faith and a unified understanding of the gospel.”[4] “Let me be unambiguous”, Sproul writes, “without a clear understanding of sola fide and the doctrine of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, you do not have the gospel or gospel unity (1 Cor 1:17; 2 Cor 5:21).”[5]
John MacArthur takes a similar stance stating that The Declaration “assumes from the start that all signatories are fellow Christians whose only differences have to do with the fact that they represent distinct ‘communities.’”[6] Further, “The implicit assumption… is that Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant Evangelicals and others all share a common faith in and a common commitment to the gospel’s essential claims.”[7] Yet, as MacArthur recognizes, a definition for the gospel is never found in the document and in fact would have been an impossibility “because of the contradictory views held by the broad range of signatories regarding what the gospel teaches and what it means to be a Christian.”[8] And MacArthur rightly picks up on another issue of vital importance – the resolution to the moral problems that face our society (problems which we all recognize) is not found in manifestos and legislation, but in the gospel. He writes, “The document falls far short of identifying the one true and ultimate remedy for all of humanity’s moral ills: the gospel.”[9]
Sproul and MacArthur believe the weakness of the manifesto is twofold: it attempts to fix spiritual problems with human instruments, while at the same time distorting God’s remedy (the gospel) by attempting to broaden its meaning so that all branches of “Christianity” can lay claims to it.
A Biblical Critique
It must first of all be recognized that Satan is more than willing to give ground on moral and secondary matters if by doing so he can compromise or cripple the gospel message or its proclamation. I believe The Manhattan Declaration does this in a number of ways:
It confuses the gospel. Although no clear definition for the gospel is found within the document, we are repeatedly assured that the signatories all believe and preach the same gospel message. This is reinforced by the clear indication throughout that evangelicals, Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox are all “Christians” and thus members of Christ’s body. This is a subtle but serious dilution of the understanding of the Christian faith.
It confuses the Christian mandate. While we all lament the loss of certain freedoms and the moral decay that is increasingly evident in our culture we should remind ourselves of our calling. What our Savior commissioned us to do is clearly stated in Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8. We are called to make disciples of all nations, teaching them what the Lord has taught us and baptizing them in the name of the Triune God. If we draw our marching orders from the New Testament Scriptures we find:
The church is not called to change society by legislative action, lobbyist activity, or moral declarations. One searches in vain for New Testament example or instruction for the church to involve itself in creating culture or attempting to conform it to Christianized standards. While some may deem this an argument from silence, it should be recognized that the New Testament epistles were given to God’s people to teach them how to live for the glory of God in a fallen world during the church age. What God considered important and necessary for us to know would surely be found within its pages. This is not to ignore the rest of the Bible for “all Scripture is profitable” but God’s people are no longer under Israel ’s theocracy. New paradigms, directions and teachings have been given and should be taken to heart.
Rather than attempting to force fallen men and societies to outwardly live up to biblical standards our Lord tells us it is the gospel that is the power of God to change lives (Rom 1:16-17; 1 Cor 6:9-11). Governments have an important role to play in God’s plan for this world, including maintaining law and order and resistance to evil people who would harm others (Rom 13:1-7). But it is the true church of Christ which is the pillar and support of the truth (1 Tim 3:15). Only the people of God can offer the good news that sins can be forgiven and lives transformed through Jesus Christ. The church, as the church, is not called to change or create culture except through the gospel. Those who disagree with this assessment either do so on the basis of New Testament silence or a distortion of the Old Covenant and Israel’s theocratic society in their attempt to superimpose it onto the church. It is when the New Testament is thus ignored that God’s people find themselves attempting to solve the world’s problems through the world’s means. And in the process we find ourselves distracted from our true calling as mandated by Christ Himself.
On occasion, throughout history, our Lord has graciously allowed various cultures to be permeated by the gospel message because of the faithful teaching and living of God’s people. America , at least to a degree, has been one of those blessed cultures, for which we are most grateful. It is with great sadness that we witness the moral deterioration of our country resulting from our society as a whole rejecting Christ and His ways (Rom 1:18). The role the church has played in this deterioration can be directly traced, in my opinion, to the liberal theology and the Social Gospel of the 18th century and its subsequent offspring. Much like today, the church had lost confidence in the truth and sufficiency of the Scriptures to change men’s lives and began to replace the Great Commission with solving society’s temporal problems.
As the church became more distracted with feeding the hungry, temperance movements, political action and the like (all good things in themselves), she in turn systematically abandoned the proclamation of the gospel and biblical truth. Many societal changes resulted, most of them beneficial, but the foundation was slowing eroding. The church was losing its voice in society because it was saying the same thing that society said instead of proclaiming the Word of God. When secular society eventually usurped the church by taking the lead in societal change the church became redundant and largely lost its voice for decades. We now come face to face with the consequences of our past actions and choices and are beginning to panic. Solutions being offered, such as The Manhattan Declaration, are a page right out of the old Social Gospel’s play book. Gone, apparently, are the days when we called sinners to repentance and held forth the gospel of righteousness.
Now we unite around political and moral pronouncements in the hope that if we get enough signatures Congress and the courts will listen to our concerns. Even on a pragmatic level I believe this to be a pipedream. We already have a mechanism for changing laws. It is called the vote. Politicians know that if “Christians” were serious about moral decay and religious freedoms they would elect people to office who reflect their views – but they do not. A non-binding declaration such as this one will not influence the government in the least. What would influence them would be to actually vote our moral convictions instead of our wallet.
In the meanwhile, as we (“Christians”) gear up to attempt to put political pressure on our government, we are again being sidetracked from our true calling as mandated by our Lord. As followers of Christ we are called to be salt and light in the world (Matt 5:13-16), obey our government, pray for our leaders, be model citizens (Rom 13:1-7; I Pet 2:13-17) and, most importantly, proclaim the excellencies of Christ (I Pet 2:9) so that mankind will see its true need and turn to Him. Nothing in Scripture prohibits the individual believers from being involved in politics and government and making every use of their rights as citizens to bring about the best government possible in order that we might live a quiet and tranquil life (1 Tim 2:2). But ultimately our Lord is far more concerned with the radical transformation of lives within society than He is in society itself. The church is not a political lobbying organization but the divinely anointed body sent forth by God to declare that mankind is alienated from God, lost in sin and in need of reconciliation. Only Christ can solve these problems that the church is uniquely equipped to address.
Conclusion
It would appear that we in America are witnessing the overwhelming price of rebellion as outlined in Romans 1:18-32. We watch as God steadily gives our country over to the very sins it has long demanded and with this comes all the consequences identified in that text. As some of these consequences become evident and unbearable to Christians, such as loss of religious freedoms, abortion and same-sex marriages, we become terrified. We then put pressure on Congress, form organizations (remember the Moral Majority?) or write declarations. These measures historically accomplish limited, if any, societal good and what is accomplished is temporary at best because they fail to address the true problem – the heart of man. Man’s fundamental problem is not immoral actions, such as The Manhattan Declaration identify, but his fallen nature resulting from the fact that he is spiritually dead in sin. It is only the Lord’s common grace which keeps each individual and society from sinking to the depths of the depravity that already lives within us. When the Lord grows tired of our rejection of Him and our constant resistance to His will, He takes His restraining hand off us and allows us to live out the fullness of our depravity. When this happens to a society it is a fearsome thing to behold for the masses will unashamedly murder children, deny basic human rights and approve homosexual lifestyles, among other things. The root of the matter is not bad laws, hence it cannot be solved politically; it is not simply bad behavior, hence it cannot be solved through moral declarations; it is not intellectual, hence it cannot be solved philosophically. The root problem is spiritual and can only be dealt with through the gospel.
This of course brings us back to our original concern with The Manhattan Declaration – it has a faulty gospel. The Declaration is a political, moral, intellectual document attempting to do battle with a spiritual problem. Not only is the document ill-equipped to do battle with what really ails our world (sort of like bringing a knife to a gunfight), the one thing it does do is further muddy the waters on the definition of the gospel. If there is one true gospel, as Paul affirms (Gal 1:6-9), and if those of the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and evangelical communities are all proclaiming it, then all three communities must be in agreement. But that is simply not true. At the Council of Trent Rome pronounced anathemas upon any who believed in sola fide, the very heart of the Reformation. Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches adhere to a sacramental system that combines work with faith leaving the eternal destiny of souls in the hands of their respective churches. Yet the Scriptures declare that the means of salvation is a gift directly from God, based solely on His grace and received solely by faith (Eph 2:8-9).
These kinds of documents do little to change culture but do much to change the nature of the gospel in the minds of believers and non-believers alike. If The Manhattan Declaration was a purely political document produced by morally outraged individuals, whether Christian or not, I would have little problem signing it, although I have limited faith in its effectiveness as a political or moral statement. I doubt seriously if it will cause one politician to change his/her vote, one court justice to reevaluate his/her decisions and few in secular society to examine their worldviews or sin-enslaved hearts. Still I would not be opposed to signing such a document in hopes that I was wrong and the moral deterioration of our country would at least be delayed. But when the gospel itself is compromised in the process the price for anticipated gain is far too high.
Instead of drawing moral/political lines in the sand, courageously and even defiantly declaring that we will retreat no further, maybe this would be an excellent opportunity to evaluate whether we have already retreated concerning the gospel. That ground may have been given because of ecumenical expediency, pluralistic pressures, biblical illiteracy or faith in statements such as The Manhattan Declaration which minimize the uniqueness and narrowness of the gospel message in an attempt to change society. Rather than giving ground maybe this would be a good time to take a fresh look at the gospel. Maybe we should define it more carefully, guard it more tenaciously, proclaim it more boldly, and believe in its power more profoundly. For, after all, Paul tells us it is the power of God unto salvation. And, after all, it is what Christ has commissioned us to do.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] www.albertmohler.com/2009/11/23/why-i-signed-the-manhattan-declaration/
[2] Ibid.
[3] www.ligonier.org/blog/the-manhattan-declaration/
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] www.gty.org/Resources/Print/Articles/A390
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
www.kizitomg.webs.com
http://www.svchapel.org/resources/articles/24-ecumenicalism/568-evangelicals-and-catholics-together-part-1
The Manhattan Declaration
http://www.svchapel.org/resources/articles/22-contemporary-issues/653-the-manhattan-declaration
Written by Gary Gilley
(February/March 2010 - Volume 16, Issue 1)
The Christian village is all abuzz these days about The Manhattan Declaration, yet another brainchild of Charles Colson (along with Timothy George and Robert George) in his ever vigilant attempts at societal improvement and ecumenical unity. In his earlier efforts, in particular the Evangelicals and Catholics Together documents, Colson and Roman Catholic priest John Neuhaus attempted, with some apparent success, to convince Christendom that their two separate traditions held far more in common than it realized and it was time for both sides to lay down their arms and unite against liberal Christianity and secular ideology for the good of society. While admitting that strong differences still remained, Colson, Neuhaus and their supporters tried to maintain that the two communities were preaching essentially the same gospel message and therefore it was time to join forces against their greater enemies. The Manhattan Declaration addresses a similar theme but focuses more on remedying morally corrupting influences in America than on the nature of the gospel. While there are a great number of social evils that need attention this document zeros in on what the authors would consider the big three: abortion, homosexual marriage and religious liberties. These are important matters bout which all true Christians, and many others, are concerned.
Therefore it should not surprise us that over four hundred thousand individuals have signed the Declaration as of the date of this writing. Whether it is the better part of wisdom to sign this document, and the original drafters encourage everyone to do so, is further complicated by a strong difference of opinion among highly respected evangelical leaders who are recognized for their discernment. We are not startled to find the signatures of those known for softer sentiments toward ecumenism and leanings toward outward shows of unity such as Ravi Zacharias, Ron Sider, J. I. Packer, Leith Anderson, Ken Boa, James Dobson, Jerry Jenkins, Tim Keller, Joseph Stowell, Kay Arthur, Jonathan Falwell, Wayne Grudem, Josh McDowell and anyone connected with Christianity Today. A bit more surprising are Mark Bailey, Randy Alcorn, Bryan Chapell, Joni Eareckson Tada, Michael Easley, Michael Youssef, and in particular Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Joining this roster of evangelicals are numerous Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox priests and bishops. Vocal opponents include R. C. Sproul, John MacArthur, Michael Horton and Alistair Begg.
In order to determine what our reaction to The Manhattan Declaration should be, we will take a brief look at some of the highlights of the manifesto, examine some written responses, pro and con, and then subject the document to the scrutiny of Scripture.
The Manhattan Declaration
The statement itself is about 4700 words in length and was drafted by Colson and the two Georges in Manhattan, hence its name. It was publicly announced on November 20, 2009, and was originally signed by 140 leaders representing virtually every branch of American Christianity. As this article goes to press 400,000 more have signed the document largely via the internet. The Declaration is a strong protest against the moral drift of America and the laws that have been passed or are pending that reflect that drift. It is a call to arms by those within the Christian framework against such laws which have an impact on the issues of sanctity of life, the definition and institution of marriage, and freedom of religion. Perhaps more than a protest it is a line drawn in the sand telling the American governmental system that Christians will retreat no further. We (Christians) are declaring that we are happy to allow others the right to believe what they will, but we will not compromise on basic moral issues that we deem nonnegotiable. The three issues addressed in the Declaration are the ones the authors see as most important at this moment.
While I and all of my readers are concerned about these issues, many of us are disturbed by statements within the document which seamlessly link Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy with evangelicalism. For example in the third paragraph we are reminded that Papal edicts in the 16th and 17th centuries (when the Reformation battles were at their height) decried the practice of slavery even as evangelicals such as John Wesley and William Wilberforce did in the 18th and 19th centuries. This is apparently an attempt to demonstrate that Catholics and evangelicals have linked arms before in the battle against social evils, but it should be carefully noted that, while both recognized and fought the sin of slavery, evangelicals in neither time period officially joined Catholics in resistance to slavery, nor did evangelicals pretend that Rome taught the same gospel as they did.
The first line under the subheading of “Declaration” makes clear the authors’ ecumenical position: “We, as Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christians, have gathered…” While recognizing distinctions within the three major communities each acknowledges the others as “Christians.” The last paragraph in this section begins, “We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences…” Later we read, “We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers…” There is little question that this declaration is being published by those who see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ despite the fact that the signatories vary widely on their understanding of the gospel. It is assumed as the next to last paragraph on the document attests, that evangelicals are united with the Orthodox and Catholics on the gospel: “Going back to the earliest days of the church, Christians have refused to compromise on the proclamation of the gospel.” Which gospel does the manifesto have in mind? The gospel of faith alone, as found in the New Testament, or the gospel of Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism which makes the sacraments and other works necessary for salvation? It would be difficult to skirt the appearance that evangelicals signing this manifesto are in agreement with the other two traditions in their understanding of salvation.
It is also instructive to note the “Christians” actually quoted in the document: Pope Paul II, the epistle written by Diognetus (a second century apologist), and Martin Luther King Jr. This is an interesting trio at best. Pope Paul II represents the Roman Catholic Church in its purest form. That is, while certain Catholics may actually be saved, it would be because they have rejected Rome’s heretical understanding of the gospel and are trusting in Christ alone; the Pope can make no such claim. As the leader of the Roman Catholic Church he would believe and represent everything Rome pronounces including its sacramental understanding of salvation. Therefore by biblical definition the Pope cannot be a Christian. Martin Luther King Jr., while rightly given credit for his stand on civil rights, was not an evangelical by any definition and not known for his personal moral behavior. Yet these are the kinds of “Christians” that we are asked to join in our stand against the moral crises of our day.
Responses
As has already been mentioned, a large number of prominent evangelicals have signed The Manhattan Declaration; others have been vocal in their opposition. Before we take a look at reasons some have given for their resistance, let’s first check out the rationale Al Mohler gives for signing it. Mohler has unquestioned credentials as a conservative evangelical. While not all would be in agreement with his Reformed theology, all would agree that Mohler is a deep thinker with a solid stand on the sufficiency of the Word of God. He is not one, by his own admission, to sign such statements because he is not impressed with their effectiveness and he is concerned with how they might be construed by others. But he signed this one because “I believe we are facing an inevitable and culture-determining decision on the three issues centrally identified in this statement. I also believe that we will experience a significant loss of Christian churches, denominations, and institutions in this process.”[1] Mohler is concerned that our religious liberties are at stake and therefore courageous steps, such as this one, must be taken to avoid losing these liberties altogether.
His concerns are real and he is not alone in pondering what appropriate actions should be taken. The issue that must be considered is, can a conservative believer such as Mohler sign The Manhattan Declaration without compromise? Mohler believes he can. He writes,
I signed The Manhattan Declaration because it is a limited statement of Christian conviction on these three crucial issues, and not a wide-ranging theological document that subverts confessional integrity. I cannot and do not sign documents such as Evangelicals and Catholics Together that attempt to establish common ground on vast theological terrain. I could not sign a statement that purports, for example, to bridge the divide between Roman Catholics and evangelicals on the doctrine of justification… My beliefs concerning the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches have not changed. The Roman Catholic Church teaches doctrines that I find both unbiblical and abhorrent – and these doctrines define nothing less than the Gospel of Jesus. But The Manhattan Declaration does not attempt to establish common ground on these doctrines. We remain who we are, and concede no doctrinal ground.[2]
But is Mohler correct that no doctrinal ground is being conceded? Others are not so sure. For example R. C. Sproul writes,
The drafters of the document… used deliberate language that is on par with the ecumenical language of the Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ETC) movement that began in the 1990s. The Manhattan Declaration states, “Christians are heirs of a 2000-year tradition of proclaiming God’s Word,” and it identifies “Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelicals” as “Christians.” The document calls Christians to unite in “the Gospel,” “the Gospel of costly grace,” and “the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness.” Moreover, the document says, “It is our duty to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness, both in season and out of season.”[3]
While Sproul claims he would march with the Pope to resist the slaughter of innocents in the womb, we would “never ground that cobelligerency on the assumption that we share a common faith and a unified understanding of the gospel.”[4] “Let me be unambiguous”, Sproul writes, “without a clear understanding of sola fide and the doctrine of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, you do not have the gospel or gospel unity (1 Cor 1:17; 2 Cor 5:21).”[5]
John MacArthur takes a similar stance stating that The Declaration “assumes from the start that all signatories are fellow Christians whose only differences have to do with the fact that they represent distinct ‘communities.’”[6] Further, “The implicit assumption… is that Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant Evangelicals and others all share a common faith in and a common commitment to the gospel’s essential claims.”[7] Yet, as MacArthur recognizes, a definition for the gospel is never found in the document and in fact would have been an impossibility “because of the contradictory views held by the broad range of signatories regarding what the gospel teaches and what it means to be a Christian.”[8] And MacArthur rightly picks up on another issue of vital importance – the resolution to the moral problems that face our society (problems which we all recognize) is not found in manifestos and legislation, but in the gospel. He writes, “The document falls far short of identifying the one true and ultimate remedy for all of humanity’s moral ills: the gospel.”[9]
Sproul and MacArthur believe the weakness of the manifesto is twofold: it attempts to fix spiritual problems with human instruments, while at the same time distorting God’s remedy (the gospel) by attempting to broaden its meaning so that all branches of “Christianity” can lay claims to it.
A Biblical Critique
It must first of all be recognized that Satan is more than willing to give ground on moral and secondary matters if by doing so he can compromise or cripple the gospel message or its proclamation. I believe The Manhattan Declaration does this in a number of ways:
It confuses the gospel. Although no clear definition for the gospel is found within the document, we are repeatedly assured that the signatories all believe and preach the same gospel message. This is reinforced by the clear indication throughout that evangelicals, Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox are all “Christians” and thus members of Christ’s body. This is a subtle but serious dilution of the understanding of the Christian faith.
It confuses the Christian mandate. While we all lament the loss of certain freedoms and the moral decay that is increasingly evident in our culture we should remind ourselves of our calling. What our Savior commissioned us to do is clearly stated in Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8. We are called to make disciples of all nations, teaching them what the Lord has taught us and baptizing them in the name of the Triune God. If we draw our marching orders from the New Testament Scriptures we find:
The church is not called to change society by legislative action, lobbyist activity, or moral declarations. One searches in vain for New Testament example or instruction for the church to involve itself in creating culture or attempting to conform it to Christianized standards. While some may deem this an argument from silence, it should be recognized that the New Testament epistles were given to God’s people to teach them how to live for the glory of God in a fallen world during the church age. What God considered important and necessary for us to know would surely be found within its pages. This is not to ignore the rest of the Bible for “all Scripture is profitable” but God’s people are no longer under Israel ’s theocracy. New paradigms, directions and teachings have been given and should be taken to heart.
Rather than attempting to force fallen men and societies to outwardly live up to biblical standards our Lord tells us it is the gospel that is the power of God to change lives (Rom 1:16-17; 1 Cor 6:9-11). Governments have an important role to play in God’s plan for this world, including maintaining law and order and resistance to evil people who would harm others (Rom 13:1-7). But it is the true church of Christ which is the pillar and support of the truth (1 Tim 3:15). Only the people of God can offer the good news that sins can be forgiven and lives transformed through Jesus Christ. The church, as the church, is not called to change or create culture except through the gospel. Those who disagree with this assessment either do so on the basis of New Testament silence or a distortion of the Old Covenant and Israel’s theocratic society in their attempt to superimpose it onto the church. It is when the New Testament is thus ignored that God’s people find themselves attempting to solve the world’s problems through the world’s means. And in the process we find ourselves distracted from our true calling as mandated by Christ Himself.
On occasion, throughout history, our Lord has graciously allowed various cultures to be permeated by the gospel message because of the faithful teaching and living of God’s people. America , at least to a degree, has been one of those blessed cultures, for which we are most grateful. It is with great sadness that we witness the moral deterioration of our country resulting from our society as a whole rejecting Christ and His ways (Rom 1:18). The role the church has played in this deterioration can be directly traced, in my opinion, to the liberal theology and the Social Gospel of the 18th century and its subsequent offspring. Much like today, the church had lost confidence in the truth and sufficiency of the Scriptures to change men’s lives and began to replace the Great Commission with solving society’s temporal problems.
As the church became more distracted with feeding the hungry, temperance movements, political action and the like (all good things in themselves), she in turn systematically abandoned the proclamation of the gospel and biblical truth. Many societal changes resulted, most of them beneficial, but the foundation was slowing eroding. The church was losing its voice in society because it was saying the same thing that society said instead of proclaiming the Word of God. When secular society eventually usurped the church by taking the lead in societal change the church became redundant and largely lost its voice for decades. We now come face to face with the consequences of our past actions and choices and are beginning to panic. Solutions being offered, such as The Manhattan Declaration, are a page right out of the old Social Gospel’s play book. Gone, apparently, are the days when we called sinners to repentance and held forth the gospel of righteousness.
Now we unite around political and moral pronouncements in the hope that if we get enough signatures Congress and the courts will listen to our concerns. Even on a pragmatic level I believe this to be a pipedream. We already have a mechanism for changing laws. It is called the vote. Politicians know that if “Christians” were serious about moral decay and religious freedoms they would elect people to office who reflect their views – but they do not. A non-binding declaration such as this one will not influence the government in the least. What would influence them would be to actually vote our moral convictions instead of our wallet.
In the meanwhile, as we (“Christians”) gear up to attempt to put political pressure on our government, we are again being sidetracked from our true calling as mandated by our Lord. As followers of Christ we are called to be salt and light in the world (Matt 5:13-16), obey our government, pray for our leaders, be model citizens (Rom 13:1-7; I Pet 2:13-17) and, most importantly, proclaim the excellencies of Christ (I Pet 2:9) so that mankind will see its true need and turn to Him. Nothing in Scripture prohibits the individual believers from being involved in politics and government and making every use of their rights as citizens to bring about the best government possible in order that we might live a quiet and tranquil life (1 Tim 2:2). But ultimately our Lord is far more concerned with the radical transformation of lives within society than He is in society itself. The church is not a political lobbying organization but the divinely anointed body sent forth by God to declare that mankind is alienated from God, lost in sin and in need of reconciliation. Only Christ can solve these problems that the church is uniquely equipped to address.
Conclusion
It would appear that we in America are witnessing the overwhelming price of rebellion as outlined in Romans 1:18-32. We watch as God steadily gives our country over to the very sins it has long demanded and with this comes all the consequences identified in that text. As some of these consequences become evident and unbearable to Christians, such as loss of religious freedoms, abortion and same-sex marriages, we become terrified. We then put pressure on Congress, form organizations (remember the Moral Majority?) or write declarations. These measures historically accomplish limited, if any, societal good and what is accomplished is temporary at best because they fail to address the true problem – the heart of man. Man’s fundamental problem is not immoral actions, such as The Manhattan Declaration identify, but his fallen nature resulting from the fact that he is spiritually dead in sin. It is only the Lord’s common grace which keeps each individual and society from sinking to the depths of the depravity that already lives within us. When the Lord grows tired of our rejection of Him and our constant resistance to His will, He takes His restraining hand off us and allows us to live out the fullness of our depravity. When this happens to a society it is a fearsome thing to behold for the masses will unashamedly murder children, deny basic human rights and approve homosexual lifestyles, among other things. The root of the matter is not bad laws, hence it cannot be solved politically; it is not simply bad behavior, hence it cannot be solved through moral declarations; it is not intellectual, hence it cannot be solved philosophically. The root problem is spiritual and can only be dealt with through the gospel.
This of course brings us back to our original concern with The Manhattan Declaration – it has a faulty gospel. The Declaration is a political, moral, intellectual document attempting to do battle with a spiritual problem. Not only is the document ill-equipped to do battle with what really ails our world (sort of like bringing a knife to a gunfight), the one thing it does do is further muddy the waters on the definition of the gospel. If there is one true gospel, as Paul affirms (Gal 1:6-9), and if those of the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and evangelical communities are all proclaiming it, then all three communities must be in agreement. But that is simply not true. At the Council of Trent Rome pronounced anathemas upon any who believed in sola fide, the very heart of the Reformation. Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches adhere to a sacramental system that combines work with faith leaving the eternal destiny of souls in the hands of their respective churches. Yet the Scriptures declare that the means of salvation is a gift directly from God, based solely on His grace and received solely by faith (Eph 2:8-9).
These kinds of documents do little to change culture but do much to change the nature of the gospel in the minds of believers and non-believers alike. If The Manhattan Declaration was a purely political document produced by morally outraged individuals, whether Christian or not, I would have little problem signing it, although I have limited faith in its effectiveness as a political or moral statement. I doubt seriously if it will cause one politician to change his/her vote, one court justice to reevaluate his/her decisions and few in secular society to examine their worldviews or sin-enslaved hearts. Still I would not be opposed to signing such a document in hopes that I was wrong and the moral deterioration of our country would at least be delayed. But when the gospel itself is compromised in the process the price for anticipated gain is far too high.
Instead of drawing moral/political lines in the sand, courageously and even defiantly declaring that we will retreat no further, maybe this would be an excellent opportunity to evaluate whether we have already retreated concerning the gospel. That ground may have been given because of ecumenical expediency, pluralistic pressures, biblical illiteracy or faith in statements such as The Manhattan Declaration which minimize the uniqueness and narrowness of the gospel message in an attempt to change society. Rather than giving ground maybe this would be a good time to take a fresh look at the gospel. Maybe we should define it more carefully, guard it more tenaciously, proclaim it more boldly, and believe in its power more profoundly. For, after all, Paul tells us it is the power of God unto salvation. And, after all, it is what Christ has commissioned us to do.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] www.albertmohler.com/2009/11/23/why-i-signed-the-manhattan-declaration/
[2] Ibid.
[3] www.ligonier.org/blog/the-manhattan-declaration/
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] www.gty.org/Resources/Print/Articles/A390
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
Monday, 8 March 2010
Pastor Muwanguzi now uses SMS to con People
Muwanguzi kati akozesa ssimu okufera
http://www.bukeddekussande.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=3&newsCategoryId=167&newsId=712124
Bya Musasi wa Bukedde
NABBI William Muwanguzi bw’alabye abagoberezi bongera okumuddukako oluvannyuma lw’okukitegeera nti abakolamu bukozi ssente tali ku bya ddiini, kwe kufumba omutwe n’aleeta akakodyo k’okukozesa essimu abafune.
Muwanguzi kaakati akolagana n’amakampuni agaweereza obubaka obuwandiike ku ssimu obumanyiddwa nga ‘SMS’ n’aweereza abantu obubaka ng’abatiisa ng’Omukama bw’amulaze ebifa ku bulamu bwabwe omuli n’okuba nti boolekedde agazibu bw’atyo n’abayita bagende gy’ali.
Omuwala Sarah Nansansi omu ku baagudde mu katego ka Muwanguzi yategeezezza nti, “Ndi muyizi mu S.5 mu ssomero erimu mu Kampala. Essimu yange ya UTL abamu gye bayita Mango [0712……] kwe nasanze obubaka obuva ewa Muwanguzi obwampise okugenda gy’ali e Mengo ku Holy Fire Ministries International. Bwabadde bugamba nti, “Mukama alina by’andaze ku bulamu bwo obwolekedde okubengeya kubanga wabuuka eddogo era obuzaayo ennaku ntono ofe. Ky’olina okukola jjangu ewange abukulongooseze. Nze W. Muwanguzi. Ebisingawo kuba essimu eno.”
Attottola nti mu kiseera ekyo yasobeddwa n’alinnya emmotoka eyamutuusizza e Mengo kyokka bwe yatuuseeyo abayambi ba Muwanguzi ne basooka okumuggyako 20,000/- okumulaba nti ate bwe yamutuuseeko naye n’amuggyamu 50,000/-.
Okunoonyereza okwakoleddwa omusasi wa Bukedde kwazudde nti Muwanguzi asinga kukozesa nnamba za UTL era abantu abaziriko abaweereza obubaka obw’engeri eno obufaanagana olwo abangu ne bamunoonya ate abamanyi nti yeenoonyeza ssente bo tebebufaako.
Omu ku bayambi ba Muwanguzi yategeezezza nti okuweereza obubaka baba bayamba kutegeeza abalina ebizibu basobole okusabirwa.
Wabula kyazuuse nti obubaka obuweerezebwa ku buli mulundi bubeera bufaanagana eri abantu ababufuna ekiwa ekifanaanyi nti bwa bulimba kubanga abantu kizibu okufaanaganya ebizibu.
Omwogezi wa poliisi mu Kampala n’emiriraano, Henry Kalulu yategeezezza nti poliisi etandise okunoonyereza ku bubaka buno obuwandiike okukakasa oba ddala Muwanguzi y’abuweereza.
Published on: Saturday, 6th March, 2010
Alangidde endiga ze obukodo
http://www.bukeddekussande.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=3&newsCategoryId=186&newsId=712093
KATEMBA taggwaayo wabula ne paasita William Muwanguzi amuzannya bubwe. Muwanguzi ali ku musango gw’omuwala amulumiriza okumukaka akaboozi kati azze na nkuba mpya.
Abagoberezi be atandise kubaferera ku masimu. Benjamin Ssebaggala agamba Muwanguzi abagoberezi abaweereza bubaka ku ssimu n’abategeeza nga bw’abeera alabye ebisiba obulamu n’emikisa gyabwe n’abayita okusaba naye abasumulule.
Ssande ewedde yaweerezza obubaka ku simu nga busoma nti: Nze Nabbi William Muwanguzi, Mukama andaze eri obulamu bwo ebibadde bisiba emikisa gyo gyangu enkya ku sande saawa 3:00 e Mengo tusabe ffenna.
Takoma ku kuweereza bubaka wabula abaweereza n’ennamba kwe babeera bakuba singa babeera baagala okumanya ebisingawo. Olwakubye ku ssimu gye yataddeko yayogedde ng’alina kye yeekengera n’ategeeza kimu nti jjangu ku Ssande essaawa ssatu nga talina ky’amaanyi ky’annyonnyodde kusinga ku kiri mu bubaka obuwandiike.
Wano MOSES JJAGWE we yasinzidde n’agenda e Mengo ku Ssande nga February 28, 2010 ku kkanisa ya Holy Fire Ministries era byonna ebyabaddeyo abikutusaako bwati:
Ku ssaawa 3:00 nabadde mutaka ku kkanisa era abagoberezi obwedda batuuka batonotono olw’enkuba.
Abaabadde baagala essaala ez’enjawulo nga batuukira mu kasenge wabula eno olina kuyingirayo n’ebbaasa ekuweereddwa mw’oteeka ssente ezikusaliddwa okutandikira ku mitwalo ebiri. Nayagadde okugenda mu kasenge wabula bwe gwatuuse ku gw’okufuna ebbaasa ate ng’oteekamu ssente ne mbyetegula ne nninda kusaba kwa bonna.
Abantu baagenze beeyongera nga buli atuuka afuna katebe ke ng’atuula. Abamu batuuse n’okusumaagiriramu nga tewali kigenda mu maaso.
Bwe zaaweze ssaawa 7:00 ez’emisana okutendereza ne kuba ng’okutandika. Abayimbi baalinnye ku kituuti wabula nga ku bonna omunaana tewaabadde luyimba lulambulukufu lutandika. Ekyanneewuunyisizza ku bayimbi, buli omu yabadde na nnyambala yiye n’asuddemu enkunamyo era ono olwakutte akazindaalo n’awoza nti, ‘Totunuulira nze bye nnyambadde naye weeweeyo bwewi eri Mukama...’.
Ebya kkwaaya bwe byagaanyi, kalabaalaba w’olunaku kwe kuyita omuntu yenna eyabadde n’oluyimba okulinnya ku kituuti era bano be baacamudde abantu n’okubamalamu empewo.
Bano baatwazizza ddala okutuusa ku ssaawa 8:10.
Ku ssaawa zino kalabaalaba yatulagidde okuzibiriza twewombeeke eri Mukama nga bwe tulindirira nabbi wa Mukama ajja.
Ow’ennanga olwasuddemu akayimba, eddoboozi lya nabbi Muwanguzi ne liwulikika ng’agamba nti, “Mweweeyo eri Katonda agenda kukola. Olwaleero Mukama abantu bonna abazze wano nga basibe basumululwe. Lwaki ggwe, okuba nga ggwe oyita mu mbeera eno? Wano waliwo omukyala Mukama gw’andaga, olina ky’obadde oyitamu ennaku zino zonna naye olwaleero bigenda mu linnya lya Yesu n’amabanja gonna agatwala ’. Nze we nabadde najeemedde ebiragiro bya kalabaalaba era obwedda ntemya bukofu. Eddoboozi lino lyabadde lifubutuka mu ntimbe eziri ku kituuti.
Emiranga obwedda gigenda mu maaso ng’eddoboozi likkaatiriza kya kuzibiriza n’okweweerayo ddala nga basaba.
Wano we yaviiridde mu ntimbe n’alinnya ku kituuti ng’ayambadde essaati enzirugavu ne baasikooti efaanana n’empale bya kivuuvu n’atuula mu katebe ke.
Yagenze mu maaso nti, ‘Buli omu nga weewaddeyo eri Katonda yogera ebigambo bino ng’obikkiriza nti Mukama agenda kubikukolera mugambe nti Mukama olwaleero nva mu bwavu, ne mu mabanja byonna Mukama agenda kubikola olwaleero.
Kakano baako ekiweebwayo ky’okwata eky’okukkiriza mu ngalo zo otandike okusaba mu kaseera kano kubanga Mukama akumanyi. N’ekiweebwayo kyo ng’okikutte mu ngalo, kati saba. (Wano abagoberezi baabadde batunula)
Tambula mangu oleete ekiweebwayo kyo wano ku kituuti, dduka mbiro okiteeke awo ku kituuti oddeyo mu kifo kyo tusabe.
Zibiriza amaaso go kaakano saagala kulaba muntu yenna atunula’. Nze nga mmoga, omukebezi yalinnye ku kituuti kuba ye yabadde tazibirizza n’akung’aanya zonna ezaabadde ziteereddwaawo.
Muwanguzi yalagidde buli omu atandike okusabira mikwano gye n’abalabe be bonna.
Oluvannyuma yayise abalina Mukama by’abakoledde mu wiiki bataano bawe obujulizi.
Eyasoose yagambye nti, ‘Mukama yeebazibwe abooluganda nneebaza Mukama ku Ssande ewedde nabbi yatugamba okusiiba ennaku ssatu, baali bangoba ku mulimu naye nabadde ndi awo nga bankubira nzire ku mulimu, nze mbeera Mubende naye buli lwa Ssande nnina okunoonya ssente ezindeeta wano’.
Omulala yazze n’atandika, ‘Ssebo nnabbi njagala okwebaza Mukama, bwe twali tukyali e Namulanda najja n’onsabira sicklecell ezaali zintawaanya ne ziwona. Ennaku zino bbiri ekirwadde kyangwiridde kati kwe kujja nga njagala kunsabira..’ Wano Muwanguzi kwe kumuboggolera nti, ‘Abantu nga mmwe mwantamaatama dda, mujja wano nga mulina ebizibu wabula bwe muwona temukomawo kwebaza ate mumala kufuna birala ne mulyoka mudda, vva ku kazindaalo.
Wamma Mukama yeebazibwe, ng’enda kubasabira essaala ya myaka 30 mu maaso gy’olina okuwangaala, kwata ekiweebwayo kyo eky’okukkiriza odduke mbiro ojje wano mu maaso okireete , bw’otuuka wano zibiriza saagala muntu atunula wano oyinza okutwala ebikolimo by’abalala be tugobako ebikwa.
Published on: Saturday, 6th March, 2010
Muwanguzi yeeyanjudde ku poliisi
http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20966:muwanguzi-yeeyanjudde-ku-poliisi&catid=29:amawulire&Itemid=572
Bya Angel Lubowa
Thursday, 25 March 2010 13:17
NABBI William Muwanguzi yeeyanjudde ku poliisi ne yeewozaako ku bigambibwa nti akozesa akakodyo k’okusindikira abantu abali ku ssimu za UTL mesegi’ ng’abalagula ebitiisa ku bulamu baabwe.
Kino kiddiridde abamu ku baafuna obubaka buno okwemulugunyiza poliisi nti obubaka buno obwobuwaze Muwanguzi abuweereza ku ssimu zaabwe ng’abayita nti kyokka bwe batuukayo n’abaggyako ssente.
Ku Lwokusatu Muwanguzi yagenze ku kitebe kya bambega e Kibuli ne yeenyonnyolako ku by’obubaka. Omu ku baserikale abaabadde babuuza Muwanguzi yategeezezza nti Muwanguzi yabategeezezza nti kino akikola mu mutima mulungi.
N’agattako nti, ‘yatugambye nti yafuna obubaka okuva ewa mwoyo mutukuvu nga bumusindika okwongera amaanyi mu busumba nti yamala ennaku ssatu ng’omumwa gwesibye bwe yaddamu okwogera kwekusalawo okukozesa enkola ya mesegi’. Yagambye nti bamulagidde okuddayo oluvannyuma lw’emyezi ebbiri.
http://www.bukeddekussande.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=3&newsCategoryId=167&newsId=712124
Bya Musasi wa Bukedde
NABBI William Muwanguzi bw’alabye abagoberezi bongera okumuddukako oluvannyuma lw’okukitegeera nti abakolamu bukozi ssente tali ku bya ddiini, kwe kufumba omutwe n’aleeta akakodyo k’okukozesa essimu abafune.
Muwanguzi kaakati akolagana n’amakampuni agaweereza obubaka obuwandiike ku ssimu obumanyiddwa nga ‘SMS’ n’aweereza abantu obubaka ng’abatiisa ng’Omukama bw’amulaze ebifa ku bulamu bwabwe omuli n’okuba nti boolekedde agazibu bw’atyo n’abayita bagende gy’ali.
Omuwala Sarah Nansansi omu ku baagudde mu katego ka Muwanguzi yategeezezza nti, “Ndi muyizi mu S.5 mu ssomero erimu mu Kampala. Essimu yange ya UTL abamu gye bayita Mango [0712……] kwe nasanze obubaka obuva ewa Muwanguzi obwampise okugenda gy’ali e Mengo ku Holy Fire Ministries International. Bwabadde bugamba nti, “Mukama alina by’andaze ku bulamu bwo obwolekedde okubengeya kubanga wabuuka eddogo era obuzaayo ennaku ntono ofe. Ky’olina okukola jjangu ewange abukulongooseze. Nze W. Muwanguzi. Ebisingawo kuba essimu eno.”
Attottola nti mu kiseera ekyo yasobeddwa n’alinnya emmotoka eyamutuusizza e Mengo kyokka bwe yatuuseeyo abayambi ba Muwanguzi ne basooka okumuggyako 20,000/- okumulaba nti ate bwe yamutuuseeko naye n’amuggyamu 50,000/-.
Okunoonyereza okwakoleddwa omusasi wa Bukedde kwazudde nti Muwanguzi asinga kukozesa nnamba za UTL era abantu abaziriko abaweereza obubaka obw’engeri eno obufaanagana olwo abangu ne bamunoonya ate abamanyi nti yeenoonyeza ssente bo tebebufaako.
Omu ku bayambi ba Muwanguzi yategeezezza nti okuweereza obubaka baba bayamba kutegeeza abalina ebizibu basobole okusabirwa.
Wabula kyazuuse nti obubaka obuweerezebwa ku buli mulundi bubeera bufaanagana eri abantu ababufuna ekiwa ekifanaanyi nti bwa bulimba kubanga abantu kizibu okufaanaganya ebizibu.
Omwogezi wa poliisi mu Kampala n’emiriraano, Henry Kalulu yategeezezza nti poliisi etandise okunoonyereza ku bubaka buno obuwandiike okukakasa oba ddala Muwanguzi y’abuweereza.
Published on: Saturday, 6th March, 2010
Alangidde endiga ze obukodo
http://www.bukeddekussande.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=3&newsCategoryId=186&newsId=712093
KATEMBA taggwaayo wabula ne paasita William Muwanguzi amuzannya bubwe. Muwanguzi ali ku musango gw’omuwala amulumiriza okumukaka akaboozi kati azze na nkuba mpya.
Abagoberezi be atandise kubaferera ku masimu. Benjamin Ssebaggala agamba Muwanguzi abagoberezi abaweereza bubaka ku ssimu n’abategeeza nga bw’abeera alabye ebisiba obulamu n’emikisa gyabwe n’abayita okusaba naye abasumulule.
Ssande ewedde yaweerezza obubaka ku simu nga busoma nti: Nze Nabbi William Muwanguzi, Mukama andaze eri obulamu bwo ebibadde bisiba emikisa gyo gyangu enkya ku sande saawa 3:00 e Mengo tusabe ffenna.
Takoma ku kuweereza bubaka wabula abaweereza n’ennamba kwe babeera bakuba singa babeera baagala okumanya ebisingawo. Olwakubye ku ssimu gye yataddeko yayogedde ng’alina kye yeekengera n’ategeeza kimu nti jjangu ku Ssande essaawa ssatu nga talina ky’amaanyi ky’annyonnyodde kusinga ku kiri mu bubaka obuwandiike.
Wano MOSES JJAGWE we yasinzidde n’agenda e Mengo ku Ssande nga February 28, 2010 ku kkanisa ya Holy Fire Ministries era byonna ebyabaddeyo abikutusaako bwati:
Ku ssaawa 3:00 nabadde mutaka ku kkanisa era abagoberezi obwedda batuuka batonotono olw’enkuba.
Abaabadde baagala essaala ez’enjawulo nga batuukira mu kasenge wabula eno olina kuyingirayo n’ebbaasa ekuweereddwa mw’oteeka ssente ezikusaliddwa okutandikira ku mitwalo ebiri. Nayagadde okugenda mu kasenge wabula bwe gwatuuse ku gw’okufuna ebbaasa ate ng’oteekamu ssente ne mbyetegula ne nninda kusaba kwa bonna.
Abantu baagenze beeyongera nga buli atuuka afuna katebe ke ng’atuula. Abamu batuuse n’okusumaagiriramu nga tewali kigenda mu maaso.
Bwe zaaweze ssaawa 7:00 ez’emisana okutendereza ne kuba ng’okutandika. Abayimbi baalinnye ku kituuti wabula nga ku bonna omunaana tewaabadde luyimba lulambulukufu lutandika. Ekyanneewuunyisizza ku bayimbi, buli omu yabadde na nnyambala yiye n’asuddemu enkunamyo era ono olwakutte akazindaalo n’awoza nti, ‘Totunuulira nze bye nnyambadde naye weeweeyo bwewi eri Mukama...’.
Ebya kkwaaya bwe byagaanyi, kalabaalaba w’olunaku kwe kuyita omuntu yenna eyabadde n’oluyimba okulinnya ku kituuti era bano be baacamudde abantu n’okubamalamu empewo.
Bano baatwazizza ddala okutuusa ku ssaawa 8:10.
Ku ssaawa zino kalabaalaba yatulagidde okuzibiriza twewombeeke eri Mukama nga bwe tulindirira nabbi wa Mukama ajja.
Ow’ennanga olwasuddemu akayimba, eddoboozi lya nabbi Muwanguzi ne liwulikika ng’agamba nti, “Mweweeyo eri Katonda agenda kukola. Olwaleero Mukama abantu bonna abazze wano nga basibe basumululwe. Lwaki ggwe, okuba nga ggwe oyita mu mbeera eno? Wano waliwo omukyala Mukama gw’andaga, olina ky’obadde oyitamu ennaku zino zonna naye olwaleero bigenda mu linnya lya Yesu n’amabanja gonna agatwala ’. Nze we nabadde najeemedde ebiragiro bya kalabaalaba era obwedda ntemya bukofu. Eddoboozi lino lyabadde lifubutuka mu ntimbe eziri ku kituuti.
Emiranga obwedda gigenda mu maaso ng’eddoboozi likkaatiriza kya kuzibiriza n’okweweerayo ddala nga basaba.
Wano we yaviiridde mu ntimbe n’alinnya ku kituuti ng’ayambadde essaati enzirugavu ne baasikooti efaanana n’empale bya kivuuvu n’atuula mu katebe ke.
Yagenze mu maaso nti, ‘Buli omu nga weewaddeyo eri Katonda yogera ebigambo bino ng’obikkiriza nti Mukama agenda kubikukolera mugambe nti Mukama olwaleero nva mu bwavu, ne mu mabanja byonna Mukama agenda kubikola olwaleero.
Kakano baako ekiweebwayo ky’okwata eky’okukkiriza mu ngalo zo otandike okusaba mu kaseera kano kubanga Mukama akumanyi. N’ekiweebwayo kyo ng’okikutte mu ngalo, kati saba. (Wano abagoberezi baabadde batunula)
Tambula mangu oleete ekiweebwayo kyo wano ku kituuti, dduka mbiro okiteeke awo ku kituuti oddeyo mu kifo kyo tusabe.
Zibiriza amaaso go kaakano saagala kulaba muntu yenna atunula’. Nze nga mmoga, omukebezi yalinnye ku kituuti kuba ye yabadde tazibirizza n’akung’aanya zonna ezaabadde ziteereddwaawo.
Muwanguzi yalagidde buli omu atandike okusabira mikwano gye n’abalabe be bonna.
Oluvannyuma yayise abalina Mukama by’abakoledde mu wiiki bataano bawe obujulizi.
Eyasoose yagambye nti, ‘Mukama yeebazibwe abooluganda nneebaza Mukama ku Ssande ewedde nabbi yatugamba okusiiba ennaku ssatu, baali bangoba ku mulimu naye nabadde ndi awo nga bankubira nzire ku mulimu, nze mbeera Mubende naye buli lwa Ssande nnina okunoonya ssente ezindeeta wano’.
Omulala yazze n’atandika, ‘Ssebo nnabbi njagala okwebaza Mukama, bwe twali tukyali e Namulanda najja n’onsabira sicklecell ezaali zintawaanya ne ziwona. Ennaku zino bbiri ekirwadde kyangwiridde kati kwe kujja nga njagala kunsabira..’ Wano Muwanguzi kwe kumuboggolera nti, ‘Abantu nga mmwe mwantamaatama dda, mujja wano nga mulina ebizibu wabula bwe muwona temukomawo kwebaza ate mumala kufuna birala ne mulyoka mudda, vva ku kazindaalo.
Wamma Mukama yeebazibwe, ng’enda kubasabira essaala ya myaka 30 mu maaso gy’olina okuwangaala, kwata ekiweebwayo kyo eky’okukkiriza odduke mbiro ojje wano mu maaso okireete , bw’otuuka wano zibiriza saagala muntu atunula wano oyinza okutwala ebikolimo by’abalala be tugobako ebikwa.
Published on: Saturday, 6th March, 2010
Muwanguzi yeeyanjudde ku poliisi
http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20966:muwanguzi-yeeyanjudde-ku-poliisi&catid=29:amawulire&Itemid=572
Bya Angel Lubowa
Thursday, 25 March 2010 13:17
NABBI William Muwanguzi yeeyanjudde ku poliisi ne yeewozaako ku bigambibwa nti akozesa akakodyo k’okusindikira abantu abali ku ssimu za UTL mesegi’ ng’abalagula ebitiisa ku bulamu baabwe.
Kino kiddiridde abamu ku baafuna obubaka buno okwemulugunyiza poliisi nti obubaka buno obwobuwaze Muwanguzi abuweereza ku ssimu zaabwe ng’abayita nti kyokka bwe batuukayo n’abaggyako ssente.
Ku Lwokusatu Muwanguzi yagenze ku kitebe kya bambega e Kibuli ne yeenyonnyolako ku by’obubaka. Omu ku baserikale abaabadde babuuza Muwanguzi yategeezezza nti Muwanguzi yabategeezezza nti kino akikola mu mutima mulungi.
N’agattako nti, ‘yatugambye nti yafuna obubaka okuva ewa mwoyo mutukuvu nga bumusindika okwongera amaanyi mu busumba nti yamala ennaku ssatu ng’omumwa gwesibye bwe yaddamu okwogera kwekusalawo okukozesa enkola ya mesegi’. Yagambye nti bamulagidde okuddayo oluvannyuma lw’emyezi ebbiri.
Friday, 5 March 2010
Signs of the Time: Landslides kill hundreds in Uganda : Tough questions for Pastor Martin Sempa and Pat Robertson
Analysis
Land slides have killed hundreds of people in Eastern Uganda in the last couple of days. Recently thousands of people perished in an earth quake in Haiti. Pat Robertson interpreted this to be God's judgment on Haiti because of the sins that the Haitians committed by making a pact with the Devil. Pastor Martin Sempa emulating Pat Robertson interpreted this to be God’s judgment on the people of Haiti because of practicing Vooodo witchcraft. What a shame for Pastor Martin Sempa!! Will he also interpret the deaths in Uganda due to land slides as God’s judgments on the people of Eastern Uganda for Practicing voodoo?? These are mere signs of the time that Jesus talked about in Mathew 24. It is possible that even some the true saints of the Lord might have perished in these incidents.
Pat Robertson, Haiti, Poor Sinners, and Prophetic Presumption
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/402-pat-robertson-haiti-poor-sinners-and-prophetic-presumption-.html
WHEN CHRISTIANS BECOME A SOURCE OF RIDICULE??Its very possible for Christianity to sink into fascism(SEE FULL ARTICLE BELOW)
http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/OpEdColumnists/-/689366/856660/-/3xc0nez/-/index.html
10,000 to relocate
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/711965
Thursday, 4th March, 2010
By Francis Kagolo
THE Government is to evacuate and resettle over 10,000 people from several villages in six subcounties threatened with landslides in Bududa district.
David Wakikona, the state minister for northern Uganda, and the MP for Manjiya county in Bududa, said experts had identified more “dangerous” cracks in rocks in Bushiyi, Bukalasi, Bubita as well as in Bumayoka, Bududa and Bukigai sub-counties.
“We must get these people out of the danger areas and put them where we can feed them until the rainfall season stops,” the minister said.
Wakikona announced this at the Government briefing at the Media Centre in Kampala. He had just returned from the scene of disaster where he had been since the tragedy occurred on Monday.
He said the disaster preparedness ministry was working with agencies, like Red Cross, to secure funds to move out the people before another disaster occurs.
Milton Kamiti, the head of Bududa Bamasaaba Development Association, expressed concern over the reluctance of villagers to relocate. However, Wakikona said the Government was committed to saving Ugandans and would not accept any excuses. He hailed the Police, the army and all agencies trying to rescue the victims.
Wakikona also said seven football pitches had been identified in Bududa town council, Busuuta, Bubita and Bukalasi townships to house resettlement camps. The people are expected to live in the camps until May when rainfall is expected to cease, Wakikona said.
He requested for further assistance for food, water and medicine needed in the camps.
He said 92 bodies had been recovered by yesterday and about 90 survivors rescued, while close to 500 were still missing. Meteorologists say the current El Nino rains, which are partly blamed for the huge landslide, will last up to June.
Deus Bamanya, a senior meteorologist, said most of the country is expected to have above normal rains and warned of more landslides and flooding in that period.
Landslides hit Kisoro, Kabale
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/711966
Thursday, 4th March, 2010
By Anne Mugisa, Attractor Kamahoro and Darius Magara
Kisoro district suffered two landslides in the last few days, according to deputy resident district commissioner, Gideon Aheebwa.
Nyabisyenya and Murora sub-counties were hit on Wednesday, Aheebwa said. No one was killed but crops were destroyed, he added.
Kabale deputy RDC Shafiq Ssekandi also said landslides hit Rubaya and Butanda sub-counties. Some 15 houses were affected and the Rubaya-Katuna road was cut off.
The water and environment ministry said floods were likely to occur in central, eastern and western Uganda. State minister for environment Jennipher Namuyangu yesterday advised communities living in low-lying and flood-prone areas to shift to higher grounds.
“Those responsible for relief are advised to prepare for possible flooding in the high-risk regions,” Namuyangu said at a press briefing at the Media Centre.
The minister, who was flanked by weather experts, said scientists had predicted strong gusty winds, hailstorms and lightning as the El Nino rains continue to hammer the country.
“Appropriate action should be taken to avoid loss of life and destruction of infrastructure,” Namuyangu advised.
The minister said water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid may also occur. She asked the health ministry to equip hospitals and health centres with drugs.
She also warned motorists to take extra care where flooding occurs.
Despite this gloomy outlook, Namuyangu said El-Nino rains will bring some benefits such as increased agricultural output as the soil moisture will be higher.
“The regions that are expecting normal to above normal rainfall should use this chance to improve agricultural activities. The farmers are advised to make use of this season by planting enough food that will also cater for drought-stricken areas,” she said.
She said the rains will also enhance the potential for hydro-electricity generation because of the increased water volumes.
Its very possible for Christianity to sink into fascism
http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/OpEdColumnists/-/689366/856660/-/3xc0nez/-/index.html
By Alan Tacca
Posted Sunday, February 7 2010 at 00:00
Several days after the earthquake that devastated Haiti, the BBC (Africa Service) sounded out different people on the kind of help they thought was appropriate. Western media organisations (including the BBC) are often accused of seeking out stories and expressions of opinions that portray Africa in a negative light.
More likely, an inferiority complex makes a lot of Africans touchy in the face of criticism. Yet, as if deaf to the accusations, the BBC sought out Pastor Martin Sempa, who runs a born again Christian outfit at Makerere University. How did the pastor think the Christian community in Uganda could help the Haitian people?
The problem with Pastor Sempa, of course, is that he thinks like Pastor Martin Sempa.
The tragedy is that he does not even contemplate the possibility that he may be very shallow. Shooting from the mouth as always, Sempa promptly castigated the Haitians for their voodoo and witchcraft, implying that he believed the earthquake was a divine punishment they deserved.
As for any help, Sempa dismissed the idea out of hand, noting that his outfit collected only Shs300,000 (about $160) every Sunday, so there was nothing to give to the Haitians, except prayers.
Presumably, he meant prayers for Haitians to see things Sempa’s way; because it would be hypocritical to pray that other people help Haiti.
You could not consider yourself a fairly normal person without being appalled. Uganda has a raft of spiritual leaders whose voices would reflect the compassion so many Africans felt for the hapless Haitians.
There were also the ordinary people who, with much less than Sempa’s Shs300,000 per week operation, would have wanted to know how they could help. But the BBC left out all these people and broadcast one of those voices through which the Christian experience is degenerating into a monstrosity.
The likes of Pastor Sempa or the American radical, Pat Robertson, have probably not paused to reflect that the huge rocky plates that are creeping and grating and colliding in the belly of the earth have been going about their ways – in total indifference to the fate of humans – for billions of years. So indeed is the rest of the incredibly vast universe.
We have no evidence of God except as part of human thought. If the suffering of humans can be given a divine interpretation, the indifference of the universe can also be said to reflect God’s desire.
And the scale of the universe is so much greater than man’s spiritual quest and his little moral operations. Man dare not beyond the tiny perimeter where exploration will take his inquisitive heart.
The fury, the cold, the heat and the distances out there will never be for his encounter. And when man becomes extinct – as he surely will when his luck runs out – the universe will go about its ways, in total indifference to the record left by his brief existence.
The geological event of the Haiti earthquake is in the context of that greater universe. The suffering of the victims is in the context of the human experience.
If we link the geological event to a moral (human) cause – namely, the “wickedness” of the Haitians – then we have surrendered to an arbitrary and indiscriminate justice instead of trying to understand how the greater universe works.
In the process, we achieve the opposite of what we want; we block the flow of empathy with (and the extension of kindness to) our fellow humans.
The racial and ideological fascists who meted out so much pain and death in the 20th century also thought they were divinely inspired.
Pastor Sempa and his ilk may not have the bombs to exterminate those whose spiritual experiences and moral preferences are different, but the fantasy that there is a God out there doing this grim work for them has the colour of that fascism.
Mr Tacca is a novelist, socio-political commentator and artist
altacca@yahoo.com
Land slides have killed hundreds of people in Eastern Uganda in the last couple of days. Recently thousands of people perished in an earth quake in Haiti. Pat Robertson interpreted this to be God's judgment on Haiti because of the sins that the Haitians committed by making a pact with the Devil. Pastor Martin Sempa emulating Pat Robertson interpreted this to be God’s judgment on the people of Haiti because of practicing Vooodo witchcraft. What a shame for Pastor Martin Sempa!! Will he also interpret the deaths in Uganda due to land slides as God’s judgments on the people of Eastern Uganda for Practicing voodoo?? These are mere signs of the time that Jesus talked about in Mathew 24. It is possible that even some the true saints of the Lord might have perished in these incidents.
Pat Robertson, Haiti, Poor Sinners, and Prophetic Presumption
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/402-pat-robertson-haiti-poor-sinners-and-prophetic-presumption-.html
WHEN CHRISTIANS BECOME A SOURCE OF RIDICULE??Its very possible for Christianity to sink into fascism(SEE FULL ARTICLE BELOW)
http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/OpEdColumnists/-/689366/856660/-/3xc0nez/-/index.html
10,000 to relocate
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/711965
Thursday, 4th March, 2010
By Francis Kagolo
THE Government is to evacuate and resettle over 10,000 people from several villages in six subcounties threatened with landslides in Bududa district.
David Wakikona, the state minister for northern Uganda, and the MP for Manjiya county in Bududa, said experts had identified more “dangerous” cracks in rocks in Bushiyi, Bukalasi, Bubita as well as in Bumayoka, Bududa and Bukigai sub-counties.
“We must get these people out of the danger areas and put them where we can feed them until the rainfall season stops,” the minister said.
Wakikona announced this at the Government briefing at the Media Centre in Kampala. He had just returned from the scene of disaster where he had been since the tragedy occurred on Monday.
He said the disaster preparedness ministry was working with agencies, like Red Cross, to secure funds to move out the people before another disaster occurs.
Milton Kamiti, the head of Bududa Bamasaaba Development Association, expressed concern over the reluctance of villagers to relocate. However, Wakikona said the Government was committed to saving Ugandans and would not accept any excuses. He hailed the Police, the army and all agencies trying to rescue the victims.
Wakikona also said seven football pitches had been identified in Bududa town council, Busuuta, Bubita and Bukalasi townships to house resettlement camps. The people are expected to live in the camps until May when rainfall is expected to cease, Wakikona said.
He requested for further assistance for food, water and medicine needed in the camps.
He said 92 bodies had been recovered by yesterday and about 90 survivors rescued, while close to 500 were still missing. Meteorologists say the current El Nino rains, which are partly blamed for the huge landslide, will last up to June.
Deus Bamanya, a senior meteorologist, said most of the country is expected to have above normal rains and warned of more landslides and flooding in that period.
Landslides hit Kisoro, Kabale
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/711966
Thursday, 4th March, 2010
By Anne Mugisa, Attractor Kamahoro and Darius Magara
Kisoro district suffered two landslides in the last few days, according to deputy resident district commissioner, Gideon Aheebwa.
Nyabisyenya and Murora sub-counties were hit on Wednesday, Aheebwa said. No one was killed but crops were destroyed, he added.
Kabale deputy RDC Shafiq Ssekandi also said landslides hit Rubaya and Butanda sub-counties. Some 15 houses were affected and the Rubaya-Katuna road was cut off.
The water and environment ministry said floods were likely to occur in central, eastern and western Uganda. State minister for environment Jennipher Namuyangu yesterday advised communities living in low-lying and flood-prone areas to shift to higher grounds.
“Those responsible for relief are advised to prepare for possible flooding in the high-risk regions,” Namuyangu said at a press briefing at the Media Centre.
The minister, who was flanked by weather experts, said scientists had predicted strong gusty winds, hailstorms and lightning as the El Nino rains continue to hammer the country.
“Appropriate action should be taken to avoid loss of life and destruction of infrastructure,” Namuyangu advised.
The minister said water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid may also occur. She asked the health ministry to equip hospitals and health centres with drugs.
She also warned motorists to take extra care where flooding occurs.
Despite this gloomy outlook, Namuyangu said El-Nino rains will bring some benefits such as increased agricultural output as the soil moisture will be higher.
“The regions that are expecting normal to above normal rainfall should use this chance to improve agricultural activities. The farmers are advised to make use of this season by planting enough food that will also cater for drought-stricken areas,” she said.
She said the rains will also enhance the potential for hydro-electricity generation because of the increased water volumes.
Its very possible for Christianity to sink into fascism
http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/OpEdColumnists/-/689366/856660/-/3xc0nez/-/index.html
By Alan Tacca
Posted Sunday, February 7 2010 at 00:00
Several days after the earthquake that devastated Haiti, the BBC (Africa Service) sounded out different people on the kind of help they thought was appropriate. Western media organisations (including the BBC) are often accused of seeking out stories and expressions of opinions that portray Africa in a negative light.
More likely, an inferiority complex makes a lot of Africans touchy in the face of criticism. Yet, as if deaf to the accusations, the BBC sought out Pastor Martin Sempa, who runs a born again Christian outfit at Makerere University. How did the pastor think the Christian community in Uganda could help the Haitian people?
The problem with Pastor Sempa, of course, is that he thinks like Pastor Martin Sempa.
The tragedy is that he does not even contemplate the possibility that he may be very shallow. Shooting from the mouth as always, Sempa promptly castigated the Haitians for their voodoo and witchcraft, implying that he believed the earthquake was a divine punishment they deserved.
As for any help, Sempa dismissed the idea out of hand, noting that his outfit collected only Shs300,000 (about $160) every Sunday, so there was nothing to give to the Haitians, except prayers.
Presumably, he meant prayers for Haitians to see things Sempa’s way; because it would be hypocritical to pray that other people help Haiti.
You could not consider yourself a fairly normal person without being appalled. Uganda has a raft of spiritual leaders whose voices would reflect the compassion so many Africans felt for the hapless Haitians.
There were also the ordinary people who, with much less than Sempa’s Shs300,000 per week operation, would have wanted to know how they could help. But the BBC left out all these people and broadcast one of those voices through which the Christian experience is degenerating into a monstrosity.
The likes of Pastor Sempa or the American radical, Pat Robertson, have probably not paused to reflect that the huge rocky plates that are creeping and grating and colliding in the belly of the earth have been going about their ways – in total indifference to the fate of humans – for billions of years. So indeed is the rest of the incredibly vast universe.
We have no evidence of God except as part of human thought. If the suffering of humans can be given a divine interpretation, the indifference of the universe can also be said to reflect God’s desire.
And the scale of the universe is so much greater than man’s spiritual quest and his little moral operations. Man dare not beyond the tiny perimeter where exploration will take his inquisitive heart.
The fury, the cold, the heat and the distances out there will never be for his encounter. And when man becomes extinct – as he surely will when his luck runs out – the universe will go about its ways, in total indifference to the record left by his brief existence.
The geological event of the Haiti earthquake is in the context of that greater universe. The suffering of the victims is in the context of the human experience.
If we link the geological event to a moral (human) cause – namely, the “wickedness” of the Haitians – then we have surrendered to an arbitrary and indiscriminate justice instead of trying to understand how the greater universe works.
In the process, we achieve the opposite of what we want; we block the flow of empathy with (and the extension of kindness to) our fellow humans.
The racial and ideological fascists who meted out so much pain and death in the 20th century also thought they were divinely inspired.
Pastor Sempa and his ilk may not have the bombs to exterminate those whose spiritual experiences and moral preferences are different, but the fantasy that there is a God out there doing this grim work for them has the colour of that fascism.
Mr Tacca is a novelist, socio-political commentator and artist
altacca@yahoo.com
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
Media ridicules Pentecostal Pastors for blindly following Benny Hinn
Abasumba abaseegu lwaki ensi ebakubira mu ngalo!
http://www.bukeddekussande.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=3&newsCategoryId=236&newsId=711374
WALIWO obweraliikirivu nti wayinza okubaawo omuyaga gw’okunoba kw’abakazi bak’abasumba b’ekanisa z’Abalokole.
Omuyaga guno gujja kuva ku Suzana muk’Omusumba Benny Hinn eyanobye ng’agamba nti takyayinza kugumira muze gwa bba ogw’okulya ebisiyaga.
Kigambibwa nti waliwo ne bakaabasumba abalala bangi abafumbira ku bugubi olw’ebikolwa bya babbaabwe eby’obwenzi, wabula nga batya okuvaayo okwanika ebikolwa ebyo mu lwatu n’okunoba.
Kati bwe kiba nga Suzana muk’Omusumba asinga obwatiikirivu mu nsi yonna yeevuddemu n’anoba era n’ayanika omuze gwa bba ogw’okulya ebisiyaga naddala eby’obulenzi obuto, waliwo obweraliikirivu nti n’abalala bayinza okukala amaaso ne bakola ekyo Suzana kye yakoze Omusumba Benny Hinn.
Bwe kiba nti Benny Hinn ayatiikiridde mu nsi yonna olw’okubuulira enjiri ey’obulokozi kyokka nga mukozi wa bivve, ekyo kikulaga nti ensi yagwa dda eddalu nga tetumanyi.
Kikwewuunyisa aboonoonyi engeri gye beewoomya kungulu ne beefuula abatuukirivu. Anti Benny Hinn lwe yasooka okukyalako mu Uganda mu 2007 bwe yali akola eby’amagero mu kisaawe e Namboole, Abasumba abakulu okuli: Joseph Sserwadda, Robert Kayanja ne Irene Namutebi baamwesimba mu maaso abagobeko emizimu era mu kukola kino baagwanga eri ne basambagala! Naye osanga singa abasumba baffe bonna baakimanyaako nti oyo abeetukulizaako mwenzi wa ccepe osanga ate be baalimulindiggudde eri ne bamugobako emizimu egimukozesa ebivve naddala okulya ebisiyaga.
Ate Benny Hinn bw’akomyewo wano omwaka oguyise, laba abasumba bwe bamulandukiddeko ne bagenda bamuloopera musumba munnaabwe omuli w’ebisiyaga. Bambi tebaategeera nti gwe baloopa ne gwe baloopera bombi omu katta ate omulala kasalira. Kale okulya balya naye basonyiwazza nnyo ekkanisa olw’okubuulira enjiri ey’obulokozi kyokka mu kyama ne baba nga bo boonoonefu nnyo abatuuka n’okwesittaza bakazi baabwe ne banoba amaka gaabwe ne gasasika.
Kino kakibeere kyakuyiga eri abasumba abakombooza Abazungu okubaleeta kuno okubuulira enjiri n’okukola ebyamagero mu Kkanisa zaabwe. Weewaawo Abazungu abo balina ddoola wabula nga zonna zisaabaanye ebikolobero era ebyo Abazungu abo bye baba bazze okusaasaanya.
Okukombooza ba Benny Hinn ne bajja wano okwongera okusiga ebivve kijja kwongera bwongezi okusuula ensi eddalu ekkankada, obulamu bwongere okukaluba... Sikulimba.
Published on: Saturday, 27th February, 2010
http://www.bukeddekussande.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=3&newsCategoryId=236&newsId=711374
WALIWO obweraliikirivu nti wayinza okubaawo omuyaga gw’okunoba kw’abakazi bak’abasumba b’ekanisa z’Abalokole.
Omuyaga guno gujja kuva ku Suzana muk’Omusumba Benny Hinn eyanobye ng’agamba nti takyayinza kugumira muze gwa bba ogw’okulya ebisiyaga.
Kigambibwa nti waliwo ne bakaabasumba abalala bangi abafumbira ku bugubi olw’ebikolwa bya babbaabwe eby’obwenzi, wabula nga batya okuvaayo okwanika ebikolwa ebyo mu lwatu n’okunoba.
Kati bwe kiba nga Suzana muk’Omusumba asinga obwatiikirivu mu nsi yonna yeevuddemu n’anoba era n’ayanika omuze gwa bba ogw’okulya ebisiyaga naddala eby’obulenzi obuto, waliwo obweraliikirivu nti n’abalala bayinza okukala amaaso ne bakola ekyo Suzana kye yakoze Omusumba Benny Hinn.
Bwe kiba nti Benny Hinn ayatiikiridde mu nsi yonna olw’okubuulira enjiri ey’obulokozi kyokka nga mukozi wa bivve, ekyo kikulaga nti ensi yagwa dda eddalu nga tetumanyi.
Kikwewuunyisa aboonoonyi engeri gye beewoomya kungulu ne beefuula abatuukirivu. Anti Benny Hinn lwe yasooka okukyalako mu Uganda mu 2007 bwe yali akola eby’amagero mu kisaawe e Namboole, Abasumba abakulu okuli: Joseph Sserwadda, Robert Kayanja ne Irene Namutebi baamwesimba mu maaso abagobeko emizimu era mu kukola kino baagwanga eri ne basambagala! Naye osanga singa abasumba baffe bonna baakimanyaako nti oyo abeetukulizaako mwenzi wa ccepe osanga ate be baalimulindiggudde eri ne bamugobako emizimu egimukozesa ebivve naddala okulya ebisiyaga.
Ate Benny Hinn bw’akomyewo wano omwaka oguyise, laba abasumba bwe bamulandukiddeko ne bagenda bamuloopera musumba munnaabwe omuli w’ebisiyaga. Bambi tebaategeera nti gwe baloopa ne gwe baloopera bombi omu katta ate omulala kasalira. Kale okulya balya naye basonyiwazza nnyo ekkanisa olw’okubuulira enjiri ey’obulokozi kyokka mu kyama ne baba nga bo boonoonefu nnyo abatuuka n’okwesittaza bakazi baabwe ne banoba amaka gaabwe ne gasasika.
Kino kakibeere kyakuyiga eri abasumba abakombooza Abazungu okubaleeta kuno okubuulira enjiri n’okukola ebyamagero mu Kkanisa zaabwe. Weewaawo Abazungu abo balina ddoola wabula nga zonna zisaabaanye ebikolobero era ebyo Abazungu abo bye baba bazze okusaasaanya.
Okukombooza ba Benny Hinn ne bajja wano okwongera okusiga ebivve kijja kwongera bwongezi okusuula ensi eddalu ekkankada, obulamu bwongere okukaluba... Sikulimba.
Published on: Saturday, 27th February, 2010
Monday, 1 March 2010
Pastor Meddy Kitaakufe Marries another wife amidist tight police protection
This article is about a second wedding for Ugandan pastor Meddy Kitaakufe. This pastor first had an adulterous relationship with some one's wife. He has now abandoned this lady for a new catch whom he married recently at Nakulabye Baptist church. It is reported that this pastor has been having relationships with so many ladies in his church. What is most absurd is the fact that Uganda police gave him tight security at his wedding. Pentecostal pastors in Uganda have committed so many evils with the support of the current government.
Omusumba awasirizza ku mmundu
Bya Robert Mutebi
Sunday, 28 February 2010 13:47
http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19718:omusumba-awasirizza-ku-mmundu&catid=1:omuko-ogusooka&Itemid=591
OMUSUMBA eyasigula muk’omusajja ow’empeta n’amutwala n’amuzaalamu n’omwana naye amusuddeyo n’afunayo ekimyula kye yagatiddwa nakyo wakati mu kukuumibwa okw’amaanyi okwakoleddwa abajaasi, bakanyama ne poliisi.
Meddy Kitaakufe omusumba w’ekkanisa ya Grace Tabernacle e Kasubi ku Munaku yagatiddwa n’omukyala omulala mu kkanisa ya Baptist Church e Nakulabye ku ssaawa 7:00 ez’emisana ku Lwomukaaga.
Omukolo guno gwetabiddwako abantu bamuswaba ng’abasinga baabadde bagoberezi be okuva mu kkanisa ye.
Tegwakiriziddwako bantu beekengerwa era emiryango egiyingira kkanisa eno gyonna gyasiddwako obukuumi .
Abapoliisi abalala batuuziddwa mu kkanisa munda bakira mwe basinziira okugirawuna ate omusumba n’omugole we baakuumiddwa bakanyama n’abaserikale bakira abambadde galubindi enzirugavu n’abalala ababadde banekedde mu byambalo by’amaggye.Abapoliisi abaabadde bakuuma.
Oluvanyuma lw’okubagatta, abagole baagenze e Munyonyo gye baagabulidde abagenyi baabwe.
Kitakufe aludde ng’abantu n’ezimu ku ndiga ze zimwemulugunyako olw’okuganza abakazi ewatali kusosola bafumbo n’abatali era yakubwako ne mu mbuga ng’entabwe eva ku kusigula mukamusajja.
Bukedde ku Ssande nga October 21,2007, yafulumya amawulire ga Kitaakufe okuganza Florence Nabaweesi muka Rogers Kakeeto era nti baali bategeka kugattibwa mu kkanisa ya Miracle Centre ey’omusumba Robert Kayanja.
Kakeeto yabakuba mu mbuga oluvanyuma lw’okufuna obujulizi obubalumiriza nga bwe baali mu mukwano omungi.
Mu mpaaba ye, Kakeeto yagamba nti yali agudde ku bbaluwa z’omukwano wakati wa Kitaakufe ne Nabaweesi.
Kakeeto yalaga n’ebifaananyi mukaziwe n’omusumba bye baali bazze beekubisa nga beekutte balya bulamu.
Kakeeto yayawukana ne mukyalawe n’amulekera omusumba gwe yalumiriza mu kkooti nti ye yatabula obufumbo bwe ne mukyalawe bwe baagattibwa empeta era nga balina omwana omu. Kigambibwa nti Nabaweesi yazaala omwana era nga kiteeberezebwa nti wa musumba Kitaakufe.
Wabula oluvannyuma Kitaakufe ate yakwanyeyo omuwala omulala omubalagavu eyamwerabizza Nabaweesi bwatyo n’ategeka embaga ku Lwomukaaga yadde nga waliwo ebigambibwa nti alinayo n’abawala abalala bangi omuli ne b’azaddemu abaana.
Mukazi wa Kitaakufe nnamba emu Yudaaya Kitaakufe yategeezezza nti Kitaakufe musajja muzibu nnyo eyagaana n’okulabirira abaana baabwe abataano be yamuzaalamu nadda mu kuwasa abakazi nti era ensonga yazitutte mu kkooti.
Yagaseeko nti omusumba alina n’omuze gw’okupasula abakazi nti kubanga Nabaweesi yamupasula ku Kakeeto nti ate n’omugole gwe yagatiddwa naye yamupasudde ku musajja e Busoga bwe yabadde azze okumusabira obufumbo bwe ne bba butereere .
Yannyonyodde nti embaga eno ebadde ekuumibwa nga yakyama olw’okutya nti ye Udaaya ne Nabaweesi, naye gwe yazaalamu omwana baabadde basobola okugiremesa. Yabadde atya ne bba w’omukazi gwe yagatiddwa naye nti ayinza okuva e Busoga n’abazinda.
Eggulo Bukedde yatuuse ku kkanisa ya Kitaakufe kyokka n’agaana okwogera n’omusasi waffe.Yategeezezza nti yabadde n’emirimu egy’okukola.
Omusumba awasirizza ku mmundu
Bya Robert Mutebi
Sunday, 28 February 2010 13:47
http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19718:omusumba-awasirizza-ku-mmundu&catid=1:omuko-ogusooka&Itemid=591
OMUSUMBA eyasigula muk’omusajja ow’empeta n’amutwala n’amuzaalamu n’omwana naye amusuddeyo n’afunayo ekimyula kye yagatiddwa nakyo wakati mu kukuumibwa okw’amaanyi okwakoleddwa abajaasi, bakanyama ne poliisi.
Meddy Kitaakufe omusumba w’ekkanisa ya Grace Tabernacle e Kasubi ku Munaku yagatiddwa n’omukyala omulala mu kkanisa ya Baptist Church e Nakulabye ku ssaawa 7:00 ez’emisana ku Lwomukaaga.
Omukolo guno gwetabiddwako abantu bamuswaba ng’abasinga baabadde bagoberezi be okuva mu kkanisa ye.
Tegwakiriziddwako bantu beekengerwa era emiryango egiyingira kkanisa eno gyonna gyasiddwako obukuumi .
Abapoliisi abalala batuuziddwa mu kkanisa munda bakira mwe basinziira okugirawuna ate omusumba n’omugole we baakuumiddwa bakanyama n’abaserikale bakira abambadde galubindi enzirugavu n’abalala ababadde banekedde mu byambalo by’amaggye.Abapoliisi abaabadde bakuuma.
Oluvanyuma lw’okubagatta, abagole baagenze e Munyonyo gye baagabulidde abagenyi baabwe.
Kitakufe aludde ng’abantu n’ezimu ku ndiga ze zimwemulugunyako olw’okuganza abakazi ewatali kusosola bafumbo n’abatali era yakubwako ne mu mbuga ng’entabwe eva ku kusigula mukamusajja.
Bukedde ku Ssande nga October 21,2007, yafulumya amawulire ga Kitaakufe okuganza Florence Nabaweesi muka Rogers Kakeeto era nti baali bategeka kugattibwa mu kkanisa ya Miracle Centre ey’omusumba Robert Kayanja.
Kakeeto yabakuba mu mbuga oluvanyuma lw’okufuna obujulizi obubalumiriza nga bwe baali mu mukwano omungi.
Mu mpaaba ye, Kakeeto yagamba nti yali agudde ku bbaluwa z’omukwano wakati wa Kitaakufe ne Nabaweesi.
Kakeeto yalaga n’ebifaananyi mukaziwe n’omusumba bye baali bazze beekubisa nga beekutte balya bulamu.
Kakeeto yayawukana ne mukyalawe n’amulekera omusumba gwe yalumiriza mu kkooti nti ye yatabula obufumbo bwe ne mukyalawe bwe baagattibwa empeta era nga balina omwana omu. Kigambibwa nti Nabaweesi yazaala omwana era nga kiteeberezebwa nti wa musumba Kitaakufe.
Wabula oluvannyuma Kitaakufe ate yakwanyeyo omuwala omulala omubalagavu eyamwerabizza Nabaweesi bwatyo n’ategeka embaga ku Lwomukaaga yadde nga waliwo ebigambibwa nti alinayo n’abawala abalala bangi omuli ne b’azaddemu abaana.
Mukazi wa Kitaakufe nnamba emu Yudaaya Kitaakufe yategeezezza nti Kitaakufe musajja muzibu nnyo eyagaana n’okulabirira abaana baabwe abataano be yamuzaalamu nadda mu kuwasa abakazi nti era ensonga yazitutte mu kkooti.
Yagaseeko nti omusumba alina n’omuze gw’okupasula abakazi nti kubanga Nabaweesi yamupasula ku Kakeeto nti ate n’omugole gwe yagatiddwa naye yamupasudde ku musajja e Busoga bwe yabadde azze okumusabira obufumbo bwe ne bba butereere .
Yannyonyodde nti embaga eno ebadde ekuumibwa nga yakyama olw’okutya nti ye Udaaya ne Nabaweesi, naye gwe yazaalamu omwana baabadde basobola okugiremesa. Yabadde atya ne bba w’omukazi gwe yagatiddwa naye nti ayinza okuva e Busoga n’abazinda.
Eggulo Bukedde yatuuse ku kkanisa ya Kitaakufe kyokka n’agaana okwogera n’omusasi waffe.Yategeezezza nti yabadde n’emirimu egy’okukola.
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