On the Brink of Apostasy?

Presbytery of Boston v. Jean Southard

POB Report, 16 NOV 2009
South Boston

I'd like to thank Pastor Rob for his pastoral prayer Sunday, and the other Rob for his extension of Calvin's definition of a true church:
1.Scripture is preached faithfully
2.the Sacraments are administered

3.discipline is lovingly maintained, and

4.mission is a priority.

What stands out from this meeting is the lack of #3. Is appears to many that effective discipline in the Presbytery of Boston, at least among the “progressive” elements, has ceased to exist. Various machinations were successfully employed to make discipline the province of a small, appointed group, rather than a faithful, life-restoring part of our path of following Jesus—the Jesus revealed by God through Scripture, not the vague, malleable figure of “progressive” culture.
Even worse, perhaps, was the fate of #4. A prominent “progressive” member repeatedly attacked Garrett for his work for Jews for Jesus. This wasn't an angry, personal assault, but a cold, calm, apparently calculated denial of the importance of “preaching the Good News to every creature.” All this flows from the denial of #1, a God who has revealed himself in a way accessible to every creature, through Scriptures that can be read and understood by everyone, particularly when read in their own language: English, Korean, Spanish, Red Karen, or Kagayanen. I'm grateful that NPC has remained faithful to the Gospel that gives forgiveness from sin—that is, true freedom, which is not captive to the idolatry of “progress.”

Presbytery of Boston v. Jean Southard

William Billings

Who says Aaron Copland (a huge fav of mine) was the first great American composer? Listen to this from William Billings:
Seek not in court or palace
Nor royal curtains draw;
Search the stable, see your God
Extended on the straw

“Sow the wind, Reap the Whirlwind”

Having undermined truth, beginning in the realm of religion and philosophy, Obama's climate experts are surprised and hurt that no one believes them. On a more practical level, liberals haven't convinced their own followers to get out of their SUV's and walk, so why should anyone else be convinced of a crisis in how we use the resources of God's earth?

The experts have undermined their own credibility

...from this thread:
http://blog.sojo.net/2009/10/15/must-the-poor-pay-for-our-environmental-sins/?dsq=20238356#comment-20238356

Thanks for bringing up science and communication. There is indeed a problem: in spite of the obvious health impacts of a lousy diet—and I'm not just talking about the obesity epidemic—people continue to believe food ads: “eat what we tell you to”. There is a widespread cynicism, and it is not wholly the public's fault. The public is lied to all the time: Reagan lied about invading Central America in the 80's, Clinton lied about his affair in the 90's, and so on. The whole notion of truth has broken down, and scientists and other academicians have actually led the way. People have noticed that supposedly intelligent people lie all the time, and aren't trustworthy. The lie that science disproves the Bible, for example, or the embarrassing anti-Christian diatribes by Sam Harris, et al, show an utter lack of accountability. The distinction between Hollywood make believe and newscasters has become pretty slim. bbuudd said:“Simply ignoring the plight of the powerless, the poor, and the weak (ignored by the powerful, strong, and wealthy) because it costs too much is not an acceptable argument."
I couldn't agree more. Al Gore ought not to be bashed, indeed, but he needs to be held accountable for his lavish lifestyle by the media, and by Jim Wallis and company. Jim never talks about personal self indulgence; it's as if he's given up on sexual discipline and the discipline of searching for the truth. If we, as a society have stopped believing in the truth, why should anyone search for it? Why should anyone listen to a self proclaimed expert? When there was truth, there were experts. Now, as a logical consequence of the tenets of our state religion of secularism, neither exist.

Neo-pelagianism, our State Religion

A young relative of mine joined the “Youth Climate Action Network” with the best of intentions. The meetings are held in places with excellent access via public transportation. And she wants a ride in an automobile all the time, at a pound of CO2 emitted per mile! What are they teaching her?? She's a good kid; the fault is with a system of adults who say “Let someone else do it, at the government's bidding.” While technological solutions have relevance, allow me to paraphrase Jacques Ellul and point out that it's idolatrous to believe in a merely political or technological solution to a spiritual problem. Yet our state religion teaches faith in human perfectibility, and that those who believe in human sin and a loving, omnipotent and just LORD of Creation are old fashioned, or fundamentalists, or even worse.

An honest question

We hear a lot these days about laws designed to change OTHER people's behavior. Didn't being a liberal and an environmentalist used to mean "Small is Beautiful" "Living More with Less" and "Tread lightly on the Earth"???
Now Al Gore gets a Nobel for living in a uselessly large and extravagant mansion, and Obama gets a Nobel just for being alive. Am I missing something, or are most of the liberals I know, and know of, hypocrites? Is anyone celebrated for simple living anymore? Naturally, the spoiled rich folks who are TV's talking heads can hardly celebrate folks whose lifestyles put them to shame.
Anyway, enlighten me, correct me, talk to me....

More than you asked for, sir.

Qui Verbo Dei contempserunt, eis auferetur etiam verbum hominis.
They that have despised the Word of God, from them shall the word of man also be taken away.