My Response To Your Inaugural Speech, Mr. President By Michael Brown

 

My Response to Your Inaugural Speech, Mr. President by Michael Brown, Charisma

The president declared it. A pastor prayed it. And woe betide those who differ with this new reality announced at yesterday’s presidential inauguration: Gay is now an official social category as defined and tangible as black or white. Put another way, romantic attraction and sexual desire are now viewed as being as innate and immutable as skin color.

Make no mistake about it. Another significant step was taken yesterday at the inauguration, and what was once associated with the extremist views of radical gay activists is now as American as apple pie. As expressed in the closing prayer of Episcopal pastor Luis León, “We pray for your blessing, because without it we will see only what the eye can see. But with your blessing, we’ll see that we are made in your image, whether brown, black or white; male or female; first generation immigrant or Daughter of the American Revolution; gay or straight; rich or poor.”

Earlier in the festivities, and framing his speech in historic, Constitutional terms, President Obama said, “We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths—that all of us are created equal—is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall . . . .”

Seneca Falls, Selma, and Stonewall? By Seneca Falls, Obama was referring to a watershed moment in the women’s rights movement that took place in the mid-1800s in Seneca Falls, New York. By Selma, he was referring to the pivotal Civil Rights marches and protests that took place in Selma, Alabama in the mid-1960s. And by Stonewall, he was referring to the Stonewall Riots that took place in New York City in 1969 when drag queens and their gay friends fought back against the police who raided their bar.

So, the president spoke of Seneca Falls, Selma, and Stonewall in the same breath, and in front of the whole nation at his inauguration, thereby equating women’s rights, black civil rights, and “gay rights” – which include bisexual, transgender, and other categories as well – also putting the women of Seneca Falls, the blacks of Selma, and the drag queens of Stonewall in the same category.

Do we realize just how significant this is? Do we grasp the implications?

The president also said: “It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law — for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.”

To repeat my opening comments: woe betide those who differ with this new reality announced at yesterday’s presidential inauguration. The war is on against people of conscience and people of faith who do not affirm homosexual practice, no matter how loving and fair-minded they may be.

In my book, A Queer Thing Happened to America, I stated that this was the progression of gay activism:

First, gay activists came out of the closet;

Second, they demanded their “rights”;

Third, they demanded that everyone recognize those “rights”;

Fourth, they want to strip away the rights of those who oppose them;

Fifth, they want to put those who oppose their “rights” into the closet.

I have often been ridiculed for laying out this progression, but it is unfolding in front of our eyes, with a massive shift taking place in just the last year. And with the president of the United States declaring at his second inaugural speech that homosexuality (and more) is equivalent to gender and skin color, a line has been drawn in the sand. And that line in the sand will soon become a line in the courts and law books to the point that anyone who does not affirm homosexual practice will be codified as a bigot or worse.

As I wrote in 2011, “the legitimizing of homosexuality as a perfectly normal alternative to heterosexuality also requires that all opposition to homosexual behavior must be delegitimized. At the very least, the gay agenda requires this (and let recognized gay leaders renounce this if it is not so):

“Whereas homosexuality was once considered a pathological disorder, from here on those who do not affirm homosexuality will be deemed homophobic, perhaps themselves suffering from a pathological disorder.

“Whereas gay sexual behavior was once considered morally wrong, from here on public condemnation—or even public criticism—of that behavior will be considered morally wrong.”

Yesterday marked a watershed moment in the “gay rights” movement, and it is time for people of conscience and faith to draw our own line in the sand: We will be loving and respectful to all people. We will oppose bullying and unfair treatment of all people. But we will not equate homosexuality with gender and skin color, and we will not celebrate that which we morally and spiritually oppose.

And so, Mr. President, we will not be intimidated, and to use your terms, in the spirit of Seneca Falls, Selma, and Stonewall, we will stand up for what we believe is right, regardless of cost or consequences.

If we agreed with you, sir, that there is no moral or social distinction between homosexuality and heterosexuality and that homosexuality was innate and immutable, we too would champion this cause. But we do not agree, sir, and in the spirit of Martin Luther King and others whom you hail, we will not compromise our convictions, come what may.

 

6 Scriptures To Pray For Newtown Families By Felicia Abraham

 

6 Scriptures to Pray for Newtown Families by Felicia Abraham, Charisma 

Pray that the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (See Philip. 4:7)

Pray that God almighty will be their defender during this time of suffering. (See Psalm 68:5)

Pray that their hearts would not become hardened toward God, but they would have eyes to see, ears to hear and their hearts would turn to God in this time of calamity. (See Matt. 13:15)

Pray that these families would be strong and courageous and know that God will never leave them nor forsake them. (See Deut. 31:6)

Pray that they would trust God despite what they see. (See Prov. 3:5-6).

Pray that God will flood their soul with the joy of the Lord. (See Psalm 30:5)

Max Lucado Offers Prayer For The Connecticut School Shooting

 

Max Lucado Offers Prayer in Wake of Conn. School Shooting by Max Lucado. Charisma

Dear Jesus,

It’s a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.

These killings, Lord.  These children, Lord.  Innocence violated.  Raw evil demonstrated.

The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas.  But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod’s jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty.  Dark with violence.

Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won’t you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.

This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

Hopefully,

Your Children

 

How The Devil Hides In Religion By J. Lee Grady

 

How the Devil Hides in Religion by J. Lee Grady, Charisma

Has the American church given the devil a place to hide?

Nobody I know has ever taken a photograph of the devil, and we couldn't find a recent snapshot to use on the cover of Charisma this month. The only images we located were paintings, drawings and a few sculptures—all based on artists' notions of what the Evil One must look like.

I certainly was not inclined to pursue an interview or a photo-shoot, since I really don't care to see Satan in person. But for the sake of journalistic accuracy I need to inform our readers that the red-faced monster we featured on our cover is probably not a realistic depiction.

Most of us tend to think of the devil as a grotesque creature: a half-man, half-reptile with forked tongue, goatee, black fingernails and creepy, Darth Vaderlike voice (and bad breath of the sulfuric variety). He's like all the things we feared most when we were kids: Dracula, Freddy Krueger or any twisted character played by Vincent Price. Kids today might give the "Most Like Satan" award to the dark wizard Saruman from The Lord of the Rings films.

But the issue for us is not whether the devil has pointed ears or carries a pitchfork. Regardless of his real appearance, he is a master of disguise. That's what makes him so dangerous.

We Christians are always on the lookout for the devil's work. But it seems we spend way too much energy looking in the wrong places for his fingerprints.

A few years ago, for example, some Christians worked overtime to inform parents about the evils of Pokémon, claiming that Satan was plotting to take over the minds of children by using a Japanese cartoon. That was only after another group of Christians circulated a warning that a major U.S. household-products company was controlled by devil worshipers. (It wasn't.)

Today, many believers act as if the Harry Potter books are hell's primary tools to infiltrate our families with witchcraft.

I don't buy that. Satan is much more subtle.

The apostle Paul, who wrestled with plenty of demonic powers in his day, told us that we must know our enemy in order to outwit him. One thing we must understand is that the devil's primary target is the church­—so he snoops around there a lot.

He comes "as an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14, NASB) and is an imposter who claims to speak for God. He can mimic piety. He's OK with choir robes, clerical collars and the whole Sunday morning routine. He knows how to dress to fit in.

He detests genuine praise music that exalts God, but he's fine when he can turn worship into dead formality or manipulate it in a fleshly way to glorify the performer. He hates the Bible (because he must bow to its authority), but he has impressive knowledge of the Scriptures and can twist them to create false doctrines.

He despises preachers, but if he can tempt them to embrace greed or arrogance (or lure them into denominational politics), he can use them like puppets on a string. He hates it when Christians love each other, so he uses every trick in his bag to trigger jealously, strife, divorce and painful church splits.

The apostle Paul didn't seem too concerned about the devil's influence in pagan culture. He was much more alarmed that Satan had infiltrated the church without anyone's knowing it.

"Who has bewitched you?" he asked the Galatians (Gal. 3:1). He told the Corinthians: "I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ" (2 Cor. 11:3).

Has the American church given the devil a place to hide? Satan thrives on religious hypocrisy. He also loves backbiting, pride, greed, selfish ambition and hidden perversion. As long as we tolerate such things, we create an atmosphere of spiritual compromise that attracts the enemy and gives him a safe haven.

Religious people don't even realize they are part of this evil plot. But radical Christians who are full of the Holy Ghost must go on the offensive, chase Satan down, invade his territory and liberate his captives. When our masked enemy is faced with a church that walks in genuine love, Christlike humility, bold authority and biblical faith, he must tuck his scaly tail between his legs and run.

An Open Letter To Atheists This Christmas Season By Jennifer LeClaire

 

An Open Letter to Atheists This Christmas Season by Jennifer LeClaire, Charisma

 

  

t seems not a day goes by when the Freedom From Religion Foundation or some other atheist group isn’t attacking one of our Christian prayer meetings, trying to take down a nativity scene or attacking some other form of Christian expression.

I have one question for you: What's it to you?

American Christians aren’t looking to trample your rights to believe whatever you want to believe or to celebrate those beliefs within the boundaries of common law. Why are some atheists so driven to go head to head in a battle each and every Christmas season over the same issues? And why does that battle have to continue throughout the year at football games and other public events where Christians simply want to display a Bible verse on a sign?

Again, I ask: What’s it to you?

If you are American atheist, you should count your blessings.

According to a study from the International Humanist and Ethical Union, atheists and other religious skeptics suffer persecution or discrimination in many parts of the world. In fact, while religions in the U.S. debate and dialogue with you, your atheist brethren in other nations sometimes face brutal treatment from religious groups. I was shocked to learn about it and I pray it stops. But it's a stark reality at the moment.

“There are laws that deny atheists' right to exist, curtail their freedom of belief and expression, revoke their right to citizenship, restrict their right to marry,” the Freedom of Thought 2012 report states. Other laws, "obstruct their access to public education, prohibit them from holding public office, prevent them from working for the state, criminalize their criticism of religion, and execute them for leaving the religion of their parents."

I am against humanism, atheism, secularism and all the other “isms” that are coming against the gospel of Christ. But I’m not against you or your God-given right to believe what you want to believe. And I am imploring you to stop spending your time trying to chip away at the foundations on which America was built, which include freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

Think about it for a minute, if America becomes more like other nations in the world, you may very well face more persecution here—and lose the rights you so freely exercise in attacking displays of Christianity. America is a free country. Why do you work so hard to make it less free for Christians, who would be among the first to defend your right to believe whatever you choose, even if it means losing your eternal life?

Atheists, you are welcome to shun Jesus Christ if you choose. Although He died for you, He will not force His will on you. He loves you and He’s given you freedom of religion—or freedom from religion if that's what you want. Likewise, you should not force your will on Christians. There are many wonderful things atheist organizations could do with the energy spent coming against Jesus and His Word. I pray this Christmas season that Jesus will open the eyes of your heart and that you can get on the right side of the battle. Amen.

Giving Thanks Just Isn’t For Thanksgiving. It’s For Everyday.

 

Giving Thanks When Thanksgiving Is Over by Jay Lowder, Charisma

There wasn’t a glistening turkey, fresh homemade rolls, dressing or even a pumpkin pie. The kitchen had no burning candle emitting the intoxicating fragrance of cinnamon spice or pomegranate. There wasn’t one single fall decoration adorning the house. No bulging pumpkins on both sides of the front door, pictures of pilgrims made by the children hanging on the refrigerator or clusters of wheat wrapped in string. Extended family was not gathered around the table. By anyone’s account Thanksgiving Day was nowhere close to sight or mind since we were still experiencing the scathing heat of late August. However, this day would be a day of thanksgiving carved into the most sacred places of my heart.

The year 2012 had already provided plenty of memories for which to be grateful. Like the protection provided one summer day when my 8-year-old son and I were walking in the country and narrowly missed the poisonous fangs of a five-foot rattlesnake; the pride felt when my oldest son received his High School diploma; and the awe-inspiring first trip with my youngest son to see the eagles soar over the majestic snowcaps of Alaska. In addition, I experienced a moment at the bedside of a lifelong friend as he spoke his last coherent words before angels escorted him to heaven. My list of blessings this year was long. Many of the memories were stored in photos but most have been forever filed in the bank of my memory. With this I was satisfied because they were the ones most unexpected and fulfilling.

All of these experiences and many others are worthy of gratitude but there is one apex of time that stands above them all. Eighteen months ago I was honored to sign a contract with a major publisher to write a book. It was the consummation of a lifelong dream. Of all the projects I have ever pursued, none were more difficult or rewarding. When the book edits were finally completed, I anxiously waited to see it in print. Scheduled to release in September, I received the final copy as they were being shipped to the stores in late August. When I first saw it, I wanted to hurry home to show my wife and kids. All of them were home when I walked in the door except my oldest son. They were excited and gave hearty congratulations.

I once attended a conference for troubled marriages. While there, I was encouraged to write a letter to myself as though it were written from my son [he was my only child at the time]. The goal was to help define what you wanted to be for your family. I found it in a dusty old box stored in my mother’s home in early July. One particular sentence I wrote struck me like lightning. It read, “Dad, I am so proud of you and the man you are.”

Like most men, I don’t like to admit how much I crave to be admired by those whom I love but this desire within me is undeniable. As I read my own words, words written 13 years ago, I felt a pang that my ears had never heard my son actually say such things. He has often told me he loved me and voiced other terms of endearment but he had never said he was proud of me. Was it something he never felt toward me? Was I unworthy of the comment? I could only guess the answer to the riddle as I read the long-lost letter.

Two hours after I had walked in the back door to reveal my new book, my son arrived home. I was standing in the kitchen when I heard him come through the front door. I had the book sitting on the middle of the counter but he didn’t immediately notice it. I motioned toward the book, and he picked it up and perused the front cover before flipping it over to study the back. Thirty or so seconds passed without him saying a word. I stood watching. He was still not looking my direction but slightly nodding his head up and down as if he emphatically approved. He then turned my direction, raised both eyebrows, smiled and spoke in a tone that seemed borrowed. “Dad……… I’m really proud of you. It’s awesome!”

I replied with a simple thank you but as I reached to hug him I noted, “Wow, this is the first time you have ever said anything like that before and it made my day.” I quickly turned away and said I needed to step outside to take out the garbage.

The garbage didn’t need to go out at that precise moment but I felt emotion about to seep out. I went in the garage astonished and blessed by words that were 18 years in the making. I thought to myself, “If the book was a total failure and never sold one single copy, it was worth every one of the countless hours invested just to hear those confirming words.”

Few individuals will have difficulty understanding why the words, “I’m really proud of you,” spoken by a loved one, brought me to tears. It is human nature to want to feel the approval of those closest to us. But respect is not something that can be commanded by our families; it is something that must be given. To me, on that day, it was the best gift my son has ever granted me.

This year I have personally experienced sorrow, pain, failure and accomplishment. Life lessons, both good and bad are often best understood under the panorama of reflection. As I meditate over the past 12 months, I understand the power affirmation holds when given or received. I feel determination to pour it upon others even when they seem unworthy of praise. I understand life’s greatest moments are seldom scripted, providing hope and expectation of a better tomorrow. I’m reminded that faith, family and friends are my most precious commodity and should provide the fuel for a grateful heart all year long - not just on the fourth Thursday of November.

If My People Will Pray By Steve Strang

 

If My People Will Pray by Steve Strang, Charisma

 

America may be in crisis, but there is hope: God is stirring hearts to seek Him—including the thousands gathering in Philadelphia Sept. 28-29. Will you be there?

Thirty-two years ago America was at crossroads. The nation was in moral decline with recently legalized abortion and a drug culture left over from the hippie era, while Americans were still reeling from the aftermath of Watergate and the Vietnam War. Not only that, but communism was a real threat worldwide, terrorists held American hostages in Tehran, the U.S. economy was in the tank and a weak president’s policies seemed to make matters worse.

At that time God put on John Gimenez’s heart to call America to prayer. He wasn’t well-known, but he persuaded leaders such as Demos Shakarian of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International, Bill Bright of Campus Crusade and CBN Founder Pat Robertson to join him in calling believers to pray on the mall in front of the nation’s Capitol. They called it Washington for Jesus, and many believe it was a spiritual turning point that helped move our nation in the right direction. We elected a new president, the economy rebounded and communism fell a decade later.

Yet not all was right in the world. The entertainment industry continued to go downhill from a moral point of view. The threat of Islamic terrorism continued to grow. What is now called the “gay agenda” was articulated for the first time. And the church reeled from one scandal after another.

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In God We Trust By Lea Carawan

 

In God We Trust by Lea Carawan, Charisma

For nearly 240 years, America has placed its trust in God. This humble faith has given our nation strength in wartime, dignity and compassion toward those less fortunate, and hope in the face of unprecedented challenges.

The spirit of America is derived from deeply held Judeo-Christian values. We see these principles woven into the very fabric of our founding documents. They give substance to the freedoms we all cherish and echo in the words and prayers of patriots who rose up together with one voice.

President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” He also said, “Without God, there is no virtue because there is no prompting of the conscience. ... Without God, there is a coarsening of the society; without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. ... If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

The battle for faith and religious freedom has been elevated to the forefront of our national discourse. For decades, there has been an undercurrent of targeted efforts to remove God from every vestige of American life. These battles now confirm a tangible reality that the things we hold sacred are slowly eroding all around us.

Unelected bureaucrats seek to remove God from the public domain, while rogue court challenges by anti-God factions and widespread misrepresentation of the phrase “separation of church and state” create a climate for censorship and promote religious discrimination.

The intolerant have commanded center stage long enough. John Quincy Adams, the sixth president, said, “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: It connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”

If, as some advocate, public acknowledgement of God must be eliminated in the United States, by default the government then assumes sole authority as the final arbiter of moral order. There are necessary and appropriate limits on how much power should be exerted over life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

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Its Not Over-Ricardo Sanchez

 

 

It’s Not Over

Via Charisma

Prophetic Evangelism Giving Rise To Prayer Storm By James Goll

 

Prophetic Evangelism Giving Rise to Prayer Storm by James Goll, Charisma 

Jesus prophesied, "I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father" (John 14:12). I call this "doing the double," and I believe that you and I are part of a generation that has been called to do these "greater works." By listening to the Holy Spirit and then casting our nets where He tells us to, we will be able to haul in a miraculous catch!

This generation, as it arises and breaks out of the box of traditional limitations, carries a number of distinct characteristics:

1. Faith coupled with humility.
2. An appreciation for working in teams (gender-inclusive).
3. Accountability with relational care, so that wounded warriors can be healed.
4. An emphasis of the Fatherhood of God (not only the revelation of Jesus, the Son).
5. Diversities of anointing and releasing the Holy Spirit with creativity (the prophet and the seer), etc.
6. Increased power, clarity and accuracy.
7. An ability to see the target clearly.

The church is our practice ground, but the world is our field of operations. As we come alongside each other to help each other hear and obey the voice of the Spirit, we will find ourselves doing far greater works than Jesus did while He was on earth, thus making it possible for His effectiveness to be multiplied as more territory becomes part of His kingdom. Let His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven!

Prophetic Evangelism
One of the ways of "casting your nets on the other side of the boat" is prophetic evangelism, which simply means listening to the Spirit and acting accordingly to bring the kingdom to bear on the world around you.

Prophetic evangelism combines the sustained emphasis on evangelism that was ushered in with the Reformation more than 600 years ago with the more than 100-year emphasis on prophecy that began in 1904 when the Pentecostal outpouring occurred. The earlier Holiness movement shifted into the Pentecostal movement, which shifted into the Charismatic movement, and laid the groundwork for the current Apostolic movement and beyond.

The priesthood of every believer makes it possible for the whole church to be drawn into new realms of adventure with God. Prophetic evangelism has grown stronger as the church has matured into a clearer understanding of her bridal intimacy with her Bridegroom Jesus, along with the governmental empowerment (the "bridal rule") of God's people.

We are all to be prophetic evangelists, whether we find ourselves in megachurches and massive stadium events, in some back alley ministering to a homeless person, as missionaries in the jungles of the Congo or in Starbucks holding a grand cup of Colombian coffee. The same Holy Spirit keeps speaking to us everywhere we go. He will link us with others, equip us, teach us how to combine our gifts, and do signs and wonders through us. People will be unable to deny that this is God in action. The power, the love and the unity will make Him manifest to a lost world.

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How To Restore America By James Robison And Jay W. Richards

 

How to Restore America by James Robison and Jay W. Richards over at Charisma

What every believer needs to know about America’s current war over faith, family and freedom

Almost everyone we talk to is deeply concerned about our country. Spiraling government debt, an attack on the fertile fields of free enterprise and persistent unemployment give us plenty to worry about. But our problems are not limited to economics. It now seems that everything we hold dear is under attack: faith, family and freedom.

The recent Department of Health and Human Services rule is a clear attempt to undermine faith and freedom. If allowed to stand, it will force religious organizations to provide health insurance that covers sterilization, contraception and drugs that induce abortion. The White House even had the gall to tell American Catholic bishops to get with the program and follow those “enlightened” voices allied with the president. If the federal government can dictate doctrine to churches and force citizens to violate their deepest convictions, what can’t the government do?

Alongside the attack on faith and freedom is the attack on the family. In February, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker’s controversial decision to strike down Proposition 8 in California. The referendum, approved by a majority of California voters, had defined marriage as being between one man and one woman. The case is undoubtedly headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the future of marriage in our country could be decided by nine justices.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said believers are both salt and light. Salt helps preserve what is precious while enhancing its flavor. Likewise, the Christian witness should have a positive effect on every aspect of life and culture. Jesus said that if salt loses its effect, it is good for nothing but to be trampled underfoot. Sure enough, everything sacred—faith, family and freedom—is being trampled by secularists who have rejected these pillars of civilization.

The multitudes stumble in darkness because many believers, who have been commanded to put the light in a prominent place—on a lamp stand—have hidden, and in doing so diminished their influence on the public by accepting false comfort, compromise and complacency. Light reveals danger and pitfalls while illuminating the path to security and success. Is it any wonder our culture is in such trouble when salt and light have failed to fulfill their divine assignment?

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The NAACP No Longer Speaks For Me By Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr

 

The NAACP No Longer Speaks for Me by Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr. over at Charisma

Last Thursday marked the end of the NAACP’s annual meeting and 103 years of faithful service to the black community. Members and their families gathered from around the world. Their annual pilgrimage celebrates the work of W.E.B. Du Bois, Medgar Evers and thousands of patriots who believed in the American dream.

When I personally think about the greatest years for the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, I think of the legacy of Harvard-trained Charles Hamilton Houston, who became the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's chief counsel in 1935.

As the Howard University law school dean, he revolutionized the training of black lawyers—raising up a generation of the most competent lawyers of their day. His strategy on school segregation cases, according to the NAACP website, “paved the way for his protégé, Thurgood Marshall, to prevail in 1954's Brown v. Board of Education, the decision that overturned Plessy."

Despite thousands of kudos that could be given to the organization, in recent years the NAACP has begun to drift off mission. They have stopped addressing the most pressing issues of African-Americans with a Christian ethos and the spirit of humility, justice and racial reconciliation.

Historically pastors and other religious leaders have made up a large percentage of the leadership of the NAACP. Empowered by Christian principles, the organization faithfully followed this mission statement:

“The NAACP's principal objective is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of minority group citizens of United States and eliminate race prejudice. The NAACP seeks to remove all barriers of racial discrimination through the democratic processes.”

How has the NAACP veered off course? The most concerning sign of mission drift is their stance on traditional marriage.

First of all, they opposed the Defense of Marriage Act, signed into law by President Clinton in 1996. Secondly, the NAACP also opposed the traditional marriage affirming Proposition 8 in California in 2008.

Most recently, their 2012 resolution supporting same-sex marriage has become the source of tremendous controversy for many NAACP members and the black community at large. This measure was passed quickly, without discussion or debate. Many community leaders would like to know why the politically motivated rush to judgment, when most blacks oppose same-sex marriage.

The Rev. Keith A. Ratliff Sr. (who resigned from his role as a NAACP national board member) repudiated the organization’s decision with a statement that resonates with many blacks: “There is not a parallel between the homosexual community and the struggles of African-Americans in our country. I haven’t seen any signs on any restrooms that say ‘For Homosexuals Only.’ Homosexuals do not have to sit on the back of the bus, as African-Americans had to.” Ratliff, therefore, concluded that “the gay rights movement” should not be compared with the civil rights movement.

In response to all of this, the NAACP has made it clear that there will be no discussion on this matter. Further, Chairwoman Roslyn Brock responded to the controversy by saying, “Some may never be able to come to terms with the resolution, and that's fine, but we hope they will evolve and stand firmly with us.”

The NAACP has failed the black community in two significant ways.

First of all, the legal rigor that made the organization effective and famous under Houston and Marshall was not employed in this decision. Secondly, instead of leading the community in a mature discussion about this issue, the NAACP has stooped to name-calling and hate mongering.

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Obama Must Repent Over Same-Sex Marriage Support By Darryl Husband

 

Obama Must Repent Over Same-Sex Marriage Support by Darryl Husband over at Charisma

 

I must admit: I was reluctant to publicly share my views on President Obama's recent same-sex marriage statement. His presidency has caused separation within the ranks of African-American leadership too often.

 

And yet, what does an African-American pastor do when his African-American president makes a decision that eventually will destroy the foundation of not only the African-American community, but the nation as a whole?

 

Does that pastor take a risk that he will be misunderstood and labeled as an "Uncle Tom," a Republican Party pawn, or someone "the white man has bought out?" If I do not take the risk, knowing that mentality in itself is as discriminatory as it gets, I become a co-conspirator in keeping us in bondage to our culture; suggesting that none of us is free to think or speak outside of what we are told.

 

I am neither a Republican, an "Uncle Tom" or bought out by anyone. I am simply accepting my responsibility as a citizen and a prophetic voice crying out in the wilderness of this generation. I decided that the risk is worth it. It is my responsibility as a pastor to speak to issues both popular and unpopular which affect the moral fiber of our society.

 

I cannot be silent, whether it comes from a Bush-led or an Obama-led White House. My response must be the same. 'Tis true, the moral fiber of every generation is always challenged. However, challenges to our moral core must not be ignored. They must be met with bold correction or their seeds will suffocate us into chaos and extinction. If we begin to grow up a society that condones sexual behavior that cannot reproduce life, what other result can we expect?

 

Our president is proof that politicians cannot set our moral agenda. Too often they are co-opted by the polls of an ever-changing culture or influenced by the latest voting bloc that could get them over the edge in an election.

 

Decisions that affect our moral fiber should not ever be made based upon voting blocs. While we are indeed a democracy, we are like a family that's supposed to have trained, skilled leadership, which makes decisions based upon what the outcomes of those decisions will be in our future.

 

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