I love how this document does not compromise the Gospel of Jesus Christ while being forthright and frank about what true evangelicals really believe. It is a document that had to be written because of the damage and stereotypes created by the religious right in this nation where ‘evangelical’ was spelled ‘evangepolitical’ and the attempt to make The Great Commission into The Greater Constitution has backfired.

I love this quote that is near the beginning of the article:

Evangelicals have no supreme leader or official spokesperson, so no one speaks for all Evangelicals, least of all those who claim to. We speak for ourselves, but as a representative group of Evangelicals in America.

Thank you drafters of this document for finally telling us the truth. James Dobson, Beverly LaHaye, Tim LaHaye, the late Jerry Falwell, the late D. James Kennedy and others are not the ‘official spokesperson’ for us to give the world the ‘official opinion’ of what ‘real evangelical Christianity really is. Thetoo few for so long have tried to control the too many and turn authentic Christianity into ‘theopolitics’ where Government was the evangelism arm of the church instead of being what Webster’s dictionary defines as “the organization, machinery, or agency through which a political unit exercises authority and performs functions and which is usually classified according to the distribution of power within it ”

As followers of ―the narrow way, our concern is not for approval and popular esteem. Nor do we regard it as accurate or faithful to pose as victims, or to protest at discrimination. We certainly do not face persecution like our fellow-believers elsewhere in the world. Too many of the problems we face as Evangelicals in the United States are those of our own making. If we protest, our protest has to begin with ourselves.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we really do not know what true persecution is. True persecution is not the electing of a Democrat nor is it not getting a job and playing a ‘religion card’ like certain minority groups who play a ‘race card’ that the Christians call ‘a democrat concept’. True persecution is not the possession of ‘Catcher In The Rye’ in the school library.

True persecution is spending years in a dark tunnel hungry and beaten; not seeing sunlight because the gospel was preached, the Bible was read, or a hidden house church was in operation. True persecution is having a gun to your temple and being asked to proclaim some other god as ‘lord’ to renounce Jesus Christ and refusing to means death.

We ourselves are those who have come to believe that Jesus of Nazareth is ―the way, the truth, and the life, and that the great change required of those who follow him entails a radically new view of human life and a decisively different way of living, thinking, and acting.”

I couldn’t have said it any better. Change is the key, a changed life that can be so distinguishable from the old life to the new creation that people can see, sense, and hear that a radical change has taken place.

Contrary to widespread misunderstanding today, we Evangelicals should be defined theologically, and not politically, socially, or culturally.

I’m tired of the ‘big homeschooled, republican, SUV driving, leave it to beaver’ stigma, stigmata, and mindset that the self-proclaimed leaders of the religious right have defined us as in the name of calling it ‘real christianity’ and ‘God’s blessed’ christianity and try to convince us if every ‘real christian’ would just be like the ‘big homeschooled, republican, SUV driving, leave it to beaver’ stigma, stigmata, and mindset, the gays will be eliminated, abortion would be outlawed, crime would be eliminated, and the skies will be bright sunny blue again.

Read the belief statements on pages 5 and 6 of the document available for download here and allow them to resonante within you.

That is just a part of this incredible document that needs to be read and enacted within our daily lives. The writers of this document really get it in reference to Christian service, humility, and lifestyle.

There is too much in this document to discuss. However, I need to leave you with one more amazing quote

We urge our fellow-citizens to assess the damaging consequences of the present culture wars, and to work with us in the urgent task of restoring liberty and civility in public life, and so ensure that freedom may last to future generations.

She sang

“Daddy’s going to buy you a mocking bird,
and if that mocking bird don’t sing,
daddy’s going to buy you a dimond ring,
and if that diamond ring don’t shine,
he’s going to say your mine, your mine,…”

This is awful ‘whoreship’. In fact, she sung certain stanzas over and over again in a mantra to exite the crowd frenzy.

However, as I re-watched:

The video below from early 2004 at the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship:

And the video of Bentley now at the Lakeland meetings:

I noticed something else that appears to have changed….

His voice…

In the Lakeland video, it appears that Todd has started speaking in a southern drawl. I noticed Monday night when he called out for people from Ireland to come forth, he began (subconsciously or not) to start speaking with an Irish accent. Plus, it is starting to sound gravely like many I have met that were heavily involved with the extreme spiritual warfare factions.

We were never intended to be in and out of ‘revival’. Like the church of Acts, we are supposed to have ‘gotten it right the first time’ to go continuously onward never to ‘get dry’, never to ‘backslide’, never to ‘constantly repent over and over again’ for stuff repented numerous times before or invented sins hoping we ‘cracked the spiritual safe of blessings’. We were never intended to have a spiritual roller coaster, but instead we were meant to have a spiritual walk that involves running to finish and win the race.

A level walk, a level head, and no ‘next levels’.
A consistent walk, a consistent relationship, and no ‘inconsistencies’ in translating scripture.

Messiah not Mantra
Holy Spirit not ‘Sikka Bam Bam’

For I am the LORD, I do not change - Malachi 3:6

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Web Server at threerivershosting.com

I looked for an e-mail address on Brennan’s web page and could not find one to find out what was going on.

If the webmaster, or frequent posters such as Nan, Gurn (and wife), WeakestLink, colin, Mich, Todd, Aprophet, KyleLittlestar, Ms. Littlestar, Meems, Jenn, Leslie, SMC, Tracy, Ken, Treeby, or others (that I have forgotten) know what has happened (or if the message board has moved), please comment and let me know.

I know that I did not post much over there anymore and I know that we disagreed on Rob Bell, But I still loved visiting there everyday and in my own quirky way, Even though we have had our ‘conflicts’, I did care about the people there.

From forums poster ‘totemtotemple’

I was watching the bizarre video below from John Crowder (thenewmysticsDOTTorg) and a intriguing thought came to my mind about watching and hearing aberrant Christianity.

Where does one stop watching and hearing the preaching and teaching of aberrant Christianity?

—–
Note: The point is not to talk about this video (or the remaining four parts) and whether or not it is heresy or not. If one would look at this video, I think that it is so blantant as to the heresy being preached.
—–

Do you:

Stop looking and viewing at it the moment you determine and discern that what you are hearing is aberrant, ungodly, and blasphemous (in the case of this video - stop and go onward) (one side of the sand line)

or

Continue looking and viewing the entire sermon, conversation, and/or video in the name of apologetics and to also learn more and more the ‘aberrant dynamics’ at work (in the case of this video - go to the ‘Related Videos’ and view parts 2 through 5) (the other side of the sand line)

I see both sides of this argument and I know different people who by their personality makeup would stop immediately or different people (myself included) would watch everything related to not only determine the heresy, but to prepare an apologetic defense of the Gospel and to see how ‘low’ in terms of trying to justify their position they will go. Plus, I understand their noble and pure intent of ‘abstaining from evil’ and I have no problem with it.

I feel that I have to maintain the position of completely viewing / listening to where I know how bizarre the heresy is in order to prepare an apologetic defense of the Gospel and to see how ‘low’ in terms of trying to justify their position they will go.

Why?

Because in these last days, I really believe that the heresies will not only get more bizarre in their outlandish claims of being scriptural, but in many ways will be so blurred that one will have to be extremely careful, alert, and sober in order to keep from becoming deceived.

I guess some church will start preaching an ‘official Christian perspective’ on what is ‘God’s way’ for a ‘real Christian’ to spend that money. I guess some televangelist will come up with some ‘first fruit’ offering promising more money in return if you send them some of the money.

However, I need to remind you about something here. This ‘economic stimulus’ check is in essence a loan from the government.

Does anyone remember what happened the last time the government did an ‘economic stimulus’ package? I do. The tax forms that came out later that January had a line where the amount of the ‘economic stimulus’ was added back to your ‘taxable income’ after you had figured out your income and allowable deductions.

This is exactly what will happen in early 2009 when we fill out tax forms for tax year 2008. We will have to give it back.

Also from what some of my friends are telling me, the finance companies and bill collectors are already ‘pressuring’ their clients for more money or risk losing that house, car, etc. The retail industry will probably not benefit from this, the bill collectors, sub-prime mortgage collectors, etc will be the ones benefiting.

I would keep what money from this package I could because the taxman will have to be paid in early 2009.

A link sent to me via e-mail (thanks Triple-P) is revealing more about some of the deep roots behind the Lakeland Revival via this Charisma Magazine archive article.

In fact, Andrew Strom has sent out a second warning last week about the revival. Also, let’s look at something that is documented via video.

The video below is a YouTube clip where Todd Bentley is preaching in early 2004 at the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship:

The next video is a Youtube video of Bentley now at the Lakeland meetings:

Compare Todd Bentley in 2004 to the Todd Bentley of today. Pay very close attention to his arms and neck and notice the differences.

Something very ‘dark’ has happened to this man in the past couple of years. I can not for the life of me figure out why someone who professes to be a Christian would go out and allow themselves to be tattooed and pierced multiple times especially in light of what Leviticus 19:28 states:

You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.

The original Hebrew word for tattoo used here is the word qa`aqa` (pronounced kah-ak-ah) which literally means “mark and inprintment”. The modern word, tattoo, comes from the Tahitian word tattau, which means “to permanently mark” and has it’s origin traced to the Imperalist explorer James Cook.

The Lord specifically told Moses this commandment and others within the same chapter in order to purify and purge his chosen people from the lifestyles they experienced as slaves in Egypt. In fact, do a word study on the word Egypt and you will discover that this word actually means “the world, strongholds”. This process of getting the mentalities, lifestyles, abominations, etc of Egypt out of his chosen people continued throughout the Old Testament and was dealt with by Jesus via his death at the cross and his resurrection three days later.

In fact, tattoos have been discovered on the preserved bodies of the Egyptian and Nubian mummies that are dated as far back as 2000 BC. Therefore, the tattoo was a mainstay in Egyptian culture that was used as skin decoration, determination of social status, completion of religious rituals to the idols, and the displaying of certain rites of passage into manhood, marriage, and warfare.

Tattoos was discovered both by the Pilgrims on the American Indians where tattooing was done along with the building of totem poles to celebrate the spirits of the dead and discovered by the Imperialistic explorers (James Cook) when they first set foot on what is now Polynesia, Fiji, and Tahiti.

Therefore, based on the stories of the Bible, there may be reasons to believe that the concept of tattooing may have existed at the time man tried to reach the heavens by building the Tower of Babel and this concept was scattered throughout the earth when God scattered the people to all corners of the earth and changed the dialects of their languages.

Let’s look in Revelation 14:16-18 where the scriptures talk about another mark known as the mark of the beast. In these scriptures, the future is foretold where anyone who does not receive this mark will not be able to buy or sell without this mark.

We see in Chapter fourteen, verses nine through eleven that whosoever takes the mark of the beast will drink the wine of God’s wrath and be tormented in fire and burning sulfur with no permanent relief. The Greek word used in these verses is “Charagma (pronounced khar-ag-ma)” which literally means “imprint, stamping, tattooing, carved images, graven images, and idoltry”. Like the Hebrew word qa`aqa` (pronounced kah-ak-ah) mentioned earlier in this article, the Greek word has a very similar meaning with a very similar application.

The art of tattooing shows in essence the idolatry and humanistic nature of one allowing themselves to be physically marked to in tribute to the ways, thinkings, and strongholds of the worldly system and it’s pathway to sin/death in order to be like the world. In the scriptures, we see that God never marked people physically with ink, He sealed them spiritually while setting them apart from the world. Whether it was Abraham’s covenant, Jacob’s wrestling match, circumcision, the blood on the doorposts at Passover, washing of the blood of Jesus at Calvary, or the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us, the sealing showed the authenticity of the covenant we have with Jesus, our Advocate with our heavenly father.

I have to further question what type of ’spirit’ has Todd Bentley come into contact with that would lead him into making a choice to start marking, piercing, and mutilating himself in the fashion that he has done? In fact, I have been extremely curious as to what type of artwork is on his body? I have not been able to see either a YouTube video or a photography still shot that gives me any type of idea of what his tattoos consist of. Either the camera can not scan in close detail or he moves so fast that I can not focus in and see what the tattoos consist of. Even worse is if he has tattoos that are covered up by his clothing that we would never be able to see.

In the lives of most people, the tattoo is a open book to something about the individual. Whether it is the memory of a ‘life altering event’ (seen on many military men in reference to military service), something about their personality, hobbies, likes, or dislikes, or the fact that there are some people that love to re-experience certain types of pain over and over again, we see something about that individual via the tattoos.

I am really beginning to believe that we are seeing a man who has come into contact not with the Holy Spirit, but with ‘familiar and demonic spirits’ and that the tattoos are becoming an open book revealing a deeply troubled and deceived soul that is going around ‘in God’s name’ and calling it ‘the last-days revival’. I am concerned now that the people coming up and claiming healing are possibly receiving something that may be New Age / demonic in nature?

But what is really appalling now is that Charisma Magazine, who allowed J. Lee Grady to warn us about Charismatic ‘hucksters’, the Whites, Earl Paulk, and Weeks-Bynum now fall head over heels over this revival that is so obvious is disturbing. Knowing now what I do know, if I had children, I would never allow them to be alone with Todd Bentley because you would never know what he would do. A good friend of mine pointed out in an e-mail to me that since it appears that this man is deeply troubled and appears to have taken a turn towards the bizarre and demonic, how would one know that the sick and perverted spirit(s) of pedophilia that were at work within him in his teenage years would not re-manifest again?…

Or is this ‘revival’ a form of ’spiritualized pedophilia’ where instead of sexually assaulting and molesting teenagers, Bentley is ’spiritually molesting’ the ‘children of God’ out of their Christian spirituality that brought ‘purity and innocence’ to the lives of God’s children by ’seducing’ them with ’signs and wonders’ similar to the way some pedophiles have admitted that they used candy to lure children in order to perform their heineous and sick crimes on them?

Miley Cyrus

Who broke the ‘achy-breaky heart’ of all her fans with the ‘photos’ showing her apparently topless.

How do you use this plugin. I do not know if I missed the user documentation but I need some help using this product and also with search engine optimization / meta tags.

UPDATE! I received an e-mail with some instructions that appears to lead me to the answer that I needed to see. However, all e-mail is welcome especially with search engine optimization tips.

These bizarre people are serious in the two videos below

Brewer and Shipley would be flabbergasted right now

ONE TOKE OVER THE LINE
Brewer & Shipley

One toke over the line sweet Jesus
One toke over the line
Sittin’ downtown in a railway station
One toke over the line

Awaitin’ for the train that goes home, sweet Mary
Hopin’ that the train is on time
Sittin’ downtown in a railway station
One toke over the line

Whoooo do you love, I hope it’s me
I’ve bin a changin’, as you can plainly see
I felt the joy and I learned about the pain
that my momma said
If I should choose to make a part of me,
surely strike me dead
Now I’m one toke over the line sweet Jesus
One toke over the line
Sittin’ downtown in a railway station
One toke over the line
I’m waitin’ for the train that goes home sweet Mary
Hopin’ that the train is on time
Sittin’ downtown in a railway station
One toke over the line

I bin away a country mile,
Now I’m returnin’ showin’ off a smile
I met all the girls and loved myself a few
Ended by surprise like everything else I’ve been through
It opened up my eyes and now I’m
One toke over the line sweet Jesus
One toke over the line
Sittin’ downtown in a railway station
Don’t you just know I waitin’
for the train that goes home sweet Mary
Hopin’ that the train is on time
Sittin’ downtown in a railway station
One toke over the line

Don’t you just know I waitin’
for the train that goes home sweet Mary
Hopin’ that the train is on time
Sittin’ downtown in a railway station
One toke over the line

I want to be
One toke over the line sweet Jesus
One toke over the line
Sittin’ downtown in a railway station
One toke over the line
Don’t you just know I waitin’
for the train that goes home sweet Mary
Hopin’ that the train is on time
Sittin’ downtown in a railway station
One toke over the line
Sittin’ downtown in a railway station
One toke over line
One toke, one toke over the line

More craziness in part one (of five parts) of this sermon

What a beautiful video