Trump Should Be Removed from Office

It’s time to say what we said 20 years ago when a president’s character was revealed for what it was.

In our founding documents, Billy Graham explains that Christianity Today will help evangelical Christians interpret the news in a manner that reflects their faith. The impeachment of Donald Trump is a significant event in the story of our republic. It requires comment.

The typical CT approach is to stay above the fray and allow Christians with different political convictions to make their arguments in the public square, to encourage all to pursue justice according to their convictions and treat their political opposition as charitably as possible. We want CT to be a place that welcomes Christians from across the political spectrum, and reminds everyone that politics is not the end and purpose of our being. We take pride in the fact, for instance, that politics does not dominate our homepage.

That said, we do feel it necessary from time to time to make our own opinions on political matters clear—always, as Graham encouraged us, doing so with both conviction and love. We love and pray for our president, as we love and pray for leaders (as well as ordinary citizens) on both sides of the political aisle.

Let’s grant this to the president: The Democrats have had it out for him from day one, and therefore nearly everything they do is under a cloud of partisan suspicion. This has led many to suspect not only motives but facts in these recent impeachment hearings. And, no, Mr. Trump did not have a serious opportunity to offer his side of the story in the House hearings on impeachment.

But the facts in this instance are unambiguous: The president of the United States attempted to use his political power to coerce a foreign leader to harass and discredit one of the president’s political opponents. That is not only a violation of the Constitution; more importantly, it is profoundly immoral.

The reason many are not shocked about this is that this president has dumbed down the idea of morality in his administration. He has hired and fired a number of people who are now convicted criminals. He himself has admitted to immoral actions in business and his relationship with women, about which he remains proud. His Twitter feed alone—with its habitual string of mischaracterizations, lies, and slanders—is a near-perfect example of a human being who is morally lost and confused.

Trump’s evangelical supporters have pointed to his Supreme Court nominees, his defense of religious liberty, and his stewardship of the economy, among other things, as achievements that justify their support of the president. We believe the impeachment hearings have made it absolutely clear, in a way the Mueller investigation did not, that President Trump has abused his authority for personal gain and betrayed his constitutional oath. The impeachment hearings have illuminated the president’s moral deficiencies for all to see. This damages the institution of the presidency damages the reputation of our country and damages both the spirit and the future of our people. None of the president’s positives can balance the moral and political danger we face under a leader of such grossly immoral character.

This concern for the character of our national leader is not new in CT. In 1998, we wrote this:

The President's failure to tell the truth—even when cornered—rips at the fabric of the nation. This is not a private affair. For above all, social intercourse is built on a presumption of trust: trust that the milk your grocer sells you is wholesome and pure; trust that the money you put in your bank can be taken out of the bank; trust that your babysitter, firefighters, clergy, and ambulance drivers will all do their best. And while politicians are notorious for breaking campaign promises, while in office they have a fundamental obligation to uphold our trust in them and to live by the law.

And this:

Unsavory dealings and immoral acts by the President and those close to him have rendered this administration morally unable to lead.

Unfortunately, the words that we applied to Mr. Clinton 20 years ago apply almost perfectly to our current president. Whether Mr. Trump should be removed from office by the Senate or by popular vote next election—that is a matter of prudential judgment. That he should be removed, we believe, is not a matter of partisan loyalties but loyalty to the Creator of the Ten Commandments.

To the many evangelicals who continue to support Mr. Trump in spite of his blackened moral record, we might say this: Remember who you are and whom you serve. Consider how your justification of Mr. Trump influences your witness to your Lord and Savior. Consider what an unbelieving world will say if you continue to brush off Mr. Trump’s immoral words and behavior in the cause of political expediency. If we don’t reverse course now, will anyone take anything we say about justice and righteousness with any seriousness for decades to come? Can we say with a straight face that abortion is a great evil that cannot be tolerated and, with the same straight face, say that the bent and broken character of our nation’s leader doesn’t really matter in the end?

We have reserved judgment on Mr. Trump for years now. Some have criticized us for our reserve. But when it comes to condemning the behavior of another, patient charity must come first. So we have done our best to give evangelical Trump supporters their due, to try to understand their point of view, to see the prudential nature of so many political decisions they have made regarding Mr. Trump. To use an old cliché, it’s time to call a spade a spade, to say that no matter how many hands we win in this political poker game, we are playing with a stacked deck of gross immorality and ethical incompetence. And just when we think it’s time to push all our chips to the center of the table, that’s when the whole game will come crashing down. It will crash down on the reputation of evangelical religion and on the world’s understanding of the gospel. And it will come crashing down on a nation of men and women whose welfare is also our concern.


Mark Galli is editor in chief of Christianity Today.

Source Link: Christianity Today

Should Christmas Trees Be Decorated With the Star of David?

A Norwegian church is under fire for using the Jewish symbol, but some are coming to its defense

A church in Norway is under fire by local authorities for using the Star of David as part of its public Christmas decorations, which raises the question, why use Jewish symbols in association with a Christian holiday?

Despite the fact that it is apparently common in Northern Europe to associate the Star of David (in Hebrew the Magen David) with Christmas, Irene Heng Lauvsnes, mayor of the Norwegian town of Strand, asked the same question of the Klippen Pentecostal Church, which uses the Jewish symbol prominently in its annual Christmas celebration held in a municipal park.

Lauvsnes insisted that the Star of David is a symbol of the Jews and of the State of Israel, and therefore has no place in a Christmas celebration.

Vebjorn Selbekk, editor-in-chief of the Norwegian daily Dagen and Israel Today’s partner in Norway, was bewildered by how grossly Lauvsnes, and modern liberal society as a whole could mix up historical facts.

In an editorial appearing in his own newspaper, Selbekk sought to remind everyone that Christmas is a celebration of “a Jewish boy born to a Jewish mother in a Jewish stable in a Jewish city in a Jewish country.”

As such, Jewish symbolism is very much fitting with the true reason for the season.

Only in an ultra-secular society determined to water down religious commemorations to the point that they become mere cultural phenomena could the Jewish connection to Christmas be missed.



Source Link: Israel Today

When Evangelicals Make Jesus Look Scary to Jews

This can’t be what Paul meant when he told Gentiles to provoke the Jews to jealousy

Popular Evangelical pastor and broadcaster Rick Wiles recently alleged on an airing of his “TruNews” program that the impeachment efforts against President Donald Trump are an attempt by Jews to “take over America.”

These kinds of antisemitic conspiracies are not new for the well-known Evangelical broadcaster, but in his most recent spew, he has outdone even his nasty self.

The title of the broadcast is a dead giveaway: “Jew Coup: Seditious Jews Orchestrating Trump Impeachment Lynching.” In the hour-long tirade of crap that comes out of the mouth of this pastor, he explains to his vulnerable listeners: “That’s the way the Jews work, they are deceivers, they plot, they lie, they do whatever they have to do to accomplish their political agenda.”

Wiles (better “Wily”) goes on to warn his large Christian following that “People are going to be forced, possibly by this Christmas, to take a stand because of this Jew coup in the United States. This is a coup led by Jews to overthrow the constitutionally elected president of the United States and it’s beyond removing Donald Trump, it’s removing you and me (US Christians). That’s what’s at the heart of it.”

I hesitate to go on, but we need to be aware of the kind of hatred being promoted by these Evangelical leaders. “You have been taken over by a Jewish cabal,” he warns. “The church of Jesus Christ, you’re next. Get it through your head! They’re coming for you. There will be a purge. That’s the next thing that happens when Jews take over a country, they kill millions of Christians.”

I won’t continue. You get the idea. If you think this is an exaggeration, you can see for yourself below.

Every Christian and Jew should be concerned by these dangerous and vicious attacks on the Jewish people which gain a lot of traction in the world of lies, scandals, and hatred promoted over the Internet.

All of this, of course, reflects on Jesus, and you can only imagine what the Jewish people think when an Evangelical regurgitates such venom. O wait, no need to imagine, here is a response from The Yeshiva World, the “most widely read Ultra-Orthodox” Jewish website. Half-way down the page, you can watch a 2-minute summary of the Wiles rant, but I warn you, coat your stomach with Maalox before you do.


Source Link: First published by Israel Today

A way to make memories last forever

Memorial Cards- A way to make memories last forever

Memorial Cards

It is hard to lose a loved one but it has to be accepted that no one stays forever. Only memories can last forever and through memories, we can keep a connection with our past loved ones. When someone passes, It can be hard to let go of the person and the grief as well. The best way to heal and remember them can be through a memorial.

A memorial gives a measure of comfort and it is a way for all the loved ones to cherish the memory of the deceased. In order to make it more special, memorial cards can be a great idea. People will always remember the one who is gone every time they look at the card.
How important are these memorial cards?

Memorial cards are also known as funeral cards and prayer cards. You can customize them any way you wish. They are available in plastic, paper, wood, steel, etc. They usually contain a photo of the deceased with the name, date of birth as well as death and any poem, quote or a few lines which the deceased liked.

Here are a few reasons which will make you think as to why you should choose a memorial card:-

1. As you want the card to reflect the personality of the deceased, you can get it designed in the way which will remind the attendees of the deceased for a lifetime. After all, this is the purpose of the cards.

2. Everyone at a point of time in their lives may want that one who is gone to guide them or help them. A few inspiring words by the deceased printed on the memorial card may act as a guiding path for the close ones in the time of need. You never know what magic a few words can do.

3. The fast life around is squeezing the life out of everyone. The importance of life is forgotten in order to keep up with the pace of society. A memorial card can work as a reminder for everyone that no one is going to live forever. It is the present which demands to be enjoyed. A memorial card can motivate the close ones to create memories that will remain in this world after them, the good they can do to the society which will make them immortal in the form of memories.

   Life is a journey towards death, as they say. In this journey, it is important to create memories and to keep the memories of those who are gone. A little effort on your part, of handing over the memorial card, will keep your loved one alive in the form of memories.

Trailer for 'Breakthrough' Breaks Records with 40 Million Views in One Week

'It's a Testament to God's Power'

'Breakthrough'  is based on the inspirational true story of one mother’s unfaltering love in the face of impossible odds 20th Century Fox

The trailer for the forthcoming faith-based film "Breakthrough" broke records with a staggering 40 million views in one week, highlighting God's power, producer DeVon Franklin has said.

Starring Chrissy Metz of This Is Us, "Breakthrough" tells the real-life story of Joyce and John Smith.

When John, Joyce's adopted son, falls through the ice into the freezing waters of a Missouri lake, it seems that all hope is lost. As John lay without any signs of life in excess of an hour, his mother began to fervently pray for any miracle. Miraculously, John's heart starts to beat again, astounding everyone present and defying every scientific prediction. Mere days after the accident, John walked away from the hospital, fully healed.

Franklin, a bestselling author, pastor, and President/CEO of Franklin Entertainment, told The Gospel Herald that within days of its release, the trailer for "Breakthrough" garnered a staggering 40 million views, making it the most successful trailer launch of a faith-based film ever.

"It's unprecedented," Franklin said. "It's just a testament to God's power and proof that people are hungry for hope and inspiration. Beyond a great story, this film is a great entertainment experience that everyone will enjoy."

Franklin told GH he signed on to produce "Breakthrough" after hearing Smith's story while promoting his previous film, "Miracles from Heaven." He was drawn to the story because it's a "love letter to the power of prayer and the power of community."

"Before the accident, John always struggled with his identity," he shared. "It really reaffirmed for him that he is loved by God, he does have a place in this world, and that God does have a plan for his life."

The theme of identity is woven throughout the film, Franklin said, and is evident not just in John's life, but Joyce's, too.

"Joyce is incredibly headstrong and a force of nature, but she also has to come to a moment where she has to really go deep inside herself to figure out who she really is," he explained. "There's a moment in the film which I won't ruin where she goes before God with questions related to her identity. It's truly one of the most powerful moments in the film."

The film also drives home the importance of choosing faith over fear, Franklin said, adding: "This true story is striking a really strong chord with people because they want hope and inspiration, and they also want to be reminded that God is still in the miracle-working business."

And while the Smith family's story is rooted in faith, it resonates with both Christian and secular audiences. Franklin told GH that at an advanced screening for the film, one viewer who doesn't profess any particular faith "cried all the way through the film."

"They said it was the most moving film they'd ever seen, even though they weren't a Christian," Franklin shared. "The reason it resonates with everyone is simply that it's a great story. At the end of the day, we're all human, and we are all God's children."

"This movie really humanizes the struggle of what happens when life hits us unexpectedly, and how do we make it through," he continued. "It's in our toughest moments that we realize that we need others in order to make it through."

NBA superstar Steph Curry serves as an executive producer on the film, marking his first venture into the world of cinema. Franklin told GH that Curry was on board the minute he read the script.

"He was blown away by the story," he shared. "We have an all-star team on this film, between Curry and Rev. Sam Rodriguez, who is also my friend."
"Breakthrough" also stars Marcel Ruiz ("One Day at a Time"), Mike Colter ("Luke Cage"), and Topher Grace ("That 70's Show"). The film is slated to hit movie screens on April 12, 2019.

Watch the trailer below and learn more at Breakthrough Movie

Credit to Gospel herald

Volunteering is a Good Career Activity

Christians volunteer because they are giving people. Volunteering, however, is not only a Christian act of devotion to one’s fellow man but also is a good career activity for the volunteer.

There are many reasons why volunteering helps volunteers not only to secure future jobs but also to thrive in their present jobs. First, let’s talk about future jobs. Volunteer experience can positively impress a potential, future employer. This positive impression can help a resume stand out over other resumes. The volunteer experience also can help the volunteer during job interviews.

There are different reasons for this positive bias during resume reading and during the conduct of job interviews. Employers want to hire people who can get along well with the other employees in their organizations' Such employers might reason that people who volunteer their time and effort are also the type of giving people who can get along well, not only with fellow employees but also with customers. As Erma Bombeck once said, “Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another.”

Good public relations is another reason for such a positive hiring bias. When employees of a company volunteer their time and effort, such volunteer work reflects well on the company that employs them. The public prefers to buy goods or services from companies that they like and trust.

Those who volunteer often feel better about themselves when they follow the Biblical encouragement of 1 Peter 4:10 which reads, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” Volunteering actually helps the volunteer to overcome depression.

There are still more benefits to volunteering. One such benefit is good work references for a resume. It is much easier for a volunteer to get a good reference from a volunteer supervisor than it is for an employee to get a good reference from a work supervisor.

Another advantage of volunteering is the opportunity to increase the network of people who might be helpful in future job searches. Many other volunteers will be working for many other companies that, in the future, might be hiring. Networking is one of the best ways to find a job.

Still another benefit of volunteering is the increased ability to try out new jobs. Instead of acquiring a reputation as a “job hopper,” a volunteer compiles an impressive list of volunteer experiences.
Such volunteer experiences also help volunteers to acquire new and transferable skills while performing their volunteer jobs. Many organizations also will train their volunteers.

Those who are interested in volunteering can search for opportunities by using the internet. There are national databases of volunteer activities that allow searchers to limit their search to their local area.
Volunteer and watch lives improve, including your own.

About the Author
Dan Vale has a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and he has been a career counselor, a director of a career counseling center, a graduate school instructor, and a career consultant. As the Career Examiner for the Examiner Online Newspaper, he published 270 career-related articles over a seven-year period, during which the time he had multiple endorsements and subscribers, and in April 2016 alone, he had over 19,000 page reads. 
You can view his books at his Amazon Author Page.

Church Members Can Help Each Other Get Through Unemployment

Not too long ago, more people had secure jobs than is the case today. More jobs today are part-time, temporary, or contract jobs. Unemployment is more likely today because more people are forced to have many different jobs in a lifetime.

Under these conditions, the ideal scenario is to go from one job immediately to the next job. Unfortunately, that does not always happen, and they're often is a period of unemployment between jobs. Eliminating unemployment or at least keeping it as brief as possible is the obvious goal of most who are, or soon will be unemployed.

Prolonged unemployment can be a family disaster. This is especially true if the only breadwinner is unemployed for an extended period of time. The stress of unemployment eventually can lead to:

• Damaged family relationships when the unemployed person asks to borrow from relatives
• Bankruptcy
• Foreclosed homes
• Repossessed cars
• Depression
• Alcoholism or substance abuse
• Spouse or child abuse
• Divorce
• Suicide

Unfortunately, too many people keep their unemployment status as a shameful secret. This is especially true with men. That is unfortunate, because, in the current era, unemployment often has little to do with the qualifications or character of those who are unemployed. It usually has more to do with a changing national job outlook, and workers are too often only innocent victims.

By networking with their family, friends, neighbors, work associates, social contacts, and fellow church members, these unemployed people are likely to be hired more quickly. Telling everyone about their job seeking status will increase the chances that these job seekers will hear information about job openings.

This article will focus on networking efforts with the unemployed person’s church members. Spiritual brothers and sisters are likely to give an unemployed member of their church their wholehearted networking support.

                                   

These spiritual brothers and sisters have many ways to help their unemployed brother or sister. They probably, for example, are members of many other types of organizations that also can expand a person’s job-seeking network. Some of those in the church also might have their own businesses. 

Thus, they might be able to offer to their unemployed brother or sister a part-time, temporary, or even permanent job. Finally, if the unemployed person’s financial situation is grim, some of these spiritual brothers and sisters might make unsolicited offers to loan them some much-needed money.

                            

If enough members of the church are unemployed, the church also might offer a room and computer equipment for the job seekers’ support group. These support group members can meet on a regular basis to help each other applicants for jobs. What job-seeking expertise one member does not have, another member might have, and vice versa.

During this difficult period, a priest or minister can offer skilled counseling only if the unemployed person does not hide his or her unemployment status. The urge to withdraw into private shame is counterproductive and can start a downward spiral. A willingness to accept the reality of their unemployment and a readiness to accept the available help is part of the adaptive, upward spiral that will get unemployed people past their temporary career setbacks.

In the future, the temporarily unemployed person might find that these roles have been reversed. At a future time, when the formerly unemployed person has a job, some of his or her fellow church members might be unemployed. Then, the now employed person will be in a position to help them in the manner that they helped him or her before. This will give new meaning to Christ’s command, “Do onto others as you would have them do unto you.”

About the Author

Dan Vale has a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and he has been a career counselor, a director of a career counseling center, a graduate school instructor, and a career consultant. As the Career Examiner for the Examiner Online Newspaper, he published 270 career-related articles over a seven-year period, during which the time he had multiple endorsements and subscribers, and in April 2016 alone, he had over 19,000 page reads. You can view his books at his Amazon Author Page.