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Fight The Good Fight

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4

On Friday, December 12, 2003; Washington Post reported that

"John W. Sidgmore, 52, a pioneer in the Washington technology community and a former WorldCom Inc. chief executive who played a key role in revealing the long-distance giant's accounting fraud, died yesterday of a sudden illness.
…Well known in the Washington area, Sidgmore gained national prominence last year when he served as WorldCom chief executive for eight months. During that time, he spearheaded the company's efforts to cooperate with federal investigations that uncovered $11 billion in accounting fraud and ultimately led to the company's financial collapse. WorldCom plans to emerge from bankruptcy early next month.
…According to a statement released by his family, Sidgmore died yesterday "due to complications associated with kidney shutdown presumptively related to acute pancreatitis." Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas, an organ that produces insulin and controls the body's metabolism. A family spokesman declined to provide further details on the illness or identify the hospital where Sidgmore was treated."
Sidgmore was tapped to lead WorldCom after its founder and chief executive, Bernard J. Ebbers, was forced out following revelations that he had borrowed more than $400 million from the company to cover his personal stock losses.

A few months early the Associated Press reported about Bernard J. Ebbers:

Bernard Ebbers, a former milkman in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, was ousted in April 2002, at the age of 60, owing Worldcom $400 million in loans. The 6-foot-4-inch Canadian-born businessman, once one of the world's richest men with a fortune of $1.4 billion, adopted the town's ways. He attended shareholder meetings in jeans, cowboy boots and a bolo tie, and started the sessions with a prayer -- a sure winner in the heart of America's Bible Belt.
The ousted chief executive of a giant telecommunications company rocked with an accounting scandal told his congregation on Sunday that he was innocent of wrongdoing. Appearing at Easthaven Baptist Church in Brookhaven, Miss., as usual to teach Sunday school and attend the morning worship service, Bernard Ebbers made his first public comments about WorldCom since the disclosure of $3.8 billion in improper accounting last week, "The Wall Street Journal" reported.
"I just want you to know you aren't going to church with a crook," Ebbers addressed the congregation at the end of the service. "This has been a strange week at best...On Tuesday, I received a call telling me what was happening [at WorldCom]...I don't know what all is going to happen or what mistakes have been made."
The Securities and Exchange Commission has brought a civil charge of fraud against the company, the "Journal" said. WorldCom's planned accounting restatement is already among the largest in U.S. history, six times as large as that of Enron Corp.
"No one will find me to have knowingly committed fraud," he said, teary eyed, the "Journal" reported. "More than anything else, I hope that my witness for Jesus Christ will not be jeopardized." Ebbers declined further comment after the congregation erupted in a standing ovation.

According to the Word of God, the Bible, fighting the good fight of faith doesn’t mean suffering as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters (1 Peter 4:15). Fighting the good fight of faith means having integrity! The bible tells us what a leader should and should not do and Ebber doesn’t fit the bill:

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 1 Timothy 3:2-6
 

Mrs. Clinton's Book Recalls Lewinsky Saga
President Clinton lied to her about the relationship
By CALVIN WOODWARD and SIOBHAN McDONOUGH
Associated Press Writers, June 3, 2003

WASHINGTON -- Hillary Rodham Clinton, acknowledging tirades and tears over her husband's affair with Monica Lewinsky, says President Clinton lied to her about the relationship until the weekend before he admitted as much to a grand jury.

The New York senator vividly describes her pain over the betrayal in "Living History," her new memoir covering her eight years in the White House. A copy of the book, which goes on sale Tuesday, was obtained by The Associated Press.

"The most difficult decisions I have made in my life were to stay married to Bill and to run for the Senate from New York," she writes.

She says she accepted her husband's story at first -- that he had befriended the White House intern when she asked for job-hunting help, "had talked to her a few times" -- and that the relationship had been horribly misconstrued.

"For me, the Lewinsky imbroglio seemed like just another vicious scandal manufactured by political opponents."

More than six months later, with the president preparing to testify before a grand jury, Mrs. Clinton was still adamant that her husband had done nothing wrong.

Then, on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 15, 1998, he woke her up, paced at the bedside, and "told me for the first time that the situation was much more serious than he had previously acknowledged."

"He now realized he would have to testify that there had been an inappropriate intimacy. He told me that what happened between them had been brief and sporadic."

He was ashamed and knew she would be angry, she recounts.

"I could hardly breathe. Gulping for air, I started crying and yelling at him, 'What do you mean? What are you saying? Why did you lie to me? I was furious and getting more so by the second. He just stood there saying over and over again, 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I was trying to protect you and Chelsea.'

Mrs. Clinton's 562-page book has been highly anticipated. Simon & Schuster, expecting large sales, ordered an extraordinary first printing of 1 million copies.

The first lady-turned-senator was paid a $2.85 million advance toward the $8 million book deal. Foreign rights have already been sold in 16 countries. List price is $8.

The publisher billed the book as a complete, candid accounting of her years in the White House.

Mrs. Clinton said that up until that August morning when her husband confessed, she believed he was being railroaded and had merely been foolish by paying any attention to Lewinsky. She was incredulous that he would endanger their marriage and family.

"I was dumbfounded, heartbroken and outraged that I'd believed him at all."

She said the president's eyes filled with tears when she told him he would have to confess to their teenage daughter as well.

She ultimately decided she still loved her husband, although "as a wife, I wanted to wring Bill's neck."

She describes in bitter terms the months of chill between them, never more painful than when they went to Martha's Vineyard for vacation right after his testimony.

"Buddy, the dog, came along to keep Bill company. He was the only member of our family who was still willing to."

While on the island, she felt "nothing but profound sadness, disappointment and unresolved anger. I could barely speak to Bill, and when I did, it was a tirade. I read. I walked on the beach. He slept downstairs. I slept upstairs."

Bill Clinton who is a born again Southern Baptist can take solace in the fact that Southern Baptist Evangelist Billy Graham is also a liar and knows how to conveniently forget things.

Billy Graham was very deceitful about his close friendship with former president Nixon where he made disparaging comments ago about Jews, which were "inexcusable and indefensible and came out 30 years later.

White House tapes from 1972 released recently disclosed the evangelist agreeing with President Richard M. Nixon that left-wing Jews dominate the American media.

"They're the ones putting out the pornographic stuff," Graham said on the tape, adding: "This stranglehold has got to be broken or this country's going down the drain."

Graham, now 83 and in frail health, had originally denied ever stating anything disparaging about the Jews. But since the release of the Nixon tales he has apologized publicly twice for the comments.

Mr. Graham was forced to issue the apology after the National Archives released more than 500 hours of tape recordings that Nixon made of conversations in the White House.

In one conversation in 1972 with Nixon, an old friend, the Southern Baptist evangelist complained about what he saw as Jewish domination of the news media. "You believe that?" Nixon asked. "Yes, sir," Mr. Graham said. "Oh, boy. So do I," Nixon continued. "I can't ever say that but I believe it."

"No, but if you get elected a second time, then we might be able to do something," Mr. Graham said. "This stranglehold has got to be broken or this country's going down the drain."

Mr. Graham, had previously denied making the comments but with the release of the tapes two weeks ago the preacher could no longer deny that it was his voice - heavy with a North Carolina accent - that could be heard making the comments.

The sad part about Billy Graham's refusal to accepreal responsibility is his use of the phrase "Although I have no memory of the occasion, I deeply regret comments I apparently made in an Oval Office conversation with President Nixon ... some 30 years ago."

Bill Clinton the former President of United States and a great liar also used a similar phrase to avoid answering questions asked of him during the Monica Lewinsky scandal and would state " I don't recall." But God has a perfect memory and he recalls all things and so do others
 

Billy Graham Hypocrisy And Satanic Jews

Barbara Webb, Administrative Services. Billy Graham Evangelistic Organization in response to the reporting of Billy Graham's Hypocrisy And Satanic Jews on May 23, 2003 stated:

Subject: Mr. Graham

Dear Friend:

Mr. Graham apologized in regard to the Nixon tapes which were recently broadcast. Although Mr. Graham had no memory of what he had said, he felt it was appropriate at this time to give an apology. He does not actually feel about Jewish people in the way the words were said. Mr. Graham has made many friends over the years among the Jewish leaders and rabbis and has a great respect for them.

Please pray for Mr. Graham and our Association--that we will be truly faithful and obedient to our Lord. May God bless you.

Sincerely,

A response was sent to Barbara Webb on May 23,2003 which stated:

Dear Barbara,

Thank you for your reply concerning Billy Graham's memory lapse!

I have an important question to which I would like to have an answer does Dr. Billy Graham at 84 years of age still take a 100 percent salary as a employee and chairman of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Organization and work less than 25 percent of time?

The sad part about Billy Graham's refusal to accept real responsibility is his use of the phrase "Although I have no memory of the occasion, I deeply regret comments I apparently made in an Oval Office conversation with President Nixon ... some 30 years ago." You will appreciate Bill Clinton the former President of United States and a great liar also used a similar phrase to avoid answering questions asked of him during the Monica Lewinsky scandal and would state " I don't recall." But God has a perfect memory and he recalls all things and so do others.

Graham's two faced hypocrisy also came out in a 1989 when a Graham memo to Nixon was made public. It took the form of a secret letter from Graham, dated April 15, 1969, drafted after Graham met in Bangkok with missionaries from Vietnam. These men of God said that if the peace talks in Paris were to fail, Nixon should step up the war and bomb the dikes. Such an act, Graham wrote excitedly, "could overnight destroy the economy of North Vietnam".

Graham lent his imprimatur to this recommendation. Thus the preacher was advocating a policy to the US Commander in Chief that on Nixon's own estimate would have killed a million people.

This disclosure of Graham as an aspirant war criminal did not excite any commotion when it became public in 1989, twenty years after it was written.

Billy Graham has raised up two sons Ned and Franklin who are as deceitful as their father. Ned Graham, the son of Billy Graham, Southern Baptist minister, president East Gates International, a group that distributes Bibles in China told Christianity Today in an interview that he had abused alcohol and spent an "inappropriate amount of time" with two women on his staff.

Grace Community Church, Southern Baptist Convention, in Auburn, Washington--which counted Ned Graham, his wife, and their two sons as members established the fact that Ned Graham was an adulterer, alcoholic, wife abuser, and drug user and revoked Graham's ministerial credentials. It directed Graham to stop using the title reverend.

Yet in a style reminiscent of Jimmy Swaggart, who refused to be defrocked by the Assembly of God denomination, Ned Graham left that congregation for another church.

Most of the staff and board members of East Gates International resigned amid controversies. East Gates, in Sumner, Wash., withdrew its membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability after Ned replaced the board members with his sister Ruth Graham McIntyre, brother-in-law Stephan Tchividjian, and business leader Peter Lowe.

Graham's sister Gigi Tchividjian has joined the office staff and Ned Graham continues as East Gates president. The ECFA the self-policing organization Billy Graham helped start requires that a majority of board members not be related by blood or marriage, which is no longer the case for East Gates. Nepotism is alive and well in Evangelical ministries?

A December East Gates fund-raising letter included a note from his father saying that "Ruth and I are proud of and grateful to God for our son Ned." East Gates has distributed 2 million Bibles to Christians in China, Billy Graham said, encouraging Christians to "back this unique and effective ministry."

It is interesting to see the most famous "evangelist" (some say) not being able to educate his children, especially Ned. At the same time, having a bunch of so-called Christians following the leadership of such wreckless person. Franklin Graham wears jeans, boots, denim shirt, and leather jacket. He was a teen rebel who drank, smoked, fought, and led police on high-speed chases. He was kicked out of LeTourneau College. He used to be a rebel and a 'bum' got religion and become more sophisticated and formed "the Samaritan's Purse' so that he can fly around the country and charge things to his non-profit corporation. As a result his ministry, Samaritan's Purse, had a run-in with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. The ECFA suspended Samaritan's Purse while it looked into Franklin's (Graham) compensation and use of the company plane.

Although Billy Graham encourages religious leaders to be open about their salaries and publish their finances none of the Grahams reveal their total compensation nor release their personal income tax as President Bush does and former President Clinton has done. It's the law of the land that all non profit chairman of corporations must reveal their total salary and that Billy, Ned and Franklin do not to their donors speak volumes of their hypocrisy?

Yes, Jesus told us to beware of hypocrites like Dr. Billy Graham.

Editor's Note - Barbara Webb nor Billy Graham Evangelistic Organization did not reply about Billy Graham's salary nor other matters stated.

President Bush, Billy Graham & Jews!

The Boston Globe reported "Some see Jewish shift toward GOP" By Anne E. Kornblut, Globe Staff, 5/7/2003

WASHINGTON -- The Jewish community responded enthusiastically when Senator Joseph I. Lieberman joined the presidential ticket in 2000, a move many saw as recognition of their long support for the party of Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. As they had for every election in decades, Jewish voters overwhelmingly cast their ballots for the Democrats.

But after a year and a half of strong statements from President Bush about fighting terrorism, along with his equally strong backing of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel, some prominent analysts in both parties say they detect a shift in the Jewish community. For the first time in more than 20 years, one Democratic pollster said he sensed an erosion of support from Jewish activists that could affect the presidential race. And according to researchers at B'nai Brith, younger Jewish Americans seem more likely to lean Republican than their parents.

(President. G.W.) Bush faced deep distrust from the Jewish community when he came to office, largely because of his past statements about Judaism. In an infamous incident in 1990, Bush told his mother he did not believe that Jews can get into heaven, prompting Barbara Bush to call a close family friend, the Rev. Billy Graham, to set her son straight. Graham reportedly told Bush that such decisions are up to God, an answer that apparently changed Bush's mind, but did not help his case among Jewish voters when he ran for president. (Some see Jewish shift toward GOP By Anne E. Kornblut, Globe Staff, 5/7/2003)

"I have never talked publicly or privately about the Jewish people, including conversations with President Nixon, except in the most positive terms." (Rev. Billy Graham, in a May 1994 statement denying H.R. Haldeman's claim in his published diaries that Graham carried on about "satanic Jews" in Nixon's presence. Quoted by David Firestone in the March 17 New York Times.)

"I go and I keep friends with [Abe] Rosenthal at the New York Times and people of that sort, you know. And all—I mean, not all the Jews, but a lot of the Jews are great friends of mine, they swarm around me and are friendly to me because they know that I'm friendly with Israel. But they don't know how I really feel about what they are doing to this country. And I have no power, no way to handle them, but I would stand up if under proper circumstances." (Rev. Billy Graham, in a transcript of an Oval Office conversation with Richard Nixon from 1972 recently made public by the National Archives. Quoted in Firestone's March 17 story and elsewhere.)

Washington "is full of Jews," the president asserted. "Most Jews are disloyal." He made exceptions for some of his top aides, such as national security adviser Henry Kissinger, his White House counsel, Leonard Garment, and one of his speechwriters, William Safire, and then added:

"But, Bob, generally speaking, you can't trust the bastards. They turn on you. Am I wrong or right?"

Haldeman agreed wholeheartedly. "Their whole orientation is against you. In this administration, anyway. And they are smart. They have the ability to do what they want to do--which is to hurt us." (George Lardner's Washington Post article talked about President Richard Nixon and the Jews.)

How can the Jews in America trust a President who looks for advice from Southern Baptist Evangelist  Billy Graham who himself is a liar and anti-Semitic and was a close friend of President Richard Nixon, a Jew hater?

How To Differentiate True Ones From False Ones?

Presumption and sincerity are not a guarantee of anything including salvation. Many fools have died for being false. Just because  a person says he is a true man of God doesn't make it so. Those who remain alive when they lays hands on the sick are the true ones! (Mark 16:16-20, Acts 19:11-17)  Case in point is that a 39-year-old Pentecostal minister became a victim of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak that has caused alarm in parts of Asia, after going to the hospital to pray for someone with the condition reported the Charisma News Service on April 7, 2003 whose publisher, Stephen Strang, and Editor, Andre Butcher also supported the thieving Straders of Carpenter's Home Church, Lakeland, Florida. (http://www.christiannews.0catch.com/strader.htm )

Simon Loh died last week in Singapore, where concern over the mysterious condition has prompted the closure of schools. The pastor of Faith Assembly of God Church in Singapore, Loh contracted SARS after going to pray for the hospitalized daughter of a man who also died from the disease.

Churches in Singapore are also considering canceling Sunday school classes and youth meetings to try to prevent SARS spreading, Assemblies of God (AG) News reported. The denomination's Asia-Pacific regional director, Russell Turney, appealed for prayer for pastors as they ministered to those affected.

"We have four missionary families in Singapore," he told AG News. "They are aware of the outbreak and [are] taking precautions, but SARS is a very dangerous and very real health threat."

The number of deaths in the region from the pneumonia-like virus has risen to 100, Deutsche Welle, German radio, reported. Worldwide, there are believed to be 2,800 suspected SARS cases.

When for whatever reason God’s people sin and become disobedient and in arrogance and pride don’t deal with His rebuke, they pay a real price for their foolishness. Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran of India, who has a real miracle ministry, told the story recently:

Once there was a man who was used mightily by the Lord. When he prayed, mighty and great miracles happened in the name of the Lord. As days went by, pride came into his heart. Gradually, he lost the power of God. In course of time, he became a slave to liquor. In the end, on a day when he was supposed to share the Word of God, he got fully drunk and killed himself. What a pity!

Jesus said, "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 14:11). When you humble yourself, the Lord exalts you. No evil can come near you. No problems, temptations, sorrow can touch you. Jesus will dwell within you forever and will be your shield and fortress to protect you.

God Is Not Like Them!

Most churches are only social clubs sharing the same opinions or views and the criteria of membership is to be in complete harmony or accord and have complete assent or agreement to 'doctrinal' matter.'  But just because a group of people agree about something doesn't make it right? Look at Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16 who with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown rose up before Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?"

Korah and his friends had a just cause and were in complete agreement that Moses and Aaron where off the wall? But they were wrong and what did the Lord do? He spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." "Speak to the congregation, saying, 'Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.' “And Moses spoke to the congregation, saying, "Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins."

So the wise ones got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram and the LORD created a new thing, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with all that belonged to them, and they went down alive into the pit, because by their words and actions they had rejected the LORD. And a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.

Now the dumb sheep that people are, they didn't appreciate the fact that there are some people you are not to fight with or hurt and they foolishly complained to Moses, “You have killed the people of the LORD." The bible records

16:42 Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.
16:43 Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting.
16:44 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
16:45 "Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces.
16:46 So Moses said to Aaron, "Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the LORD. The plague has begun."
16:47 Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people.
16:48 And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped.
16:49 Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident.
16:50 So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped. Numbers

The moral of the story is that many people in churches are fools. They think because they have unanimity on a certain subject that God is for them and with them! They rise up against true men of God and speak their mind and move against them. But that is never the case. God is only for His righteous anointed servants and all the rest can go to hell as shown by Korah, Dathan and Abiram who never in their wildest dreams expected to end up there?

Real life is so different from the pie in the sky theology that many Christians live by and ignore the fact that God never was and never will be like them. And He doesn't like those who reject His words but He rejects them. So they get their dessert and eat it even if it's unpleasant just like Korah and his friends, no matter what their dumb theology says!

Does God Heal Today?

Phil Maxwell  of Simple Truth Ministries of Kansas City, Missouri posted on his web site his testimony of God’s complete restoration power in the area of health:

Brenda and I have for years loosely followed the Levitical diet as far as clean/unclean meats and cooking the fat out of meats. Our reasons are not because we think ourselves under these laws, but because we figure the Designer of our bodies knows what works better than anyone. It's the same reasoning that prompts us to use the oil and gas recommended by the manufacturers of our cars.

A little over two years ago, after steadily gaining weight and getting out of shape for 20 years, the Lord moved in our lives in many ways, including the rapid burning off of over 150 lbs between the two of us. Aside from obesity, we've also been healed of numerous other physical ailments like hypertension, high blood sugar, persistent hives, migraines, and unstable hormone balances (Brenda), plus, for me, a ruptured hernia, back problems, constantly dislocated ribs, gum infections, torn ligaments in both ankles, joint pains, persistent allergies, asthma, and acid reflux (me). In other words, Yahshua did a complete restoration of our health.

There was no plan, no diet, no discipline involved in this, so when people ask how we did it, all we can say is the Lord did it. Since then, however, we have and are modifying our lifestyle to much healthier ways in order to maintain the gift of a fresh start God graciously gave us. We figure that He had reasons for doing this that go beyond just making us feel better. Particularly, we foresee times ahead that will be very physically demanding on the saints and don't want to tempt God by not even being able to withstand ordinary physical trials.

While we hope for divine protection against poisons and diseases we may be exposed to, we don't want to be so unhealthy that we would fall prey to any little thing that comes along. While we hope for angelic help should we have to take flight from the lives we now enjoy, we'd like to at least be able to hike a mile or two without suffering a heart attack or stroke. We figure God will multiply the little we do to be prepared, but don't want to come up short on our end.

In contrast to those who try to make religious law out of health related factors, we are not shackled by any such things. We do what we can to care for the bodies Yahweh has given us in this world, and don't worry about what we can't do. If we want a little wine and a pepperoni pizza every now and then, we enjoy it without any guilt. Still, we try to keep our eye on the ball, which is that we have a course and purpose set before us, and maintaining our physical health is a part of being wise with what we've been given that we might bear fruit unto the Lord.  http://www.planetkc.com/stm/

No matter what trial or circumstances we are going through we are to look to Jesus who makes His glory shine in us, will give us the victory in and over all things and make us more than conquer. Yes, never a weakness that He does not feel, never a sickness that He cannot heal; Moment by moment, in woe or in weal, Jesus our  Savior, abides with us still. And He is the same yesterday, today and forever always interceding for us.  His word is true:

I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.  They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.  This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.  The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.  Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;  Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalm 34:4-8

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

Strong Delusion
By Chuck Baldwin

When people demonstrate a perpetual pattern of gullibility and even willful compliance with evil, one must wonder what is really the root cause of it all. Is it ignorance? Is it indifference? Maybe it is personal ambition or the love of comfort. There is another possibility: it could be divine delusion.

According to the Scriptures, people who reject truth are destined to receive "strong delusion." They will "believe a lie."

I am reminded of what my good friend and noted evangelist of many years, John Hull, recently told me. He said, "Americans today love being lied to." Indeed they do.

Thousands of politicians have made fortunes by lying to people. Thousands of preachers and merchants are guilty of the same thing. Americans are deluged with deception on a daily basis. Deception has become more than an aberration in the United States; it is an art form.

However, it seems that the majority of the American people today are quite content at being deceived. More than that, they seem to gladly choose to be deceived. This is easily seen by the way most people react to truth. It is rejected out of hand.

Beyond that, messengers of truth are viciously and vehemently repudiated and castigated. Truly, most professing Christians and most Americans today have "heaped to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they have turned away their ears from the truth, and have turned unto fables."

This willingness to accept falsehood could be explained in part by cowardice or convenience. However, such massive and universal compliance suggests something much greater at work.

Could it be that God Himself has sent a "strong delusion" to America and especially to America's pulpits? Could it be that Christians' willingness to accept, even practically worship, a presidential administration as diabolically deceptive as the current one signals "the time of [America's] trouble"? It just could be.

http://www.covenantnews.com/baldwin030131.htm

TALIBAN RULE OF PURE ISLAM !!!

"Islamic civilization is the most illiterate, most backward, most unhealthy, most unenlightened, most deprived and weakest of all the human race." President Pervez Musharraf

And here are some of The Islamic laws (Sharia) which Christians, Hindus & Jews lived under:

1-They can not pass on the right of A Muslim but on the left
2-They can not testify against Muslims in court of law.
3-They can not ride a horse or a camel but only a donkey or a mule.
4-They should wear special costumes to be identified ,when walking in the streets
5-They should wear tag in their neck as prove that they have paid their Taxes (Jizyah)
6-They can not own any weapon to defend themselves.
7-They are not allowed to defend themselves ,i.e .if they were beaten by a Muslim,but they may try to cool him down 8-Religious celebrations in Public are not allowed, crosses in Public and on Churches are not allowed.
9-Their Houses and Shops should not be higher than Muslims but may be lower.
10-Preaching their beliefs is not allowed, touching The Koran or reading it , is prohibited
11-They should pay yearly Jizyah (non Muslims special taxes) ,these Taxes, should be paid in a festival, Muslims should remind them ,that they are infidels, and slap them on their necks as a reminder.
12-Their Jobs should not be higher than Muslims ,but only in necessity, (i.e) if they can not find Muslim to fill the Job
14-Children Of Muslims are encouraged to threw stones on them, when they walk in the streets
15-They are not allowed to build new churches or restore the old one
16-A Muslim should not be Punished (Executed) for killing Non-Muslims,
17-Any of these Laws broken they are subject to slavery, Jail, Execution and their wives will be taken as concubines, and their children as slaves!

In today's world, and even looking back about 500 years, one can plainly see that by most measures, Islamic societies are failures:

They produce little.
They are per capita world leaders in violent crime, such as rape and murder (per recent UN report).
They are intolerant, by all measures of rights for minorities and non-Muslims.
They are mostly Totalitarian.
They participate little in the common endeavors of the rest of humanity (Olympics, Nobel Prizes, books translated, cultural exchanges, etc.)
Illiteracy is common, especially among women.
And who else could throw away over ONE TRILLION DOLLARS in oil revenue in 30 years?
Islamic societies are failures. THAT IS WHY they are involved in the vast majority of world conflicts today. All others are to blame.
 

The Hypocrisy of Phil Johnson

By G. M. Taylor 

1JN 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Phil Johnson  is the executive Director of Grace to You, a Christian tape and radio ministry featuring the preaching ministry of John MacArthur. Phil has been closely associated with John MacArthur since 1981 and edits most of MacArthur's major books. Phil is an elder at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, CA, and has a web site where he appropriately states “Theology from A Bunch of Dead Guys.” Theologically, Phil is a committed Calvinist—with a decidedly Baptistic bent.

On his website Phil talks about the Creeds, The Church Fathers, The Medieval Churchmen, The Heretics, The Eastern Orthodox, The Catholics, The Reformers, The Puritans, The Anabaptists, the Arminians, the Cultists, The Unorthodox, The Baptists, and The Recent Stalwarts. But Phil Johnson is also a bigot who cannot stand those who think for themselves. As a result Phil Johnson has stated, "DARWIN FISH is a real person who has started a dangerous cult that is no joke. He regularly labels well-known Christian leaders 'false teachers' and publishes diatribes against them. He emblazons a long list of men he despises on practically everything he touches."

This is a very common ploy amongst evangelical leadership to character assassinate the messenger when you cannot disprove the message, for even  Phil admits that Darwin Fish is not wrong about everything:

 " His published critiques of popular evangelical leaders contain many valid points. It is true that we live in an age of people with itching ears (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Much of the popular preaching in so-called "evangelical" culture today is either woefully shallow, bankrupt of solid biblical content, or out-and-out heresy.

The modern "evangelical movement" is by no means synonymous with Christ's true church. My own annotated Web links point out hundreds of fallacies that have gained popularity in contemporary evangelical culture. Some of these, according to the Bible, are damnable (1 John 2:2 . In particular, we who love Christ are to have nothing to do with those who preach a different gospel (by altering the message of justification by faith or denying the centrality of God's grace-Romans 4:4-5; Galatians 1:8-9), or those who set forth a different Christ (by fatally corrupting the doctrine of the incarnation, diminishing Christ's deity, or otherwise redefining the Godhead-2 John 7-11; John 8:24; 1 John 2:22)." http://www.gty.org/~phil/articles/dfishfaq.htm#4   & http://www.atruechurch.info/home.html

But Phil admits the modern "evangelical movement" is by no means synonymous with Christ's true church. In other words it's a cult. At least in these words Phil is not a hypocrite!

Do I have a right to have an opinion without being labeled cultish or a demon? Yes!

 So my opinion is that Fundamental Christianity is very bigoted, cultish and narrow minded besides being dead, anemic, impotent and useless. They hate free thinkers and throw out of their different groups those who think differently. They are always fighting amongst themselves and very divisive. In other words they don't even agree amongst themselves and are full of splinter groups that think they are better than others or  the others are wrong. They are very controlling of their members as evidenced by the number of web sites that talk about spiritual abuse by Fundamentalist pastors.

 What irritates me the most about them is that they think that they are the only ones who are Christians and have to right to speak about Christianity? Give me a break, they might be fools but I am not.

Only brainless ones dead zombies belong to their groups. They hate Darwin Fish because he is a free thinker but they cannot deny anything that he has stated about Greg Laurie to be false. So they character assassinate the messenger because they don't like the message. This is a very typical ploy amongst evangelicals who are a respecter of persons and show partiality to their special ones. To me it doesn't change the fact they are idiots or sons of hell about whom Jesus stated:

 MT 23:15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Angry With His Brother Without A Cause

Billy Graham's anti Semitic feelings made public through a tape only makes me praise and thank the God of Israel for not letting him leave this world letting us believe he was a holy man.

According to the Bible, it is impossible to love God and not love the Jews.
All I see in this is a just and good God who exposed him according to his word. Jesus said whatever we speak in secret will be shouted from the rooftops and Billy Graham could claim Christianity all he wants, but what he said was and is not God and God let him be seen for what he is, a hypocrite and racist.
 

Do I forgive him? I must for Jesus, but the damage is done and he will reap what he sowed because he will go down in history for what he is, an evangelist who hated Jews.

Sad, but true.

Barbara Diez Brooke (http://www.voy.com/25852/325.html)

It appears that Billy Graham was a liar and a hypocrite who covered up his hatred of the Jews for over 30 years? We can probably state that Billy Graham was angry with with his brother without a cause? Hence I wonder whether the following applies to Him?

5:20 "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

5:21  "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'

5:22 "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.

5:23 "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,

5:24 "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

5:25 "Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

5:26 "Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. Matthew

 You Cannot Trust Politicians!

By John Davies

"For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. MK 4:22

At best times politics is a nasty business. Here we see Southern Baptist Al Gore being on CNN talking about how wonderful of a guy he is and how for the good of the party he is not going to run for president. While the truth now appears  that a fellow Democratic Senator Kerry is blackmailing him not to run unless he is want to be exposed for doing what he does best -taking bribes, from the airline industry!

You cannot trust politicians at all, especially the religious kind! 

See full story at:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=30024

Lesbians and lawyers liked more than evangelicals?

In the 80's Jerry Falwell said there were 100 million evangelicals. But Barna Research Group says that there are only 20 million Evangelicals now! What happened to the 80 million? They became Lesbians and Lawyers? An obvious evolution on the social scale!

(CNSNews.com) - A California-based Christian marketing research company says non-Christians in the United States view evangelical Christians "somewhat more kindly than prostitutes, but with less affection than lesbians and lawyers."

The BRG, which analyzes cultural trends in Christianity, asked non-Christian respondents to rank and compare their impressions of evangelicals against eleven categories of people, including military officers, ministers, born-again Christians, Democrats, Republicans, real-estate agents, movie and TV performers, lawyers, lesbians and prostitutes.

While evangelicals received favorable marks from 22-percent of the non-Christians polled, Barna noted that they received only a 5-percent higher public approval rating than prostitutes did. He said almost 23-percent of respondents look more favorably upon lesbians and lawyers than they do on evangelicals.

"This is most likely a result of the thrashing evangelicals receive in the media," Barna said. "It seems millions of non-Christians have negative impressions of evangelicals, even though they cannot define what an evangelical is, accurately identify the perspectives of the group or identify even a handful of people they know personally who are evangelicals."

BRG's most recent profile of the American evangelical population reveals that there are approximately 15 to 20 million evangelical adults nationwide.

BRG data also shows that four out of five evangelicals are white and 58-percent are affiliated with the Republican Party. Additionally, 59-percent of evangelicals describe their political and social ideologies as "mostly conservative" compared to 4-percent who identify themselves as liberals.

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=\Culture\archive\200212\CUL20021213b.html

Ministries Get 'F' for Financial Openness

By Wally Duncaster

EPH 4:28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

Several large Evangelical ministries have demonstrated "poor financial transparency," according to an organization that gathers and analyzes the financial statements of Christian nonprofits in order to help donors make wise giving decisions, reported Charisma News.

Wall Watchers' publication, "Transparency Watch," listed Benny Hinn Ministries, Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Joyce Meyer's Life in the Word and T.D. Jakes Ministries among those earning a "transparency grade" of D or F.

Officials with the independent Charlotte, N.C.-based ministry say grades range from A to F and are based on the timeliness and quality of ministries' responses to Wall Watchers' requests for financial documents.

Besides the charismatic-Pentecostal nonprofits, the 45 ministries which also received D or F grades featured several evangelical organizations, including Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral Ministries, R.C. Sproul's Ligonier Ministries.  Anne Graham Lotz's AnGeL Ministries and Ned Graham's East Gates Ministries International. ( More proof that the Graham's kids have no integrity)

Wall Watchers President Chris Hempe said a ministry that receives a poor transparency grade is not necessarily doing anything wrong, but its refusal to provide useful information about its finances should be considered "a red flag" to donors. "Our standards make it easy for any ministry to receive a high grade," Hempe said. "They simply need to send quality financial statements in a timely fashion so that we can make this information, and our analysis of it, available to donors."

At its ministrywatch.com Web site, Wall Watchers officials say 78 percent of the 475 organizations in the database have received an A or B rating and 9 percent earned an F grade. The financial watchdog tries to acquire financial information from each ministry at least once a year. http://www.religionnews.com/press02/PR111202C.html

And the biggest hypocrite is Billy Graham. Although Billy Graham encourages religious leaders to be open about their salaries and publish their finances none of the Grahams reveal their total compensation nor  release their  personal income tax as President Bush does and former President Clinton has done. It's the law of the land that all non profit chairman of corporations must reveal their total compensation and that Billy, Ned and Franklin do not speak volumes of their hypocrisy.

President Bill Clinton would make a great evangelist, Billy Graham told U.S. News & World Report in a interview. Graham said he was impressed with Clinton's charisma and 'with some of the things he believes. ... From a biblical point of view, we should be headed in the direction of goodness and righteousness, away from crime and immorality,' Graham said, 'and towards one's neighbors who are in need. I'm encouraged by the emphasis President Clinton (a Southern Baptist) and Hillary are putting on that.'

It's a fact that Christianity Today founded by Billy Graham did not report immediately on one of its own pastors Ollin Collins of Harvest Baptist Church in Fort Worth, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's board chairman. A man who resigned amid sexual misconducts allegations when he was accused of having sexual relationships with two women who sought counseling.

But it did report about the adultery of a black man and a National Baptist but not about the adultery of a white man and Southern Baptist. An adultery that was more hideous and gross because Collins raped unsuspecting trusting women, while Lyons adulterous relationships were consensual. It has been said that Lyons will go down in the history books as "Hugh Hefner of the New Testament." http://headlines.yahoo.com/Full_Coverage/US/Henry_Lyons

Now concerning the fallen hero, the church had suspended Pastor Collins with pay pending an investigation. He resigned from his board position one day after a story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported the women's allegations and their intent to sue. Southwestern is the world's largest evangelical seminary, with 3,000 students on eight campuses.

But of course neither the Seminary nor the Church did anything for the real female victims but they did help and console the aggressor?  Just like Billy Graham stated about Bill Clinton "I forgive him . . . because I know the frailty of human nature, and especially a strong, vigorous young man like he is. "He has such a tremendous personality that I think the ladies just go wild over him."  In other words it was the fault of the victims not the victimizer?

In any ministry trust is the operative word. It's up to a ministry's board of directors to make sure the trust is deserved. To help such boards and ministry leaders keep faith with the Mrs. Moxleys of the Christian world-and to head off a threatened government crackdown-the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) was formed 20 years ago. Member organizations voluntarily subscribe to seven "standards of responsible stewardship," including a 12-part fundraising standard.

"By law, [a ministry's] board of directors is responsible to oversee management," said Brewster Kopp, president and chairman of Stewardship Group, an organization that aids Christian nonprofits. "There are many not-for-profit organizations where the board is not doing what it should."

East Gates was established in 1989 by Ruth Graham, journalist David Aikman, Bible smuggler Doug Sutphen, and others. Ned Graham, then 33 years old, became president in 1991. Under his leadership, the organization had become financially viable.

East Gates quietly resigned from the ECFA when the wife of East Gates President Nelson E. "Ned" Graham, youngest son of Billy and Ruth Graham, sued her husband for divorce.

East Gates is located about an hour's drive southeast of Seattle, below the snow-covered glacial fields of Mount Rainier. Its post-office box address is Sumner; its street address is Puyallup. The organization underwrites the production and distribution of Bibles in China  in cooperation with the China Christian Council and Amity Printing Company. It has built structures for 20 Chinese churches, according to Ned Graham, or about five according to a former East Gates executive. It has helped Chinese pastors to receive training in Singapore, provided high-tech equipment to seminaries in China, and sent money to flood-damaged churches.
 
East Gates bylaws require all board members and employees to be "in a pattern of ... personal and corporate accountability." They are "required to be members of and accountable to a local church of their choosing." They are expected "to put into their family life the time needed for the well being of the family unit." Mr. Gordon cited "fraternization" with a woman employee as another of Mr. Graham's bylaw violations.

Even though a President of an Evangelical Ministry must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, and not greedy for money, Ned Graham, the son of Billy Graham, Southern Baptist minister, president East Gates International, a group that distributes Bibles in China told Christianity Today in an interview that he had abused alcohol and spent an "inappropriate amount of time" with two women on his staff.

Grace Community Church, Southern Baptist Convention, in Auburn, Washington--which counted Ned Graham, his wife, and their two sons as members established the fact that Ned Graham was an adulterer, alcoholic, wife abuser, and drug user and revoked Graham's ministerial credentials. It directed Graham to stop using the title reverend.

Yet in a style reminiscent of Jimmy Swaggart, who refused to be defrocked by the Assembly of God denomination, Ned Graham left that congregation for another church.

Most of the staff and board members of East Gates International resigned amid controversies. East Gates, in Sumner, Wash., withdrew its membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability after Ned replaced the board members with his sister Ruth Graham McIntyre, brother-in-law Stephan Tchividjian, and business leader Peter Lowe.

Graham's sister Gigi Tchividjian has joined the office staff and Ned Graham continues as East Gates president. The ECFA requires that a majority of board members not be related by blood or marriage, which is no longer the case for East Gates reported Christianity Today. A December East Gates fund-raising letter included a note from his father saying that "Ruth and I are proud of and grateful to God for our son Ned." East Gates has distributed 2 million Bibles to Christians in China, Billy Graham said, encouraging Christians to "back this unique and effective ministry."

Franklin Graham wears jeans, boots, denim shirt, and leather jacket. He was a teen rebel who drank, smoked, fought, and led police on high-speed chases. He was kicked out of LeTourneau College. He used to be a rebel and a 'bum' got religion and become more sophisticated and formed "the Samaritan's Purse' so that he can fly around the country and charge things to his non-profit corporation. As a result his ministry, Samaritan's Purse, had a run-in with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. The ECFA suspended Samaritan's Purse while it looked into Franklin's (Graham) compensation and use of the company plane.

They are all hypocrites and thieves their lack of accountability by their CEO's proves it.  They are nothing but crooks and con artists and their smooth words do not change this fact!  Otherwise hypocritical Baptist leader who preach integrity to others would not hide their salaries but be honest and state the "total compensation" of their five top employees, including Billy, Ned and Franklin Graham!

TOUCH NOT MINE ANOINTED?

By John R. Anderson

One of the most common errors found in Christianity today is that particular persons, usually pastors or evangelists, are somehow more "anointed" than the average Christian. This teaching often coincides with a veiled threat in the form of "touch not mine [the Lord's] anointed," (I Ch. 16:22, Ps. 105:15).

The term "anointing" means to "authorize, or set apart, a person for a particular work or service," (Is.61:1). The New Testament is absolutely clear on whom the anointing rests - ALL of Christ's disciples, who are God's very own, set apart and commissioned for service (2 Cor. 1:21). The New Testament does not support the notion of a "greater" anointing based on "position" and such teaching has its origin in a fundamental misunderstanding of the relationship between the Old and New Testaments.

Proponents of this error fail to use careful exegesis to discern the difference between the Old Testament call of a "prophet," where the anointing rested on one man (Is. 61:1, I Sam. 26:9,11, 2 Sam. 22:51, 2 Chr. 6:42), and the New Testament call of a "priesthood of believers" (I Pet. 2:5,9). Certainly there are diversities of gifts, but the Spirit [or anointing] remains the same (I Cor. 12). Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, and many others have long terrorized God's people with "touch not mine anointed" nonsense if anyone dared question them or their teaching. Anyone who has a gift (all have gifts, 1 Cor. 12:7-11), has a ministry, and anyone who has a ministry, has authority and is anointed.

It is a sad situation in many churches today that "laity" are content to sit on a pew week after week and assume the opinions of professional clergymen are to be the final authority. They find comfort in this approach because it is safe. Preachers are content to keep it this way because it secures their position in the church.

How many times have believers been subjected to mishandled scripture with an implicit or explicit "touch not God's anointed" if any dared to question? This is in contrast to the Biblical admonition to "try the spirits", (1 John 4:1). Fear is not of God and teaching which incorporates psychological intimidation is corrupt and deceptive. One of the easiest ways to determine what "spirit" motivates a person "in authority" is to question them. A godly man or woman will never be offended or become indignant if someone dares to question them and compare what is said with the Word of God. However, if one is motivated by an "authoritarian" spirit of conceit or arrogance, the questioner will soon know it. Peter warned the elders (pastors and spiritual guides of the church) not to be domineering [arrogant, dictatorial, overbearing] over the flock of God, but to be patterns and models of Christian living (I Pet. 5:3, AMPL.)

Many prominent pastors and evangelists today make the claim that because "souls" are being saved and "healings" take place in their meetings, that this somehow validates their ministry. While these things may be well and good, they are no indication of "divine" sanction. A.A. Allen was a drunkard, Jimmy Swaggart a whoremonger, Jim Bakker a thief, Larry Lea a prevaricator, and Robert Tilton a charlatan - yet ALL of these saw thousands saved and miracles take place in their meetings. Because one is blessed with "prosperity" and has a "following" of thousands, doesn't mean a darn thing when it comes to integrity and godly sanction, for "he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust," (Matt. 5:45).

Twenty-six years ago I experienced the greatest miracle of my life - salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This experience came in a Pentecostal "holiness" church where, unbeknown to me at the time, the pastor was committing adultery, one of the deacons (or "pillars" of the church as they were called) visited a prostitute on a regular basis, another deacon kept a large supply of porno magazines in his home, and still another was a philanderer. This taught me that just because God moves in a particular setting, it is no indication that those who bear the message are "godly."

http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/facts/anointed.htm

"Monument Unto Myself" Builder

By Wang Fu

The people had a vision at our little tiny garage church.

We prayed for God to help us build a bigger church on more land.

God blessed and provided enough for a new church structure.

Our men built, with their own hands, a nice brick church on several acres of property. The women prayed and cooked and did what we could.

The people were faithful and the Spirit of God was evident.

Things were going great and the church was growing in numbers.

Pastor's ego got inflated with this growth.

Pastor exerted his right of Pastoral Authority. (WARNING)

HE decided to build a Christian school even though there wasn't enought money.

No one in the church was consulted about HIS decision. After all, HE WAS GOD'S MAN, or at least that's what he jammed down own throats.

The people gave and gave and gave...family silver, engagement rings, heirlooms, kids' savings bonds, retirement money, etc...anything that would bring cash from a bank, pawn shop or jeweler.

At every service there would be a collection of "stuff" that one of the deacons would cull through and see what was valuable enough to sell.

Still didn't have enough money for the Christian school.

Pastor decided to have a "bond" program and insisted that all church members approach everyone they knew and sell the bonds.

Outside Marketing Special came in to show us how to corner friends, family, dentist, doctors, co-workers, acquaintances, anyone we remotely had any contact with to offer them this "rare opportunity" to get in on the bottom floor.

Those of us who declined were castigated and preached about from the pulpit.

Bonds were eventually sold and enough money was raised to start the school.

Big school annex was built.

Financial need increased because of this huge undertaking.

Within two years Pastor browbeat enough people out of the church that financial problem were overwhelming and school was no more.

Pastor blamed people for unfaithfulness and disobedience.

Eventually Pastor walked out and left a big mess for the sheep.

Right now we can ride by that same church building and school. It is completely owned by other people and the original sheep are scattered who knows where. So many people were hurt by this whole mess. I feel blessed that my husband was spiritually strong and this didn't make us bitter, but everyone was not so fortunate.

Is Your Pastor A Cult Leader?

By George Watts

There is an interesting article THE CULT LEADER IN A BAPTIST CHURCH to which many can relate at http://www.straightistheway.com/writings/cult_leader.html

"The cult leader in a Baptist church is not interested in molding a person's will so that they will want to yield it to Christ.  The cult leader wants to break the will of his listener.  This act comes straight from bewitching sorcery in which a person is made more accessible not only to the leader but also to demonic oppression.  At the very least, one’s sense of judgment goes awry after being broken under cult leadership, tending to make one more malleable, gullible, and leadable.  "

Control of the group through fear/intimidation/threats/dire warnings; for example, that if you leave the group you are "out of God's will for your life," you will experience tragedy, or your children will go to Hell.

Once upon a time I was a member of a Baptist church that had a cult leader. It had 100 members in the beginning and by the time the pastor was through it only had 2 members. The sad part was that the association of Baptist Churches still supported the pastor and saw nothing wrong with what he was doing.

This week the Baptist press reported A recent statistic reported by the Southern Baptist Convention reveals that 88 percent of children who are raised in evangelical homes leave the church at the age of 18 and never return. http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?ID=14445

To me all this also explains why many Baptist Churches are made up of uneducated married elderly woman who are used to being abused by their husbands and put up with this kind of garbage.

Baptist Press reported on the results of a comprehensive "U.S. Congregational Life Survey" conducted last year?  The survey found that in many ways Southern Baptist worshipers are similar to those in other congregations. They are predominantly female (60 percent), married (70 percent), with kids (44 percent), averaging 49 years of age (based on a minimum survey age of 15). Incomes also are similar, although Southern Baptists have fewer worshipers with an annual income of $100,000 or more (11 percent versus 15 percent). Southern Baptists also have a lower percentage of college graduates (30 percent to 41 percent).  Southern Baptist congregations, like congregations of most religious groups, tend to be small.

Blatant Financial Corruption in Charismatic Churches

By Lee Grady Charisma Magazine

We've all seen him on television. The slick-haired evangelist in a shiny gold suit who grabs a wireless microphone, points into the camera and declares with feigned sincerity: "God is telling me that if you will give a gift of $1000 tonight, He will release your hundred-fold miracle."

Everybody claps. Women swoon on the front row. The telephone lines light up. And thousands of people start writing checks.

I don't write a check because I am sick to my stomach. I change the channel and whisper to God, What is happening to us?

Everywhere I turn, blatant financial corruption is parading up and down the aisles of charismatic churches in this country. The prophets of profit are busy manipulating us--and the Bible--to get bigger offerings. It seems they stoop to a lower level each time they rob God's people. For the most part they go unchallenged.

Consider, for example, the pastor who encourages his congregation and TV audiences to write checks "by faith" for amounts that are not in their bank accounts. Excuse me? That's illegal.

Or consider the preacher with the gated mansion and private plane who teaches that a Christian can "buy" the Holy Spirit's anointing with generous offerings. (Didn't Philip rebuke a sorcerer for suggesting such blasphemy?)

And then there's the guy on the endless Christian telethon who tells people that if they will give a certain amount "in the next 30 minutes", God will send a "special blessing" to them--such as the salvation of a wayward child. The same preacher regularly tells his audience that if they give in certain offerings--to him of course--"God says He will release you from all debts." (Warnings: This is called "taking the Lord's Name in vain." Not a good thing.)

Why do we tolerate this stuff? While lawmakers are sending Enron and WorldCom to the corporate woodshed for flagrant financial abuse, we allow the same craziness to go on in god's house with no questions asked. Many of us even applaud the money-changers because we equate their self-centered message with a holy gospel.

Jesus is not clapping. In fact, He's gone to get his whip. When he comes back to purify the charismatic church, tables will fly across the room, and coins will scatter. Ministries propped up by greed and goofy fund-raising gimmicks will go out of business. He won't let us build His church on a rotten foundation of spiritual fraud.

Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. Prosperity is biblical. But it can't be bought simply by throwing money in an offering plate or by giving to the most "anointed" preacher.

True wealth, according to the Bible, comes in response to wisdom, integrity, diligence, faithfulness and parental blessing, as well as generosity. Preachers who suggest that you can "have it all" just by giving in their offerings are misrepresenting God, defrauding you and maligning the church's reputation. And they will answer for it.

So the next time somebody promises you a personal prophecy in exchange for a $200 "love gift," don't participate in his shenanigans.. vote with your feet, and get out of there fast. And watch out for flying tables.

(Lee Grady's "First Word" column from the October 2002 Charisma Magazine)

The True State of America

By John Davies

The recent economic and religious scandals in America, be it Catholic priests who are pedophiles, CEO of private and religious organizations, or members of Congress, shows that corruption seethes from every corner of the empire and integrity is hard if not impossible to find. Foreign investors are now realizing that America is not a place to invest in because there is no integrity but only CEO who make themselves rich at the expense of others, even if it means destroying the corporation.

Investors have been had by corporate leaders whose moral compasses were confounded by greed. The execs' lack of conscience set back the hopes and dreams of millions who believed the self-serving pronouncements of a few culpable CEOs and their supporting cast of co-conspirators -- bankers, stockbrokers, accountants, and consultants.

But corporate scandals will cost the United States economy billons of dollars, could delay a stock market recovery by a year and will produce a global loss of trust in the free market, said a new study by a leading economic think tank

In America many call themselves men of God but they are not. They are perverted and corrupt and full of their own insolence, infectious greed and lust for power. It eats at them from the inside out until they will do anything to remain in power, even if they are only a hollow shell of what they once were.

In America we have many pastors, preachers and priests who are portrayed as noble men of integrity but in reality are rapists, liars and thieves be it Cardinal Bernard Law, Bernie Ebbers, Dr. Henry J. Lyons, Rev. Jesse Jackson, or Billy Graham

Cardinal Bernard Law of  the Boston Archdiocese  four months ago agreed to a  financial settlement with clergy sex abuse victims and said it was "an important step in reaching closure. " Victims who had suffered as a result of sexual abuse defrocked priest John Geoghan were going to see justice. But now the attorneys for the 86 alleged victims say the archdiocese committed a "fraud on the court" by backing out of the agreement because it was too expensive. Attorney Garabedian said Law and other church leaders indicated to the court and the public that the deal was final. But attorneys for the archdiocese say in court papers that the cardinal never authorized them to create a binding deal. In other words Cardinal Bernal Law is a liar who plays around with words just like President Bill Clinton did about his sexual liaisons with Monica Lewinsky.

Cardinal Bernard Law's own hypocritical words incriminate him: "Despite the quantity of documents released and statements on the part of some indicating they believe otherwise, before God I assure you that my first knowledge of an allegation of sexual abuse against this priest was in 1993. It was immediately acted upon, and the authorization for him to serve as a priest in California was rescinded."  "I am profoundly sorry ... that the inadequacy of past policies and flaws in past decisions have contributed to this situation. I wish I could undo the hurt and harm."  I was guided "by the insights and recommendations of those with a medical competence which we did not have."  The board did not require cases of abuse of children by priests be reported to public officials "because it was felt that doing so would inhibit some victims from coming forward."

WorldCom's former CEO Bernard Ebbers told his bible Sunday school class that he was not a thief. President Nixon once stated " I have earned every cent. And in all of my years in public life I have never obstructed justice. People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook." While Jim Bakker stated "I sorrowfully acknowledge that seven years ago ... I was wickedly manipulated by treacherous former friends and colleagues who victimized me with the aid of a female confederate. They conspired to betray me into a sexual encounter at a time of great stress in my marital life. ... I was set up as part of a scheme to co-opt me and obtain some advantage for themselves over me in connection with their hope for position in the ministry."

So Bernard Ebbers was not a crook but he proposed cutting by half the budget of the company's internal audit unit before he resigned earlier this year? WorldCom Inc.'s former chief financial officer told company lawyers that then-chairman Bernard Ebbers knew certain expenses were shifted to other accounts in violation of accounting rules. Born again Bernard Ebbers, the man who built the company into the second-largest U.S. long-distance telephone company and the biggest carrier of Internet traffic, has denied wrongdoing.

The Rev. Henry J. Lyons one of the most influential black religious leaders in the United States, overseeing one of the largest church organizations of African-Americans, was sent to prison to serve a 51/2-year sentence for racketeering and grand theft. Lyons leadership of the nation's largest black church organization dissolved in financial scandal, after his wife set his downfall in motion by torching a home he had purchased with another woman. Later Lyons filled for divorce from Deborah Lyons stating that his 28-year marriage was  irretrievably broken. He claimed no assets and $7.8 million in debts, including restitution payments.

Lyons was convicted in February 1999 of swindling more than $4 million from companies that wanted to market life insurance, credit cards and cemetery plots to his convention members.  Prosecutors said Lyons padded the convention's mailing list with names randomly selected from phone books across the country. Even a grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan was on the list. He pleaded guilty to federal charges of tax evasion, fraudulent activities and lying to officials
In his sentencing, Judge Schaeffer had ordered Lyons to pay $2.5 million in restitution to the companies who bought his phony mailing lists and to pay $97,000 for the cost of the state probe into his dealings.

Lyons troubles became public in July 1997 when his wife Deborah was arrested for setting fire to a Tierra Verde home. The arson triggered an investigation of Lyons, then president of the National Baptist Convention USA, and his financial dealings using the convention's name.  Deborah had stayed at her husband's side through the escalating scandal, praising him and praying for him. His wife pleaded guilty to arson and served probation. 

Rev. Jesse Jackson has never worked a day in his life in the private sector, has a net personal worth of over 4 million dollars and directly controls four non profit organizations. It had been alleged that Rev. Jackson, a Baptist minister, has been siphoning money from these organization to support his wealth!

These allegation of financial impropriety turned out to be true when the media reported in January 2001 that using the ministry funds over the course of seven years Pentecostal Jim Bakker paid his lady friend only about one- half ($265,000) of what Baptist Jackson admitted to paying his mistress in two years ($472,000) -- and about one-third of what the National Enquirer reported Jackson has paid ($640,000).

Immediately after he was forced to own up to the love child (the National Enquirer had DNA evidence), Jackson pledged to withdraw from public life to "revive my spirit and reconnect with my family." For a few days, the airwaves were bristling with accounts of the Rev. Jesse's Jackson's deep suffering and his "trial of tears." 

God's grace worked fast: After taking the weekend off, Jesse Jackson was back in action this week, just in time for a lucrative Wall Street shakedown. It's not as if he had done something really bad, like support a reduction in marginal tax rates.

The woman whose out-of-wedlock child was fathered by Jesse Jackson said that  the civil rights leader dropped a possible third run for the White House in 2000 partly because of the scandal.

Karin Stanford, a one-time aide in Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition Washington office, also said her relations with Jackson have become strained since she took him to court to firm up child support arrangements. Jackson, she said, has seen his now 2-year-old daughter only once in the past seven months.

We have seen Rev. Jesse Jackson shake down  Toyota,  which had Toyota Motor Sales USA agreeing to spend nearly $8 billion over 10 years to increase minority participation in the company, is being attacked by co