For many practical purposes, we have been in a world-wide war for decades. Leaving war unofficially declared, keeps folks expectations of an end to it to a low murmur. As in the previous WWs , we living in the US have experienced less of war’s violence than those living in the war zones scattered across the globe. Yet the fear of such violence reaching our shore, neighborhoods & families keeps many of us at various levels of trusting our leaders to defeat those threats before all out warfare hits our shore.
This is a long article, but well worth the read. It explains in detail some of the military, national, and religious goals of ISIS and hints at a strategy to defeat them.
Understanding is often the first step in any problem solving method, so this is useful information, I think.
Right after the attack on the Towers Bush stood up on national TV and told the American people this was not going to be short war.Bush and Obama have made some serious mistakes.. Bush.. invading Iraq and Barry thinking well because I disagree with the war on terror we will just call it quits and everything will be cool with the muslims. Not.
As far as understanding the problem the American intelligence ignorance of what will happen when you invade nations is appalling. I am a lifelong Republican and our nation was so betrayed by leaders who did not know what they are doing. We have created the situation that the world is in.
By the way has anyone noticed how little the rhetoric coming from ISIS has to do with Israel. I have not really researched it but their mantra is really about US, pun intended. The article mentioned above was originally in The Atlantic and does give insight to their apocalyptic fever. It is as ignorant as that which came out of our belly in the 70s. It will prove wrong and they will re-interpret it.
I find myself believing this is a big deal and we are in for a shocking avalanche of blood.
Off topic but Bill O’Reilly wrote a book titled Killing Jesus which is now a film and premiers tomorrow on the National Geographic channel. I’ve heard Bill say some odd things re faith so this will be an interesting film. At least it’s free and rapture free! 🙂
Some say the greatest threat to the Church is compromise. We’re compromising our morality by capitulating on issues like homosexuality or we’re compromising our theology by giving into liberalism.
What would you say is the greatest threat to the Church?
I’ll start…
I have friends that accuse me of cheap grace…insinuating that I’m antinomian. I contend that the problem we face is not cheap grace (people using grace as a license to sin) but it’s actually cheap law (watering down the law to a list of moral principles, instead of what it is, the holy and perfect demands of our righteous God). By doing so we’ve given Christians the idea that now that they’re “saved” by grace, it’s their responsibility to begin keeping the law (which of course is not really the law it’s a weakened moralism that simply modifies behavior) and very subtlety Christians begin viewing their justification by their sanctification. Which is why Christians say things like, “I don’t feel very close to God”, “I’m in a desert place right now”, “I don’t feel like God hears my prayers” , or any number of such statements that reveal we believe this whole thing is really riding on us and our ability to behave properly.
At the heart of this is a failure to distinguish law and gospel, and I believe it’s this blending of law and gospel…turning the law into 3 ways to be a better you, and the gospel into a partnership where God and I work really hard to modify my behavior that is absolutely killing the Church.
Good point Michael…my American myopia is showing through. Although knowing a fair amount of Christians in foreign places, both 1st and 3rd world I would say my hypothesis above fits many iterations of the Church around the globe. But limiting it to the American church gives plenty of room for discussion.
The church in some other places is doing just fine.
My two points of concern would be nationalism that has replaced biblical ethics and values with political ones and a corporate model of church that follows along with our baptism of nationalism.
S and S. Why not view our justification through trusting in the work of the crucified and associate our sanctification with the present work of the Spirit and the risen Jesus.
Christ died to satisfy the just demands of the law for law transgressors and now works through us to fulfill the essence of the law which is love for God and neighbor.
The perfection is His and the participation by faith is mine.
MLD, I was going to snark after reading that article something along the lines of ‘no wonder you are screwed up if that is indicative of Lutheran thought”
Then I see this is the ELCA which you have repeatedly said around here should not even be considered Christians (or something equally as harsh)…
So color me confused….maybe you’re in the wrong church. 🙂
Well I am glad I stopped by here before going to bed.
Steve, let me tell you something I have learned over the years as I have matured as a Christian.
I do not reject truth just because of it’s source. When you learn that, you will be better informed and well rounded. I haven’t read any of the other articles on the guy’s blog and perhaps this is the only time he is right – but right is right.
And then I was going to snark ‘hey spending less time in Fox News and more time in the Bible helps also’ 😉
It’s all yours today…
So who thinks WW III could potentially break out over ISIS?
It only takes a match to start an inferno so I wouldn’t be suprised. Praying for peace but I don’t see that as their objective.
I think between ISIS and Putler, the potential for WWIII is pretty real
For many practical purposes, we have been in a world-wide war for decades. Leaving war unofficially declared, keeps folks expectations of an end to it to a low murmur. As in the previous WWs , we living in the US have experienced less of war’s violence than those living in the war zones scattered across the globe. Yet the fear of such violence reaching our shore, neighborhoods & families keeps many of us at various levels of trusting our leaders to defeat those threats before all out warfare hits our shore.
This is a long article, but well worth the read. It explains in detail some of the military, national, and religious goals of ISIS and hints at a strategy to defeat them.
Understanding is often the first step in any problem solving method, so this is useful information, I think.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/defense/what-isis-really-wants-20150217
Right after the attack on the Towers Bush stood up on national TV and told the American people this was not going to be short war.Bush and Obama have made some serious mistakes.. Bush.. invading Iraq and Barry thinking well because I disagree with the war on terror we will just call it quits and everything will be cool with the muslims. Not.
As far as understanding the problem the American intelligence ignorance of what will happen when you invade nations is appalling. I am a lifelong Republican and our nation was so betrayed by leaders who did not know what they are doing. We have created the situation that the world is in.
By the way has anyone noticed how little the rhetoric coming from ISIS has to do with Israel. I have not really researched it but their mantra is really about US, pun intended. The article mentioned above was originally in The Atlantic and does give insight to their apocalyptic fever. It is as ignorant as that which came out of our belly in the 70s. It will prove wrong and they will re-interpret it.
I find myself believing this is a big deal and we are in for a shocking avalanche of blood.
Off topic but Bill O’Reilly wrote a book titled Killing Jesus which is now a film and premiers tomorrow on the National Geographic channel. I’ve heard Bill say some odd things re faith so this will be an interesting film. At least it’s free and rapture free! 🙂
http://killingjesuspreview.nationalgeographic.com/
Bill O’Reilly is as much an anti Jesus teacher as Rob Bell.
Some say the greatest threat to the Church is compromise. We’re compromising our morality by capitulating on issues like homosexuality or we’re compromising our theology by giving into liberalism.
What would you say is the greatest threat to the Church?
I’ll start…
I have friends that accuse me of cheap grace…insinuating that I’m antinomian. I contend that the problem we face is not cheap grace (people using grace as a license to sin) but it’s actually cheap law (watering down the law to a list of moral principles, instead of what it is, the holy and perfect demands of our righteous God). By doing so we’ve given Christians the idea that now that they’re “saved” by grace, it’s their responsibility to begin keeping the law (which of course is not really the law it’s a weakened moralism that simply modifies behavior) and very subtlety Christians begin viewing their justification by their sanctification. Which is why Christians say things like, “I don’t feel very close to God”, “I’m in a desert place right now”, “I don’t feel like God hears my prayers” , or any number of such statements that reveal we believe this whole thing is really riding on us and our ability to behave properly.
At the heart of this is a failure to distinguish law and gospel, and I believe it’s this blending of law and gospel…turning the law into 3 ways to be a better you, and the gospel into a partnership where God and I work really hard to modify my behavior that is absolutely killing the Church.
“What would you say is the greatest threat to the Church?”
My list is too long…
I also would limit any observation to the American church…
Good point Michael…my American myopia is showing through. Although knowing a fair amount of Christians in foreign places, both 1st and 3rd world I would say my hypothesis above fits many iterations of the Church around the globe. But limiting it to the American church gives plenty of room for discussion.
The church in some other places is doing just fine.
My two points of concern would be nationalism that has replaced biblical ethics and values with political ones and a corporate model of church that follows along with our baptism of nationalism.
Both bury the Gospel.
MLD, I can only go by things I’ve heard him say on air so I’ll check out the movie. We’ll see how the movie pans out.
Saint and Sinner @ #10 – that is exactly what a nice MLD would have said all these years. You struck right to the core.
S and S. Why not view our justification through trusting in the work of the crucified and associate our sanctification with the present work of the Spirit and the risen Jesus.
Christ died to satisfy the just demands of the law for law transgressors and now works through us to fulfill the essence of the law which is love for God and neighbor.
The perfection is His and the participation by faith is mine.
I think this guy has a good handle on ISIS situation, all the hand wringing and how we as Christians should look at it.
http://luthermatrix19.blogspot.com/2015/02/sermon-self-binding-god.html
MLD, I was going to snark after reading that article something along the lines of ‘no wonder you are screwed up if that is indicative of Lutheran thought”
Then I see this is the ELCA which you have repeatedly said around here should not even be considered Christians (or something equally as harsh)…
So color me confused….maybe you’re in the wrong church. 🙂
Well I am glad I stopped by here before going to bed.
Steve, let me tell you something I have learned over the years as I have matured as a Christian.
I do not reject truth just because of it’s source. When you learn that, you will be better informed and well rounded. I haven’t read any of the other articles on the guy’s blog and perhaps this is the only time he is right – but right is right.
And then I was going to snark ‘hey spending less time in Fox News and more time in the Bible helps also’ 😉
MLD
“I have matured as a Christian.”
You’ve matured?
;(
You have to admit MLD always calls them as he sees them. An ace an ace and a spade a spade.
I like his truth explaniation.
My own explaniation of “truth” is that which delineates that which is…