Israeli Politics and the Coronavirus 

It is most amazing to note that Israel is in the midst of its third political stalemate after inconclusive elections.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party, Likud, is already talking about another election!  At the same time, Israel has embraced the most severe restrictions of any country to try to manage the threat of the virus.  The planes are not flying, and the schools will now be closed. Closing the schools will be a terrible trial for working parents!  There are to be no meetings of over 100 people.  The hotels are mostly empty. Israel’s tourism industry is suspended.  The economic consequences are terrible.  All this is happening at the same time as the United States is holding its presidential primaries.  History may note them as the virus primaries. The United States itself is embracing greater and greater restrictions.  Even the National Basketball League has suspended games!!

What is God up to in allowing this terrible situation worldwide? Could revival follow?  Some are praying for this.

It seems amazing that in the midst of such a plague that Israel is in political limbo.  We really need to see our helplessness and our need for God, for we cannot even form a government.  It is not only that the vote failed to put either the Likud or the Blue and White, the two largest parties over the top.  A government could be formed but for the rigid positions taken by some politicians, an amazing stubbornness.  My two favorite Israeli English language newspapers, the Jerusalem Post and the Times of Israel are in agreement, and I agree with them. Just where are the points of stubbornness?

  1. Benjamin Netanyahu (Bibi) bears responsibility by insisting on remaining the head of his party though under indictment.  The trial procedures begin on March 17th.  There are several things that could be negotiated.  Blue and White would be in a unity government with Likud if not led by Bibi due to the indictment.  They say they will not be in a government led by him due to the indictment. Several solutions could be found.  Likud could choose a new leader and even say that after his trial, if found innocent, Bibi could return to leadership through a new party vote.  Likud could commit to this.
  2. Benjamin Netanyahu insists that all his right-wing partners be included in any government.  This is a non-starter.  This right wing includes the Ultra-Orthodox who have a stranglehold over the government.  I have written many times on how their welfare state within the state is bleeding the government.  They also say that they will not be in a government with Blue and White.  My view on this?  Good.  Let there be a unity government without them.  This would be very helpful.
  3. There are two Blue and White Party members and one Labor-Gesher member who will not allow a government to form through the votes of the Joint List Arab party because the Arabs are not Zionists but want a bi-national state.  This seems really foolish on the part of these three members, since after the vote, Bibi will be gone and there could be a unity government. At any rate, the Joint List will not be part of the government but only give the vote to end Bibi’s reign.  All they are asking is parity in government services spending.  Indeed, this coalition could pass a law that a person under indictment could not serve. 
  4. Blue and White could change their position and accept Bibi in a rotation for Prime Minister with Benny Gantz due to the very bad situation of not being able to form a government and to avoid a fourth election.  It seems dire enough to defend such a change.  They could promise pardon to him for allowing General Gantz of Blue and White to lead the government in the first rotation.  Bibi can lead again if found innocent.  For this to happen, Bibi has to let the Ultra-Orthodox go.  Shas cannot control the interior department.  There has to be a cut in welfare for men to study Talmud and Rabbinic arguments all day! 
  5. The Joint List, including Balad, the more anti-Israel faction, could vote to form the government with Blue and White and accept that only some of their demand can be met since the budget will cannot immediately provide all their demands.  The government can take significant steps. How about a cut in Ultra-Orthodox welfare to finance classrooms, roads, police and hospitals in the Arab areas!  Balad refuses to support a government and has an all or nothing stand.    

There are many possible solutions, but so many are being stubborn.  It is amazing!  And some speak of a fourth election which again would likely be inconsequential. Can Bibi stay in power by having elections forever?    

Meanwhile, the country is in turmoil not only in politically but with the virus.  What a time for us to pray, exercise faith, heal the sick and share the Good News!  What a great time for the Spirit to be poured out. 

The Bizarre Israel Political Situation

On the night of the Israel elections, the exit polls and early counting gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party and the other parties that would join his coalition 60 Knesset (Parliament) members.  It looked like he would be able to flip one vote somewhere to gain the 61 votes necessary to form a government.  With these results, we went to sleep that night.  The next morning Bibi had slipped to 59 and then the next day to 58.  These are now the official results.  The certainty that he would form the next government evaporated.  Amazing! 

Now another new and strange twist is taking place.  With the Arab Joint List Party, the opposition has 62 votes.  They will not form a government together since the centrist Blue and White Party will not join with the Arab Party in a government since they are not Zionists.  However, they are now putting forth the idea that they might vote to pass legislation to preclude Benjamin Netanyahu from forming a government.  Blue and White under General Benny Gantz has said they are willing to form a government with Bibi’s Likud Party but not with him as the leader because he has been indicted for bribery, fraud and breach of trust.  They could pass a law stating that an indicted Prime Minister cannot form a government.  If this happens, it could solve the dilemma for many Messianic Jews.  I will explain.

Messianic Jews in Israel are ardent Zionists.  They like the idea of annexing the towns in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank).  They think that Bibi can now do this because the Trump peace plan has been rejected by the Arabs and negotiations are rejected as well.  This opens the door for unilateral annexation.  The right parties are correct that the old two state solution making the ‘67 armistice lines the border is no longer possible.  The Zionist left is not facing reality.  Yes, their rational position of separation and two states is reasonable in that it seeks to keep a large Jewish majority though a separation of populations and the elimination of the many towns except for the larger cities.  They hope that the Palestinian Arabs would accept such a plan but they have proven by the past peace offers that they would.   The Trump plan does this separation but with Israel keeping the West Bank towns and cities.   Some still oppose even the limited state that Trump proposes.  Since the Arabs have rejected the plan some other solution for the West Bank Arabs needs to be found.  Some still wait for them to have citizenship in Jordan and residency in Israel.  This is unlikely in the near future.

Messianic Jews, however, are ambivalent about Bibi for other reasons.  It is that he is fully in bed with the Ultra-Orthodox and especially the Sephardic Shas Party that controls the Interior Department and opposes Messianic Jews.  The Ultra-Orthodox control conversion, weddings and Jewish status issues which makes life very hard for 400,000 Russian Jews who are not accepted as Jewish by Rabbinic law. They make their conversion too hard, and they cannot marry in Israel!  Plus, the Ultra-Orthodox do not serve in the army.  Most of their men do not work.  They receive welfare so they can split hairs on Rabbinic discussions and arguments in the Yeshivas.  This will someday lead to bankrupting the country, and it presently undercuts funds for services and salaries in Israel.

However, if Likud has a new leader who would apply the same policies on the Trump plan and could join with Blue and White, and Liberman’s  Russian Jewish anti-Ultra Orthodox but conservative party, Yisrael Bateinu, then we could see policies that most Messianic Jews would support.   This includes both the issue the Land in Judea and Sumaria, and on the issue of the control of the society by the Ultra-Orthodox.  This is a possibility but not at all certain.

I for one was disappointed by Gantz saying that he supported the Trump plan but would want international support plus support from Jordan and Egypt to implement it.  Well, that would be the end of the plan.  But if Likud leads the next government without Bibi, it could solve the problem.  Bibi’s indictment is not political as he claims.  How do we know this?  Because the indictment comes from his former supporter who did not want to do this, Attorney General Mendelblit.  This Likud conservative did not want to do this, but the evidence forced him into it. Bibi has served his country well, and I believe he would get a pardon from the Knesset if he stepped down before such a law would pass.  This is where things stand this evening.  Amazing! What a saga!

THE THIRD ELECTION

This Monday, March 2st, we will go to the polls to vote for the Parliament (the Knesset) for the third time. Twice we had inconclusive elections, and no coalition could be formed.

Amazingly, after all this, and with his trial set to begin for bribery, it appears that Benjamin Netanyahu is gaining on Benny Gantz and the Blue and White party. It is still my contention that the best government for Israel would be a coalition with Likud and Blue and White. That seems more remote but not impossible. Recent events have been disappointing to me.

First, the leader of the Arab Joint List has made statements that are so extreme that it now may preclude even their support to form a Blue and White government in a parliamentary vote even though they would not be in the government. He has made conditions that require Blue and White to abandon the Gaza defense operations and West Bank anti-terrorist operations. His demands for money for the Arab sector are beyond what Israel can accept (though they deserve much more funding). He has actually empowered Netanyahu.

Another thing that is disappointing is that Benny Gantz has said that he supports the Trump Peace plan but will only move forward on it with international support. If he means more than the U. S., Britain, Brazil, and a few others, then he won’t implement the plan. Bibi is already moving in accord with the United States to apply sovereignty to the areas outlined as being part of Israel in the Trump plan. I think this has lost votes for Gantz and am surprised that the strong conservative, Moshe Yaalon, Bibi’s former defense secretary, did not coach on a better position.

I still believe that we need to have a government where the ultra-Orthodox are less powerful. They are an existential threat to Israel since their population growth in is great, and most of the men do not work and have to be supported by the State. The Ultra-Orthodox Shas Party controls citizenship and precludes important ways forward for some 400,000 Russian Jews and Messianic Jews. The Ultra-Orthodox want to study hair-splitting Talmudic arguments all day and are not productive. This cannot go on, but Bibi’s right-wing government will give them what they want.

We need a lot of prayer. I would like to see a Likud government with Blue and White, may be led by another Likud leader like Gideon Saar. Despite Bibi’s reputation as Mr. Security, I think others in Likud are stronger. In this week’s weekend Jerusalem Post a recent head of the National Security Council in Israel, Uzi Arad, noted as I have said in the past, that Bibi talks strong but acts weak, allowing Hezbollah in Lebanon to re-arm with powerful missiles. He as well not acted strongly enough to deter Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza. I do have a sense that God is involved and his providence will eventually work this out.

A Great Read

Recently I finished a book by Dr. David Berlinski, Professor of Mathematics at Princeton University.  Entitled The Devil’s Delusion, Berlinski shows how atheist scientists constantly go beyond science to claim things that science does not show and indeed sometimes shows the opposite of what is being claimed.  Berlinski says he is not religious, but he shows himself fed up with the ridiculous and incoherent statements of scientists that are mere assertions of an atheistic faith that are based on nothing.  The book is brilliant, and Berlinski shows himself adept at dealing with mathematics, physics, theoretical physics, and biology. The book is similar to recent books especially by one atheist and one former atheist.  The first is by Thomas Nagel who in Mind and Cosmos, argues that the Darwinian theory of evolution in its classical and its revisionist forms (punctuated equilibrium-Gould, and the selfish gene-Dawkins) are incoherent.  It is the preferred myth of atheists. For Nagel, mind in some way that we do not understand, must be inherent in the universe. He counsels us to look for a new theory, though he is trying to stay an atheist.  The famous atheist philosopher of science, Antony Flew, went farther, and after being the dean of atheist thinking concluded on the basis of biological systems that God must exist.  

 

The advantage of Berlinski’s book is that it shows in illustration after illustration how atheist scientists leave the realm of real science for pseudo-science philosophy which not only has no basis but is incoherent, and really is only faith assertions.  He especially shows this on the implications of what is known as the anthropic principle.  In 1974  Brandon Carter gave a famous lecture at Oxford that presented in detail the extraordinary precision of the nature of the universe as so precisely fine-tuned, that it appeared as if it was purposely arranged to support human life.  Many others have written on this, atheists and believers in God. Paul Davies and Michael Denton are two of the best. Atheist scientists, therefore, sought to overcome the implications of the origin of the universe from the big bang (really the original singularity) and the existence of a fine-tuned universe that was impossibly improbable for fr that beginning.  It looks as if it the universe is designed to produce human life. The idea of all this being by chance is no longer credible.  

 

What can the atheists do to counter the overwhelming implication?  They posit a multi-universe, which is multiple universes also called landscape theory.  The totality of the universes, the landscape, is a chance system that is everlasting and throws up every possibility so that even the most impossible will exist.  The theory is total mythology that shows that the atheists are running an alarm from the idea that God might exist. Of course, no one can show form any set of ideas on a material substratum for any universe how time, plus change, plus matter would produce human beings.  The problem is no way solved by the landscape. Berlinski then shows that human life, the mind, values, and even the biology can in no way be explained by physical material concepts.  And indeed, the cell itself cannot be explained by any evolutionary hypothesis. As I noted in my apologetics text, The Biblical World View,  naturalistic evolution is a theory that puts words into an explanatory syntax but which do not really explain at all.

 

Berlinski’s book does have a fine quality of good quips and little statements that show the absurdity of the atheists and bring a smile to one’s face.  

 

Moralityphobia

Recently the facilities in several British cities canceled evangelistic meetings with Franklin Graham because his statements against homosexual practice showed him to be a homophobe.  I have written about this before, but one of the schemes of the left is to change the meaning of words and then to intimidate on the basis of these incendiary words and sentences. In this regard let us analyze the word homophobia or LBBTQ phobia.  The meaning of phobia is often an irrational fear. So aquaphobia is a fear of water, or there is claustrophobia, a fear of closed small spaces, or fear of spiders, heights and even crossing bridges over water. So how might believers in the Bible be homophobes?

 

  1. Do they fear that homosexuals will convince them to become homosexuals?
  2. Do they fear that homosexuals will attack and rape them?
  3. Do they fear that homosexuals will sexually abuse their children?  Some do fear this. There are both heterosexual and homosexual pedofiles. 
  4. Do they fear homosexuals will come after them and kill them?
  5. Do they fear that the agenda will hurt the institutions of marriage and family and damage many people?  Yes, I think some fear that. 

 

The term is really an incoherent misnomer.   Those who use cannot claim that believers want to take away their civil rights for work, services, and accommodations. That time is long past. Maybe the real issue is not that we fear homosexuals but that believes fear for homosexuals and the LGBTQ community, including fearing for them on the dangers of  God’s judgment, the tragic results of sex-change surgery and hormonal therapy (well documented).  We especially fear for children who are being raised with hormones and sex change encouragement. 

 

Isn’t it really that the homosexuals and LGBTQ community fear traditional morality and communities that promote it and any idea of the judgment of God for sexual aberrations?  But we have so far lost the language battle becasue the word homophobia has been given great social power.  I propose that believers fight back and use the term morality-phobia for those in our society who fear and hate those who promote traditional morality and warn about God’s judgment. 

 

Let’s start using this term.  When accused, say, “No I am not” or  “No we are not?” You are the one with a phobia, morality-phobia.  Maybe in the back of their mind, they know it is wrong and they fear the judgment of God.  They don’t want to be reminded. 

The Superbowl, the Sexual Culture and the #MeToo movement

A contingent of men and one woman gathered in Jerusalem to watch the Superbowl on Monday Morning Israel time.  We make a pledge that all who come to watch with us, do not look at the score and be with us for the suspense. As the time difference in Miami is 7 hours later, we would have to be up most of the night to see it live.  We had a lovely large screen to see it together. We had a wonderful time and saw a wonderful game. We keep a home in Kansas City so I was pleased with the results. 

 

We also saw some of the advertisements for the half time show and decided that we would completely skip it.  So the game resumed. Then we saw the responses on the internet that parents were upset with the sexual display, pole dancing, and scant dress.  But what did we expect? This has been going on for years. Then Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson and the wardrobe malfunction. Some think it was intentional.  There has been much sexuality and sexuality attracts an audience. It was so sad that our children are being taught sexuality in this way.  

 

One puzzlement is how this fits the #MeToo movement.  This movement stands against the sexual harassment of women.  While the sensual culture is not an excuse for men, the sexual messages do create a culture where men are more likely to be abusive.  Studies on the influence of pornography show this to be the case as well. Why don’t women stand against their being portrayed as sexual objects?  The culture is now self-contradictory. It is so sad to see sexuality debased, demeaning women, and robbing us of the great gift of love and sexual fidelity in marriage.  We maintain a high view and value for human sexuality.  

 

We ask the question of how we can ever see a reversal in the culture, leftist in political orientation for the young and hedonistic as a right for everyone.  I recommend the great book on this by the late jurist Robert Bork, Slouching Toward Gomorrah.  I believe in our responsibility to influence society.  However, it is difficult to see how this will happen in the long haul without a massive revival and an evangelistic explosion followed by a discipleship that does teach the importance of our culture formation roles.  We pray for that revival. The destruction and suffering in our culture is a terrible thing.

 

Save Your Children from the Internet

Large studies have been done showing the terrible damage done to our children from the Internet.  I will not reference them here. Anyone can find them from a search engine. Some of the leaders in Hi-Tech are now forbidding their children and teens from unsupervised internet use and strictly limiting the time.   There are two primary concerns. 

 

The first is that the use of the Internet is addicting.  This addiction actually alters the brain and limits the ability for normal human interactions.  In this, it undercuts the ability for human intimacy. It also hinders the attention span for normal reading instead of quick snippets.  As such it undercuts the development of the ability to weigh evidence and come to the truth on many subjects. The evidence of destructive brain alteration is now quite strong.  The children become merely conditioned organisms.  

 

The second reason is pornography.  This also alters the brain and eventually makes true sexual intimacy impossible.  Pornography works like heroin in this alteration. Since pornography is only a click away, most teens have or will access it; and many pre-teen children have accessed it as well.  This is a far distance from my days in high school. A rare classmate would bring a black and white pornographic story with black and white pictures of intercourse. The cost was $10, a lot in those days.  You could hardly see the black and white pictures but strained to see what they contained. Playboy pictures were bad, but not nearly so graphic.  

 

How does this affect the children of disciples of Yeshua?   There are several alarming effects. One is that it terribly dulls spiritual sensitivity.  There is a loss of a desire for the truth or an ability to worship. The world is the internet and truth beyond it becomes irrelevant.  Secondly, in some, there is a loss of interest in life. Gaining greater depth and appreciation of life through reading, art, great music, sports is abandoned.  There is a decline in interest in general. In addition, the internet teaches our children to accept every bizarre approach to life, every kind of sexual orientation.  The young person becomes disinterested so much of what gives joy to life. Sadly, the children of Yeshua/disciples are accessing pornography as well. 

 

I plea for parents to take these radical steps. 

 

  1. Either preclude all use of the internet or strictly limit it to times when you are there with the child.  Make these times very limited if at all. Be especially careful that your children do not sneak and use your devices. 
  2. If you buy your child a phone, buy one that has no internet access. 
  3. If your children go to friends’ homes, only allow it if the parents will enforce your internet standards. 
  4. Require your children to read books and continue this into teen years until they are drawn to reading.  This will replace internet entertainment. Require them to report on them. Great stories, including biographies of great people including spiritual leaders, is key.  Make a goal that your children will be readers. 
  5. Do not let them play video games beyond strict limits. 
  6. Take your children to hear great music, great musicals and more.  Explain these art forms so they grow in appreciation.
  7. Have your children take music lessons and learn to play one or more instruments. 
  8. Have your children participate in team sports.  Relationships and comradery are great teachers. Learning the joy of victory and graciousness in defeat are great lessons.  We call this sportsmanship. 
  9. Take them to see sporting events and explain why sports are a great thing.   
  10. Read the Bible together regularly.   Have the children read. Read spiritual books together. 
  11. Play old fashioned board games as a family where you interact together. 
  12. Take hikes, camping trips and more to enjoy nature. Teach your children the wonders of nature, plants, animals, mountains, lakes, and seashores.  Learn to use plant classification guides and bird guides.
  13. Of course, I assume that you are limiting your internet use to fruitful purposes. 

 

If you have already lost your children to the internet, there is hope through prayer and the breaking through of the Holy Spirit.  Take your children to meetings where there are miracles and the manifest presence of the Spirit so they can break the habit. This is the key. Seeing them born again and baptized in the Spirit can bring deliverance.  It is never too late. Don’t give up. Pray, pray and pray some more. Fast and pray. You are fasting and praying for their deliverance.  

 

If you have younger children, you can begin the disciplines above, some of which are greatly enjoyable when they acquire the taste.  Actually the internet robs children from the joys of living. If you have seen the negative evidence in your older children, do not go down the same route that you allowed to your older children. Don’t allow the excuse that there is nothing to do. There is much to do in all the things I listed above. 

Lying Narratives

My previous post on Narratives did not get my usual response.  My media team thought that maybe it was too intellectual.  I am a university Apologetics professor and do gravitate to such analysis.  But I want to simplify.

 

One of the great ways that the Devil destroys is to get people to accept interpretive narratives that will lead to social breakdown and the personal destruction of those that buy into them.   We have many such narratives today. Through media, they gain traction in ways beyond any other past age. It is an age of shallow interpretive narratives, not based on the evidence, and fostered by propaganda. 

 

  1. That the problems of the world are due to white males.  White males are more evil than other people. Believing this will set racial and cultural groups against one another.  All people are equally evil and need redemption. Some white Europeans were for a time dominant in the world, but the same white Europeans who were influenced by the Bible brought us all progress on the foundational ideas and implementation of human rights.  Today’s toxic masculinity narrative is a corollary. All people are sinners, potential toxic unless discipled through the Bible. 
  2. That the primary problem in the Black community is police discrimination, shaming and brutality.  Believing this will impede progress in solving the biggest problems; the breakdown of the black family, the bankruptcy of Black schools (private schools and charters are needed) and black on black crime which requires massive policing.  As the police now withdraw, more blacks are killed and the Devil loves it. 
  3. That the reason for poverty is the capitalist system and the greedy business people ripping off the poor.  Yes, crony capitalism, where some large corporations are unfairly dominating the market, is a problem. But only free enterprise creates the wealth that lifts millions out of poverty.  Incentives for business investment is one of the most important programs to address poverty. 
  4. That Israel occupies Palestinian Land and is the oppressor, creating an apartheid state.  Israel is a white colonial power. However, there was never a Palestinian state. The reason there is not one is that the Palestinians refused a state three times when offered in preference to keep the fight against the existence of Israel (1948, 2000, 2006).  
  5. That Christianity is the white man’s religion that brought oppression.  Not so, it is the liberating religion that delivers from bondage. 

 

These narratives are shallow, not based on looking at all the evidence and supported by massive propaganda through media.  Only immersion in the Bible which brings us a Biblical world view and the power of discerning by the Spirit can give us an orientation so we do not succumb to these false narratives.  There may be some aspects of truth in them, but they are generally inspired by the realm of the demonic whose goal is always destruction. The Bible is God’s ultimate narrative about existence and human life. 

Narratives

We live in a time of many narratives about many aspects of life.  The very word narrative, as the story or description that is how we see reality in various realms, has become ubiquitous.  Fifty years ago, we hardly ever heard the term narrative except in literature. Postmodern Philosophy constantly tells us that there is no true meta-narrative.  What does that mean? It means there is no ultimately true story or view of the nature of existence or no ultimately true world view. Of course, that is just their assertion.  Do those who assert this conclude this after rigorous searching and comparing world views and taking into account all the relevant evidence to come to this conclusion? Maybe some think they did so, but I think most just are asserting this position.  It is their preference. I have yet known of a post-modernist who has really sorted the evidence for the Biblical world view. There is the evidence of design that follows from the details of the forces of the universe stemming from the big bang. There is the amazing integrated complex order of a cell that is as complex as New York City.  Then there is the evidence from the Biblical material itself. For example, the credibility of the accounts of Luke in the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts are amazing. The day of Pentecost itself amazes. So does the testimony in I Cor. 15 on the resurrection of Yeshua. The evidence of continuing miracles today done in the name of Yeshua (Jesus) should astonish and cause wonder.  Craig Keener’s massive two-volume scholarly study is only a small sample! This is dishonesty and shallowness in the postmodern assertion.   

 

Meta Narratives provide the organizational key to tying together all the various aspects of existence.  The Biblical world view is the true truth narrative.  Without it, we are adrift on a sea of subjective assertions.  Commitment to the truths of the Bible should make us careful about quickly buying into the shifting narratives of our day, many based on subjective prejudice.   Here are a few. The narrative that the problems of the world all are rooted in the evil of white people from Europe who spread colonialism and oppressed non-white peoples in slavery and massacred the native Americans and stole their land is now constantly asserted by the radical left.  There is a degree of truth in this narrative, but it fails to deal with the fallenness of human nature and the universal reality of power and abuse. Did the Mongol invaders colonize nations and oppress and abuse? Did the dominant Chinese and Indians tribes slaughter whole villages in their conquering and wipe out their enemies?  How did China become an empire? Did some African tribes slaughter and oppress other tribes? Did some native Americans do the same? The Biblical world view has been the greatest influence in overcoming this corruption. This narrative leads to many other skewed conclusions. Should the founding fathers of the United States be totally rejected because the Virginia founders held slaves?  Is that the end of the story? Did they make human rights progress that was an advancement in the era in which they lived? Who were the people who eliminated slavery after fighting against it tooth and nail? It was mostly white English people. It was their understanding of the Bible that motivated them. And we can go on and on. People will oppress others for their advantage when they have the power or capability to do so and only biblical transformation can mitigate against it. 

 

Then there is the black lives matter movement.  Yes, blacks are often not treated fairly by white policemen. But in this narrative, the idea is that the biggest problem of the loss of life in the black community is from the police.  There is little loss of black lives from the police. This is not a true narrative. Rather, creating a barrier between police and the black community will lead to a much greater loss of life.  The drug gangs and the slaughters from this can only be addressed in part by a police presence that is far beyond what is yet contemplated. Just after the assassination of the Iranian terrorist Qasem Soleimani, Colin Kaepernick made the statement that America only kills non-white people.  I think he is not becoming absurd in his comments. The last world wars saw white against white and yellow against yellow in the East. But his comments arise out of being captured by the last two narratives we mentioned. 

The narrative about toxic men and the new despising of men by some feminists is another case in point.  A biblical world view would tell us that men and women can be evil, both can be toxic. Unless men and women are discipled in biblical values, there will be a social decline on many levels.  Who was that woman who procured the young women for the infamous sex fiend Jeffrey Epstein?  Oh? A toxic woman? When men are trained in biblical values they honor and treasure women and treat them with special regard. The men in my family did so. 

 

Then there is the narrative about capitalism being only about greed and unfair wealth distribution.  Of course, crony capitalism where the government favors some corporations and does not incentives investments that lift the general population are a problem.  However, socialism just does not expand wealth and life people of poverty. This has been proven again and again. This does not mean that there should not be social safety net programs.  Again, there is a narrative that is not based on evidence but on emotional preferences. 

 

Then there are sexual narratives about homosexuals, bi-sexual and transsexual people.   Generalizations are plentiful. These narratives have some truth in that people were not treated in loving ways as created in the image of God, but the interpretations of sexuality are subjective narratives. 

 

We even see simplistic narratives about war.   Removing the Baathist rulers in Iraq (though Saddam had to go) was a great mistake.  Some, including myself, predicted an Iranian controlled Shiite Iraq. Yet the narrative is pervasive that George Bush lied about weapons of mass destruction and that that the reason for the war was oil.  Bush did not lie, but the Clinton appointed head of the CIA told him it was certain they were there and that it was a “slam dunk.”  

 

Then there are simplistic narratives on global warming and the environment.  The folks pushing these narratives will not face the fact that the U. S. has lowered its emissions more than European nations.  They will not face the issue of China, India and how Africa will develop without fossil fuel. It is a prejudice against the old white countries which must be the problem!

 

Simplistic narratives now define our American and our Israel political discourse. In America, the narrative about President Trump from the left is simply a gross oversimplification though there are grounds for concern.  In Israel, Netanyahu lies and calls the Blue and White party leftist. They are probably right of center. But that is now the narrative among some of the right in Israel. 

 

How do we deliver ourselves from being corrupted by the narratives that swirl about and constantly bombard us on the internet?  Narratives that are exaggerations and so out of balance Here are my recommendations. 

 

  1.  Be immersed in the Word of God and see all of life through biblical rooting.
  2.  Note that all people are corrupt.  They need to be saved. As such, when the going gets tough, many will do evil to save themselves.  Witness Hitler’s power in the Holocaust. Don’t ever conclude that one group is good and another bad or that all the oppressed are good (identity politics and intersectionality).   All have sinned, are corrupt and need salvation.    
  3. Be skeptical about all sub-meta-narratives that do not square with biblical perspectives on human life. 
  4. Prayerfully seek the Holy Spirit.  He can alert you to know that something is wrong with a narrative. 
  5. Pursue competing narratives and compare their basis in research and evidence.  
  6. For any issue pursue the standard of comprehensiveness; taking into account all the relevant information about the issues at hand. 
  7. Recognize that we are limited and it is fine to say that you do not know and have not studied the issue sufficiently.  You are only responsible to pursue knowledge in areas as led by the Spirit. 

 

Intimidation from Radical Movements   

I was reflecting three events and in doing so I see a connection.  The first was the recent decision of Chick Fil A to not donate to the Salvation Army, which is perhaps the greatest humanitarian organization in America.  The second was Hallmark reversing its decision to not advertise gay and lesbian displays of affection in ads. They also committed to work with the LGBT organizations to increase LGBT positive programming.  The final matter was a smaller issue, but this was an animal rights protest against the supermodel Kate Upton for promoting the company Canada Goose which uses goose down in their products and also uses Cayote fur.  They called her a murderer for this. Animal rights activists wrongly elevate animals to a status equal or almost equal to human beings, though animals are important and the Bible does give guidelines on animal treatment.  Using animals for food and fur is acceptable in Biblical law. I don’t know what will happen in the future, but if it continues Upton might give in. I would not be surprised. The activists might very well dog her every event.  They will take away her freedom to support legal products. 

 

Some Christians are despairing.  They committed to support Chick Fil A after the leftist LGBT attacks on them.  The came out in droves to Chick Fil A. They saw Hallmark as one channel where they did not have to face an assault on their belief system.  Certainly, the number of Christians who are offended is much greater than the radical protestors. So why do these corporations, one a business and one a charity, give in?  It is because of the intimidation tactics that were developed by Saul Alinsky in Rules for Radicals.  But Alinsky used these tactics to give power to the truly poor and disposed, not for breaking down the Judeo-Christian consensus of society.  Alinsky thought that the Judeo Christian consensus gave the society the conscience by which organized efforts could succeed. Now the radical protest is to marginalize and demonize all who don’t agree with the radical agendas that seek to destroy the Judeo Christian orientation.   The reason they win is that the corporations make a pragmatic money calculation. They want these protests to go away. They think in the long run that Christians will eventually get over it. They do not intimidate. What will they do; leave their Chick Fil A restaurants and go to McDonalds or Berger King instead?  So the calculation is that it is better to give in for the long term bottom line. The smaller groups of leftists seem to be winning battle after battle in the corporate sphere against those supporting classical Judeo Christian values. The freedom of Christians is also being attacked and in some jeopardy. We note that the cake baker who did not want to use his artistic talent to support a homosexual wedding.  The battle continues to this day. 

 

We are to depend on prayer.  Yes, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.  But note that in this famous text in II Cor. 10:4 passage, Paul described the public presentation of the truth, not just silent prayer in a closet.  Christians are quiescent compared to the radicals. Sometimes I think, what if Christians organized and intimidated corporations for refusing to support moral organizations like the Salvation Army?  What if there was a demand for greater fairness? What if they really showed up in mass at Hallmark’s offices and would not go away? What if they acted like Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel who protest in huge numbers when they think they see their rights threatened? I wonder.  But this will only happen where there is stronger leadership, prophetic leadership. Yeshua was not only the meek and mild one, but the one who turned over the tables of the money changers and was accused of being a revolutionary. It was a false charge, but one that was based on some behaviors that were pretty intimidating.  I think that God could raise prophets to lead us to engage culture at a whole different level. He could bring revival as well. I don’t have the answers, but things are doing downhill in the culture and fast. Remember it was only a few years ago that President Obama said he did not support homosexual marriage. Today that stand is dubbed hatred.