Legacy

The Slippery Slope

By Karl C. Priest October 27, 2009 (revised 1-21-2010)

Before I get into this highly critical article I should state that I am acutely aware of the tendency to have a “beam” in my own eye. (Matthew 7:3-5 and Luke 6::41:42) In “What Bugs Me” I made it clear that I do not exclude myself from the need to move away from error (even sin).

I am grieved at the hurt that I caused--to friends, foes and family--while I was lukewarm. I made as many amends as possible and accept the forgiveness of Jesus Christ the Lord (If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. I John 1:9-10), tried to heal the hurt I caused, and continue to “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. (Philippians 3:14)

I have long lamented that the problem with America is in the pulpit. Too many preachers are driven by their pocket-books instead of their principles (And that is putting a positive spin on the point.)

"Churches want to hear nice, optimistic messages, free of mention of sin or a call for repentance. Churches want nice, lean programs, directed at nice, clean families, leading to growth without sacrifice.  They want their organization to become bigger and bigger, even as their God becomes smaller and smaller." (Sold Out! by Richard Ganz and William Edgar) The statement also applies to most major national parachurch (inter-denominational) organizations.

The book of Revelation reveals that God’s judgment will begin with Christians. Until that time arrives, we (Christians) need to focus on I Peter 4:17: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God…”

I never pull any punches regarding criticism of liberals and I refuse to leave out Christians and professing Christians who are also in error.  I have more respect for atheists like Jim Haught (For more about Haught, see Part I and Part III of “1974 Textbook War: the Good the Bad, and the Ugly".) than I do for liberal clergy such as Jim Lewis.  (Lewis is just an obvious target since he places himself at the front of the battle.  I have nothing against him personally as a man, but I detest what he advocates. For more about Lewis, see Textbook War Forum and the Future. ) 

Liberal clergy (and their congregations seem to be oblivious that they are aligned with atheists and other enemies of God on issues such as abortion (baby killing) and homosexuality (sodomy). They are merely levobortomites* with clerical collars.

Conservative clergy seem oblivious that they are aligned with liberal clergy in some crucial areas.

I have been criticized by several people over the years. That comes with (1) expressing an opinion and (2) being an unashamed fundamentalist Christian. I expect non-Christians to go into a frustration driven frenzy when I topple their sacred cows. Atheists and liberals tend to get riled up over my raking of their religion.

This article is not a “woe is me” piece. I am not afraid of a fight and I appreciate well-intentioned help. (Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17) However, I get flack from Christians who, in my opinion, are sliding down a slippery slope. They don’t want the easy ride interrupted.

I am unwelcome in some churches or creationist groups because of my solid stands on certain subjects. That is a sad state of affairs—not because I am anyone special. Rather it is sad because I sincerely feel the situation is due to Christian leaders who are on (some further along than others) a slippery slope of compromise. That slope has several easy, usually well-intentioned, entrances: Substitution (The Bible), Education, Evolution, and Confrontation.

SUBSTITUTION (The Bible)

I was attending a local church with the word “Bible” in its name. Actually the name should have used “Bibles”. The pastor told me I could not speak to men in his congregation in private about the necessity to use a standard Bible because it would create confusion. Somehow he missed seeing what I saw during a recent service. A guest speaker began reading from some (per)version of the Bible that few (if any) in the congregation had. Soon after the speaker started reading, folks began closing their Bibles. I believe multiple bibles are causing confusion (and error) in the Church.

EDUCATION

How any pastor could look at the material contained in the Exodus Mandate section of my website and not urge his congregation to rescue their children is only understandable by the pastor’s own compromise with the ways of the world. "If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point that the world and the devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Wherever the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that one point.” (Martin Luther. Luther's Works. Weimar Edition. Briefwechsel, vol. 3, pp. 81f. One source attributes the quote to a novel by Elizabeth Rundle Charles http://creation.com/battle-quote-not-luther) There can be no doubt that the center of the hottest spiritual battle being waged is for the hearts and minds of our children.

EVOLUTION

A leading (arguably "the leading" anti-creationist, Eugenie Scott) has said (I paraphrase) that a minister is more valuable to the mission of evolutionists than is a scientist.  I have personally heard two atheists say, separately, that they have more respect for Young Earth Creationists (At least we are consistent and do not try to twist scripture.) than they do for Theistic Evolutionists. Not only do many Christian leaders embrace theistic evolutionism, but most pastors who believe in creation as clearly described in Genesis fail to see the need to stress the subject.

CONFRONTATION

I have been aggressively attacked by an active pro-life worker because I use photos of pre-born babies for public display. (I am not talking about aborted babies although I support, and have participated, in that kind of free speech.) The argument is that strong stands make people mad. There are many examples throughout history of Christians who made people angry because of the truth proclaimed by the preaching of those Christians.

In the category of confrontation comes the Textbook War. It is a prime example, of the slippery slope, that conservative and Christian media were mum about the 35th anniversary of that major historical event.  A liberal journalist has led the main-stream media in recognizing the significance of the Textbook War to the conservative movement. The Associated Press has filed news reports and a leading liberal group in Texas took note. The atheist led Charleston Gazette has provided extensive coverage about the Textbook War. Ultra-liberal scholars (Carol Mason being the most prominent.) know that the Textbook War launched the modern conservative movement (of which spawned such prominent conservative entities as WorldNet Daily, FOX News, and even the Reagan era.)

Since many conservatives profess to be Christians I can only conclude that media brain-washing for 35 years along with the churches’ sliding into compromise, has made the fundamentalist Christian protesters anathema to modern evangelicals.

If my warning offends and I am taken to task, I cannot find better words than those of Martin Luther when he had to answer for his strong (some say “harsh”) statements as he stood before the Inqusition of the Diet of Worms: “Unless I am convinced by proofs from Scriptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments, I can and will not retract, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other.”

Compromise is a step onto a slippery slope that quickly causes a Christian to move away from a firm foundation. Been there—done that. There is an often used analogy which conveys the need to warn those who are heading for a precipice. I claim that premise and “shout” this warning out of love, “Stop! Step back from the slippery slope.”

* levobortomite (lev oh bor' tow mite) noun. 
Anyone who believes and/or promotes left wing extremism, evolutionism, abortion, and/or anti-family activities such as sodomite marriage.  These people are not limited to any particular political party.

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