Belief and Turning

Belief and Turning

 

“The hand of The LORD was with them, and a great number of people trusted and turned to The LORD.” Acts 11:21 CJB

“And the hand of The LORD was with them, and a great number believed and turned to The LORD.” Acts 11:21 NKJV

“And the hand of The LORD was with them, and a great number who believed turned to The LORD.” Acts 11:21 ESV

 

There are three key thoughts in this verse:

 

The hand of The LORD was with those who were witnessing about JESUS to the lost.

 

A great number of the lost believed in JESUS because of those who were sharing about Him.

 

Those who believed turned to The LORD, or gave their life to JESUS.

 

Trusting or believing in JESUS is something that many people do, some of them call themselves a Christian. But, the reality is that many of those who trust or believe in JESUS do not turn their life over to Him to be their savior AND LORD! The key though in this verse is turning to The LORD.

 

Trust or belief is a good place to start; many Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Mormons even Jehovah Witnesses claim a belief in Jesus the man, prophet and teacher; but they do not turn to Him as savior and LORD. There are many in the Christian Church that believe or trust in JESUS but do not turn to Him as savior AND LORD.

 

There are many who practice the Christian Faith or religion but have not surrendered their will (life) to JESUS. They do Christian things but they live their life how they want rather than being led by GOD’s SPIRIT and His Word, The Bible!

 

Oswald Chambers teaching about Colossians 1:29, “Whereunto I also labor, striving according to His working, which works in me mightily.” says, “It takes GOD Almighty Incarnate in us to do the most commonplace things in His way.” His way, His will, His purpose, His works however you want to say it, it only happens when we surrender our way, will, purpose, works to Him. Study Philippians and Colossians about doing GOD’s will through surrender to JESUS.

 

Remember The LORD’s Prayer also called The Our Father in Matthew 6:9-13? It opens with praise and worship to GOD, then immediately asks for The Father’s will to be done in the earth as it is in Heaven. How do you think GOD’s will is done in the earth as it is in Heaven. By those who turn to The LORD.

 

Again there are many who call themselves Christian and do the works of the Kingdom of Heaven in the earth, but have not surrendered their life to Him so that He is not their LORD. Many Christians choose religious professions and do well at them but to do so they have rejected GOD’s will and work for them. I know I did that for about 30 years.

 

I have been a Blood washed, water baptized, SPIRIT filled, born again Christian for over 40 years, but for almost 30 years I did it my way most of the time. If I did not like or want to do something I didn’t; that was my will, way, purpose or work; and GOD used me to His Glory nevertheless. Study Matthew 7:13-39

 

Here is a list of some of those who GOD has used from the Bible: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Pharaoh (in Moses’ time), Samson, King Saul, King David, King Solomon, Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus. Not all of them did GOD’s will purposely, some of them were against GOD and His people but GOD used them for His Glory.

 

We can love GOD and serve out of obedience or even willingly and still not be doing His will for our life! We can only be obedient (turned) to JESUS’ will for us by His SPIRIT and His Word, The Bible. Think of the fact that GOD by His SPIRIT lives in every person who believes and confesses that JESUS CHRIST is LORD. Think of that fact! That if you believe in JESUS and confess JESUS as LORD (even if you don’t live a surrendered life) His SPIRIT, HOLY SPIRIT, SPIRIT of GOD takes up residents in you and makes you a Living Temple of GOD. Remember GOD said that He does not live in anything made by mankind and we are not made by mankind, mankind is made by GOD! How can this be? He’s GOD!

 

How is GOD The Father, The Son and The SPIRIT? He’s GOD! How does GOD know every word, thought or deed done by every human who has, is and will live? He’s GOD! Stop thinking about GOD in human terms, GOD is not limited by our beliefs, we are! GOD is not limited by our will, we are! GOD, who created everything that exists, is sovereign over everything that exists! His will will be done whether we do it willingly or not. His Word will not return to Him unfulfilled! Study Revelation 19-21

Bold Resistance to the Left’s Attempts to Sow Pronoun Chaos By Edwin Benson

Bold Resistance to the Left’s Attempts to Sow Pronoun Chaos

By Edwin Benson

 

Every human being needs to distinguish truth from error. God gave humanity intelligence to perceive the truth. Training the intellect is a life-long pursuit.

Professor Nicholas Merriweather teaches philosophy at Shawnee State University in Ohio. He believes that his primary task is to help students recognize and appreciate the difference between truth and error. Many liberals contest this mission. Since they run his (and almost every other) university, he has made himself a target for dismissal.

Acting on Principle

There is only one truth, but individuals can react to it emotionally. Modernists try to center the search for “truth” on those emotions. This process divests the truth of its universality and makes it relative for each person. It does not take much to arrive at the nonsense of “my truth” and “your truth.”

On January 9, 2018, Professor Merriweather was teaching his political philosophy class. He responded to a question from a young male student named Alena Bruening. Part of the response contained the phrase, “yes, sir.”

Mr. Bruening approached Professor Merriweather after class, explaining that he was “transgender” and demanded that the professor use female pronouns in any further conversation. When the professor said that he could not comply, Mr. Bruening became belligerent.

 

The professor knows that Mr. Bruening is male. That is a biological fact, determined at the time of conception. Every chromosome in his body attests to that fact. His emotions about his “gender” cannot change anything. Coddling him with female pronouns testifies to a falsehood. Mouthing such a lie violates both Professor Merriweather’s traditional Christian beliefs and professional ethics.

A Plethora of Pronouns

Shawnee State University sees the issue very differently. In their world, emotions triumph over facts. As summarized in a civil complaint filed by Professor Merriweather, the University’s Nondiscrimination Policies state that, “students may demand that professors refer to them by any pronoun they choose, from the standard English pronouns (e.g., ‘he’ or ‘she’), to the standard pronouns applied in a nonstandard way (e.g., ‘they’ used to refer to one person), to those invented within the last few years(e.g., ‘ze,’ ‘zie,’ ‘sie,’ ‘hir,’ ‘hirs,’ ‘zie,’ ‘xe,’ ‘xem,’ ‘xyr,’ ‘xyrs,’ ‘per,’ ‘ve,’ ‘ver,’ ’vis,’ ‘fae,’ ‘faer,’ ‘ae,’ ‘aer,’ ‘e,’ ‘ey,’ ‘em,’ ‘eir,’ ‘eirs,’ ‘tey,’ ‘ter,’ ‘tem,’ ‘ters’) to any others that the student idiosyncratically requests.”

Thus, if Mr. Bruening believes himself to be a woman, the entire university, including Professor Merriweather, must contribute to that fallacy. Should Mr. Bruening’s emotions point him in a different direction tomorrow, all must indulge him. The professor’s refusal led to a formal charge that he created a “hostile environment.”

Professor Merriweather brought suit to have that charge expunged.

Leftist Reactions

A typical media reaction came from the Kansas City Star.  “A college philosophy and religion professor is suing after he says he was ‘punished’ by his school for refusing to call a transgender student by female pronouns, which he says would violate his ‘sincerely held Christian beliefs,’ according to a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of Ohio.”

 

The Star revealed its stand in the third paragraph of the story. “The Alliance Defending Freedom, a prominent conservative judicial activist group that was designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, is assisting with the lawsuit.”

The Star’s reference to the Southern Poverty Law Center is a tipoff to the newspaper’s leftist orientation. In the SPLC’s world, one does not have to hate to be a “hate group.” The SPLC charges that the Alliance Defending Freedom has “litigated lawsuits that target transgender students in public schools by denying them access to bathrooms in accordance with their gender identities and attempting to ban transgender women from competing in women’s sports.”

 

To the SPCL, principled opposition feels like hate, and therefore must be hate. Facts are unimportant when emotion prevails.

Some Scholars Still Believe in Truth

Professor Merriweather lost his case in the U.S. District Court and is currently appealing it to the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The National Association of Scholars filed an amicus brief in support of Professor Merriweather. Its president, Peter Wood, explained the reason for their support. “This isn’t just about a pronoun, it’s about what that pronoun means. It’s about endorsing an ideology. Forcing the use of a pronoun based on gender perceptions rather than sex is forcing the professor to endorse the idea that he rejects…  This is a case about university bureaucrats attempting to override the judgment of an experienced and highly regarded faculty member in order to impose a controversial belief of their own.”

In the legal brief, the NAS lawyers observe that “For about 1,000 years, ‘he’ quietly served as the third person nominative singular generic pronoun in English, denoting either male or female…. More recently—and more radically—a frontal assault in this pronominal revolution was launched using novel third-person pronouns, both masculine and feminine, singular and plural. This assault has been led by the transgender and ‘gender queer’ movements. Both reject the Standard English practice of referring to biological males with male pronouns and biological females with female pronouns.”

“Genderqueer” Chaos

“Genderqueer” is a term loaded with meaning. Merriam-Webster applies this definition, “of, relating to, or being a person whose gender identity cannot be categorized as solely male or female.” Its first known use was in 1995. Other roughly synonymous terms are “genderfluid” and “non-binary.”

 

Self-described “genderqueer advocate” Jacob Tobia tried to explain the new rules in a 2016 article in Time. “You can never make any assumptions about what pronoun someone uses based off their appearance. There is no such thing as ‘looking like’ a he, a she or a they. The only way you can know what pronoun someone prefers is by asking them. In practice, you should ask everyone what pronoun they use if you don’t know.” (Emphasis in the original.)

 

In reality, this controversy over pronouns is another way that the left is sowing confusion and denying the truth. From the beginnings of spoken language, he and she (and their equivalents in other languages) have been sufficient. Since there are only two sexes, only two singular pronouns are necessary to communicate accurately and truthfully.

It would be so easy for Professor Merriweather to accede to the University’s demands. He is stalwart in refusing. May others draw inspiration from his example and devotion to the truth.

Ephesians 5:10-18

Ephesians 5:10-18 CJB

 

“Finally, grow powerful in union with The LORD, in union with His Mighty Strength! Use all the armor and weaponry that GOD provides, so that you will be able to stand against the deceptive tactics of the adversary. For we are not struggling against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing the darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. So take up every piece of war equipment that GOD provides; so that when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist; and when the battle is won you will still be standing. Therefore, stand! Have the belt of Truth buckled around your waist, put on Righteousness for a breastplate, and wear on your feet the readiness that comes from the Good News of Shalom. Always carry the shield of Trust, with which you are able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of Deliverance; along with the sword given by The SPIRIT, that is, The Word of GOD; as you Pray at all times, with all kinds of prayers and requests, in The SPIRIT, vigilantly and persistently, for all GOD’s people.”

 

Notice that the weapons of our warfare are: Truth, Righteousness, The Good News of Shalom, Trust, Deliverance, The Word of GOD and Prayer!

 

Truth – GOD is Truth and GOD is True! His SPIRIT and His Word reveal them to us! He cannot lie and He never changes!

 

Righteousness – GOD is Righteous and in Christ JESUS He makes us Righteous by His Grace; after that we have to work out our salvation by how we live and serve GOD!

The Good News (Gospel) of Shalom (Peace) – Peace that passes understanding is a Gift of The SPIRIT! The Good News of that Peace is salvation to the lost; so we must be ready and willing to go and share it next door or far away!

 

Trust (Faith) – the word faith has become to mystical in the Church today; but Trust is simple we trust GOD because no matter what He is Faithful to His Word, He cannot lie and He never changes!

 

Deliverance (Salvation) – we tend to think of salvation as being saved from hell; but it is really being delivered from our old sinful life by being born again to our New Spiritual Life in CHRIST JESUS! It is going from being separated from GOD by our sin to being the children and servants of GOD by The Blood of JESUS’ sacrifices!

 

The Word of GOD – JESUS is the Living Word and the printed Word is Divinely inspired for our instruction and edification in righteous living; whereby we maintain GOD’s Righteousness in our life! As JESUS spoke The Word of GOD during His temptation, so must we!

 

Prayer – prayer is our continual communication with GOD our Father; He knows our every thought and word; it is our directed thoughts and words to GOD for the salvation and needs of unbelievers and our requests for His forgiveness and correction, instruction and grace for ourself and His servants!

Gimme Some Lovin'!

Gimme Some Lovin’!

By Spencer Davis and the Spencer Davis Group

 

Well, my temperature is rising, got my feet on the floor
Crazy people rocking 'cause they want to some more
Let me in baby, I don't know what you got
But you better take it easy 'cause this place is hot

And I'm so glad you made it, so glad you made it
You got to gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
Gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
Gimme some lovin' everyday

Well, I feel so good, everything's getting high
You better take it easy 'cause the place is on fire
Been a hard day and I had no work to do
Wait a minute baby, let it happen to you

And I'm so glad we made it, so glad we made it
You got to gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
Gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
Gimme some lovin' everyday, yeh

Well, I feel so good,…

 

This is not a Christian song, it is a song about immorality; but GOD…

 

As I was lying in bed and Charlene was talking with me this song started running through my head, first the beat then the music then the lyrics. I could only remember the chorus, what stood out to me was the second chorus, “I’m so glad we made it” and “gimme some lovin” which I switched in my head to “givin’ some lovin”.

 

As we struggle through our issues in life if we remember that it is GOD working His Will and purpose into our life then we can walk in the Grace and Mercy that He gives each of us every day. All the writers of the New Testament wrote of the joy we should have in our trials, tribulations and testings. This has always been hard for me. This is a rabbit trail: knowing the truth mentally does not set you free, living the truth daily sets you free. Study JESUS’ Words in their context, not just as a catch phrase, John 8:31-36.

 

But as I surrender to the process, losing my life in the process, I am beginning to live in the life GOD has called me too. That does not make it any easier, but it does make it richer. Look at Paul’s life, he did not get to be the most prolific writer of the New Testament based on his education and skill, thought he had the best education for a Jewish leader. It was his willingness to give his life fully to JESUS and follow His SPIRIT no matter the cost. He was glad he always made it and he never held back giving love to those he met.

 

We all want to receive love from spouses, family and friends and as Christians we have received the greatest Love, adoption by GOD through salvation in JESUS CHRIST and His SPIRIT living in us. And GOD expects us to give that love to everyone we meet, especially those He leads us too.

 

There are Scriptures that talk of GOD’s Love; “The Love of GOD is shed abroad in our hearts by His SPIRIT!”, “GOD Loved us when we were still His enemy!” “We love GOD because He first Loved us!” How can we not Love Him? JESUS said that if we loved Him then we would obey His commands; such as, “if you love one another, then you are My disciples.”

 

Our cousin, Ivan, calls Romans 5:5 GOD’s high five with us; “Now hope does not disappoint, because the Love of GOD has been poured out in our hearts by The HOLY SPIRIT who was given to us.” Imagine, GOD Loves us so much that He placed His Seal of Salvation on all who confess JESUS CHRIST as LORD and Savior of their life. This Seal is His SPIRIT who now lives in us making us a living Temple of GOD.

 

It’s because of GOD’s Love that we can make it; He “…gives us the victory in JESUS CHRIST our LORD and Savior.” He does not tempt us nor let us be tempted beyond what we are able to bear. Trials, tribulations, and testings will come into our lives, but it is through GOD’s Love that we are able to overcome them so that we have a testimony of GOD’s Love and salvation for everyone we meet.

 

Isaiah 40:29-31, “He gives Power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who Trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

 

Oswald Chambers when speaking on 2 Corinthians 12:15, “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.” said, “If you spend yourself out physically, you become exhausted; but spend yourself spiritually, and you get more strength. GOD never gives strength for tomorrow, but only for the strain of the minute.”

 

Our overcoming or making it is because of GOD’s Love, Grace and Mercy; our giving love to those we meet is our response to GOD’s overwhelming Love! We cannot hold on to GOD’s Love, we cannot keep it for ourself. As GOD’s high five with us says, from our hearts it must be shed abroad by The HOLY SPIRIT!

Father's Day Prayer!

Father’s Day Prayer

 

Happy Father’s Day Elohim, my Father in Heaven, Holy is Your Name.

Thank You that your Kingdom has come into my life and into the world, let Your will be done in my life and in the world as it is in Heaven.

Thank You that you supply all that we need daily.

Thank you that you have forgiven our sins in CHRIST JESUS, therefore we forgive those who offend and hurt us.

Thank You that You do not let us be tempted beyond our ability to survive.

Thank You that You have given us the victory over the evil one in JESUS CHRIST our LORD and Savior.

Thank You that Your Kingdom Power and Glory are eternal.

Amen!

How Do You Put On The Armor Of GOD?

How Do You Put On The Armor Of GOD?

 

If you have been a Christian very long you have heard a teaching on spiritual warfare and the armor of GOD from Ephesians 6. In my over forty five years of being a Christian I have heard many teachings and done a couple of teachings on spiritual warfare and the armor of GOD myself, today (6/19/20) as I was reading an encouraging word on the armor from Pastor Bob Harris I thought about how do we put on the armor. Many teach that you say or think of each item as you go through the mannerisms of actually putting them on, or you can just say or think them without the mannerisms. Most teachings have to do with the meaning of the pieces of armor both physically and spiritually. Remember that the pieces are not always given the same spiritual application; in Ephesians 6:14 the breastplate is righteousness and in 1 Thessalonians 5:8 the breastplate is faith and love. The shield is faith in Ephesians 6:16 and truth in Psalm 91:4.

 

So, what is the armor of GOD and how do we put on the armor of GOD?

 

Yes it is part of our weapons of the spiritual warfare that every human being alive is in, most just do not know it or think of it in terms that do not include The One True GOD and His Son JESUS CHRIST.

 

The true meaning of the armor of GOD is not the physical application of the pieces but the spiritual. The physical pieces are helmet, breastplate, girdle or belt, shoding (feet), shield and sword they all have their purpose in defense and offence. To be effective these have to be physical and physically put on.

 

The Spiritual application is the true offensive and defensive purpose of the armor of GOD for His children and servants. If you are not a born again Christian than you are not HOLY SPIRIT filled and the armor of GOD is not available to you!

 

Why?

 

Because the true application of the armor of GOD is Spiritual and that only comes from The HOLY SPIRIT and The Word of GOD (The Bible)!

 

Starting with the six pieces in Ephesians 6:14-18 let’s look at them: salvation, faith, truth, peace, righteousness, The Word of GOD and prayer. Prayer is part of our armor and a Spiritual weapon, there is just no physical apparatus for it, prayer is our silent and audible communication with GOD; prayer is the seventh weapon and defense in our spiritual warfare.

 

I’m going to compare two translations verse by verse: first the New King James Version, second the Complete Jewish Bible.

:14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

:14 Therefore stand! Have the belt of truth buckled around your waist, put on righteousness for a breastplate,

:15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace:

:15 and wear on your feet the readiness that comes from the Good News of shalom.

:16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you are able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

:16 Always carry the shield of trust, with which you are able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the SPIRIT, which is the Word of GOD;

17: And take the helmet of deliverance; along with the sword given by The SPIRIT, that is, The Word of GOD;

18: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the SPIRIT, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for the saints –

18: as you pray; at all times with all kinds of prayers and requests, in The SPIRIT, vigilantly and persistently, for all GOD’s people.

While they say the same thing different translations sometimes use different words, sentence structure and punctuation. This can be a problem for some people. The fact is that translating from Hebrew, Greek and Latin to English is problematic (this is a whole different subject and lesson).

 

So let’s use Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to look at these seven weapons of spiritual warfare as used in Ephesians 6:14-18.

 

Salvation = (4992) soterion, neutral from the same as 4991 as (prop. concr.) noun; defender or by implication defense – salvation. (4991) soteria, feminine of a derivative of 4990, as (prop. abstr.) noun; rescue or safety (phys. or mor.) deliver, health, salvation, save, saving. (4990) soter, from 4982, a deliverer, i.e. GOD or CHRIST – savior. (4982) sozo, from a prim. sos (contr. for obsol. saos, “safe”); to save, i.e. deliver or protect (lit. or fig.) – heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.

 

Righteousness = (1348) dikastes, from a der. of 1349: a judger – judge.  (1349) dike, prob. from 1166 deiknuo; right (as self evident) i.e. justice (the principle, a decision, or its execution) – judgment, punish, vengeance. (1166) deiknuo; a prol. form of an obs. prim. Of the same mean.; to show (lit. or fig.) – shew.

 

Truth = (226) aletheuo, from 227, to be true (in doctrine and profession) – speak (tell) the truth. (227) alethes, from 1 a, (as a neg. particle) and 2990 lanthano; true (as not concealing) – true, truly, truth.

 

Peace = (1515) eirene, prob. from a pri. verb eiro (to join); peace (lit. or fig.); by impl. prosperity – one, peace, quietness, rest, set at one again.

Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace must commonly known by Christians. (7965) shalowm or shalom; from 7999 shalam (Chald.), safe, i.e. (fig.) well, happy, friendly; also (abstr.) welfare, i.e. health, prosperity, peace – do, familiar, fare, favor, friend, great, (good) health, (perfect, such as be at) peace (-able, -ably), prosper (-ity, -ous), rest, safe (-ly), salute, welfare, (all is, be) well, wholly. (7999) shalam (Chald.); a prim. root to be safe (in mind, body or estate); fig. to be (cause, make) completed; by impl. to be friendly; by extens. to reciprocate (in various applications) – make amends, (make an) end, finish, full, give again, make good, (re-) pay (again), (make) (to) (be at) peace (-able), that is perfect, perform, (make) prosper (-ous), recompense, render, requite, make restitution, restore, reward, surely.

 

Faith = (4102) pistis, from 3982 peitho: persuasion, i.e. credence; mor. conviction (of religious truth , or the truthfulness of GOD or a religious teacher), espec. reliance upon CHRIST for salvation; abstr. constancy in such profession; by extens. the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself – assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.

 

Word of = (4487) rhema, from 4483; an utterance (individ., collect. or spec.); by impl. a matter or topic (espec. of narration, command or dispute); with a neg. naught whatever – evil, nothing, saying, word. (4483) rheo, for certain tenses of which a prol. form ereo is used; and both as alt. for 2036 perh. akin (or ident.) with 4482 (through the idea of pouring forth); to utter, i.e. speak or say – command, make, say, speak (of). Comp. 3004.

GOD = (2316) theos, of uncert. affin.; a deity, espec. (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; fig. a magistrate; by Heb. very – exceeding, GOD, god [-ly], [-ward].

 

Prayer = (4335) proseuche, from 4336; prayer (worship); by impl. an oratory (chapel) – pray earnestly, prayer. (4336) prosenchomai, from 4314 pros, and 2172 euchomai; to pray to GOD, i.e. supplication, worship – (earnestly, for), make prayer.

 

So what kind of weapons and defense are salvation, righteousness, peace, truth, faith, The Word of GOD and prayer? They are all gifts from GOD!

Salvation – John 3:16, Romans 10:9

Righteousness – 2 Corinthians 5:21

Truth – John 14:6, 16:13

Peace – Ephesians 2:14, Philippians 4:7

Faith – Ephesians 2:18-19

Word of GOD = Hebrews 4:12-13

Prayer – Matthew 6:5-13

 

We cannot earn or acquire them by any process of our own! We must receive them as part of our salvation – sozo: John 1:12-14, 3:14-21; Romans 1:16-17, 10:8-13; Galatians 2:19-21, 5:1; Ephesians 2.

 

So how do we put that on, for we must!? By prayer, fasting, studying, meditating and spending time in the presence of GOD. When we do this daily (and it is not easy) then we have the armor of GOD on and we fight the spiritual warfare of GOD’s Kingdom.

 

The writers of the New Testament all learned how to live in the presence of GOD no matter what the circumstance or situation. That is the singular most important lesson that we have to learn and live! “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'" 1 Corinthians 16:13;  Luke 17:10.

The Police Defunders are Wrong. Redirecting Funds Will Not End the Violence By John Horvat II

The Police Defunders are Wrong. Redirecting Funds Will Not End the Violence

By John Horvat II

 

To most Americans, defunding the police sounds wrong. They worry about what will happen when they make a 911 call in the middle of the night. Taking resources away from the police is dangerous.

This worry is only made worse by the statements of radical defunders who claim that concerns about being robbed or assaulted are an expression of so-called white privilege.

 

Thus, the defunders often soften their appeal to convince the moderates. They claim that the defunding will not endanger community safety. The funds will simply be redirected to social and mental health workers and community organizations that are more qualified to deal with the social problems police face.

The Limitations of Police

Indeed, the police are frequently sent in to deal with problems that are not their natural responsibility. They cannot address the root causes of mental illness, homelessness, drug addiction or domestic violence that cause so much crime.All they can do is keep these offenders from harming others.

However, this is no reason for defunding the police. Over the decades, police have engaged in damage control as more and more broken and dangerous individuals are thrust into the streets that easily become war zones. They are forced to shoulder the problems and burdens that no one wants to address. Then they are criticized and attacked when things go wrong.

Community Soviets to Replace the Police?  

Defunders want their rethinking of the police to reflect a new strategy. They want to send vast postmodern armies of social workers and mental health professionals that will descend upon the nation’s devastated inner cities.

These enlightened and unarmed specialists are supposed to come to the rescue with a kinder, gentler approach. College-educated first responders will be trained in mediation, social work and social services. “Community-led” organizations (please read “soviets,” as that is what they will become) will supposedly develop programs to confront violence and so-called systemic racism.

In this way, the underlying causes of the problems will be addressed, and communities will develop in peace and harmony.

The Limitations of Social Workers

At least, this is the theory. There are two problems with this utopian approach and why defunding the police is wrong.

 

The first problem is that this new approach is not new. America is already filled with legions of social workers who try to help needy individuals. It is unclear how the new proposal differs from the programs already in place.

 

Moreover, America has spent trillions of dollars on these welfare programs over the decades. It has very little to show for this monumental effort and expense. These wrongheaded programs have not regenerated society. On the contrary, they have even helped perpetuate problems. They have created massive bureaucracies that lack all  the human elements and leadership needed to effect real and lasting social change.

Likewise, there is nothing new about mental health treatment. However, so-called experts have discharged countless mental health inmates from asylums over the years, dumping them onto American city streets. Sending counselors to meet with them cannot replace the need for the abandoned institutional care.

None of the defunders proposes proven methods that have worked in communities. There is no plan, save that of defunding police. Their vague program only foresees the redirecting of funds. It will most likely funnel money into leftist causes and activism.

Fight the Causes Not the Effects

The second problem with the defunding is that it will not address the root causes of the issues people face. Sending in professionals will only treat the symptoms of mental illness, drug addictions and violence. It will not address the profound reasons why a person is addicted or mentally unbalanced.

All these behavioral problems involve the moral decisions of individuals. When people lack moral guidance, they develop the toxic and abusive habits that harm themselves and all society.

Just as the police cannot solve grave moral and mental problems, social workers are also limited by the time and effort they can spend. The root causes involve difficult moral decisions that must be made by the broken individuals themselves, not social workers. Action must be taken before people become criminals, not after.

 

The Need for National Social Institutions

The only way to provide moral formation is through those natural social institutions that link people to society. The most important institution is the family.

Everyone knows the individual’s best path to physical, mental and spiritual health is to belong to a stable family with a father and mother. Much more than the nuclear family, the extended one is the real solution. Families need grandparents, uncles, first and second cousins, nephews, in-laws, family friends, and stability of place for the family residence over multiple generations. They then sink deep roots into the community.

Where broken and fatherless families prevail, there is a proliferation of mental issues, addictions and violence. Communities of stable extended families lead to a healthy, vibrant, and stable society without major crime.

Community institutions, schools and places of employment provide less formation but also serve as additional safety nets preventing the social problems that lead to crime.

Finally, the Church teaches that families must live morally. She is the interpreter of the natural law. The observance of her teaching about an eternal reward and punishment after death keep the faithful away from grave sin. Sacraments and devotions help family members to live in virtue with the help of grace. The Church’s inexhaustible charity helps neighbors love one another in true Christian solidarity.

When the extended family and all these social institutions work together to teach sound morals, there is a solid foundation for a society that lives in peace and justice.

Only a Return to Order Will Quell the Violence

The problem today is that these institutions are in ruins, and society is coming apart.

America needs moral restoration. Without it, society just goes from bad to worse, chasing disaster-leading utopias like defunding the police and redirecting funds to leftist groups that hate and subvert the traditional family.

Trying to solve the problem of policing without moral regeneration and the rebuilding of our families, communities and Church is an exercise in futility. There is only one way back home, and it starts with a return to order.

Prayer Tsunami Fights Rioting!

Prayer Tsunami Fights Rioting!

 

America faces a turning point in history that will define generations to come. The panic caused by the coronavirus crisis and the civil unrest we are seeing might trigger the greatest changes that humanity has faced in Christianity's two thousand years.

 

With calm, confidence, and recourse to Heaven, America must turn her eyes to God for His urgent help. There is no better way to do this than through prayer.

 

God is the solution to the chaos of today!   Young volunteers from the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) are taking the initiative

 

by holding public square rosary rallies across the United States at all 50 state capitols and at symbolic locations. By blanketing the United States with prayers, the American TFP implores God to hear our supplications and grant America an abundance of graces. Help the American TFP blanket the United States with prayer!

  

While a liberal and revolutionary agenda seeks to implement a more socialist, egalitarian, and ecological world, Our Lord Jesus Christ should be the guiding light and a source of calm amid the raging chaos now threatening our country.

 

May God reward you for your generosity and bless you with an abundance of graces.

 

I remain,

John Horvat

Vice-President, Tradition, Family and Property (TFP)