Rob Marus is managing editor and Washington bureau chief for Associated Baptist Press and has written another article attacking Glenn Beck, Conservative Christians, Mormon’s, people who believe in American Exceptionalism, people who believe God works in the affairs of men and nations, and others who do not share Marus’ views. Keep in mind though that Marus has no problem with Muslims building a Mosque at ground zero.
We disagree with Marus. The Ameritianity response is in blue.
Title: "Conservative, moderate Baptist thinkers criticize Glenn Beck rally"
When popular conservative radio and TV personality Glenn Beck called for “revival” on the National Mall Aug. 28, he was making a hash of both patriotism and faith, according to published comments by a pair of prominent Baptist leaders.
Mr. Marus has stated his support for an absolute "Separation of Church and State" in the past. We are not sure why he continues to write on political issues as a "Religious Leader."
“Something beyond imagination is happening. Something that is beyond man is happening. America today begins to turn back to God,” Beck, who is a Mormon, said from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during his “Restoring Honor” rally.
In an event that Beck insisted was apolitical -- although it featured conservative politicians like Sarah Palin -- he made repeated references to religious concepts, such as America turning to God and experiencing revival. (It is ok for Marus and his ilk to express his political views as a "Religious Leader" but not for a Political Leader to express his/her Faith? Typical double standard from the left)
“If you find out who God truly is, I warn you, I warn you, if you know who he is, it will be the biggest blessing in your life. But it will also be the biggest curse in your life,” he said.
Mr. Marus, perhaps Mr. Beck was giving us HIS testimony. Isn't that a positive thing? Also, take a look at this quote from your Bible: "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today, and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known."
Deuteronomy 11:26-28 NASB
Beck also had a group of ministers -- including Southern Baptist Convention leader Richard Land and other prominent evangelicals -- appear behind him in a segment on what he has called his “Black-Robed Regiment” or "Black-Robed Brigade." The term was used for Christian clerics who, during the American Revolution, were some of the first and most prominent colonists to speak up against oppression at the hands of British authorities.
Marus, we thought you have insisted that Christianity had nothing to do with the founding of our nation?
Despite Land’s appearance at the rally, both conservative Southern Baptist educator Russell Moore and moderate Baptist ethicist Robert Parham (actually a Liberal/Progressive...they love to call themselves moderates) expressed concerns about the rally's strong overtones of “civil religion” -- a lowest-common-denominator patriotic faith that conflates authentic Christianity with generic civic piety and nationalism.
“What concerns me here is not what this says about Beck or the ‘Tea Party’ or any other entertainment or political figure. What concerns me is about what this says about the Christian churches in the United States,” said Moore, dean of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in an Aug. 29 post on his blog, "Moore to the Point."
What has taken place in our Christian Churches in the USA is that many have been taken over by Liberal/Progressive leaders who do not believe in the fact that God does work in the affairs of men...including the founding of nations, Revivals, judgment, and more. Not to mention the disagreements between Christian denominations and even within the same denomination.
“It’s taken us a long time to get here, in this plummet from Francis Schaeffer to Glenn Beck,” Moore continued, referring to the late evangelical theologian many consider the intellectual father of the Religious Right. “In order to be this gullible, American Christians have had to endure years of vacuous talk about undefined ‘revival’ and ‘turning America back to God’ that was less about anything uniquely Christian than about, at best, a generically theistic civil religion and, at worst, some partisan political movement.”
"In order to be gullible" ... once again the mind of the intellectual superior Liberal/Progressive looking out for the common, simple folk.
Meanwhile, Parham, in a commentary for the Newsweek/Washington Post “On Faith” website, said Beck had used the rally to fabricate “a pottage of civil religion that says America has a divine destiny and claiming that a national revival is beginning."
It is truly sad that Marus does not believe that man has a divine destiny and that there could never be a revival in America. He seems to be a student of revisionist history. In fact, God's interest in the affairs of men dated back to the creation of the earth, when He first made the first man and woman upon the face of the earth. Man fell as we all know in Genesis 2 and from that point in time the help of the Almighty God was needed for man's sustenance in all his affairs. "It is better to trust in the Lord, than to depend on human beings" - Psalm 118:8
Mr. Marus promotion of the absolute "Separation of Church and State," if truly implemented, would result in an absolute evil, Godless, government in the United States of America.
He observed that Beck referred to American founding documents such as the Constitution and the Gettysburg Address as if they were as divinely inspired as Scripture itself.
Marus clearly does not believe in the Divine Intervention by our God in the affairs of men. We would assume that Marus would not then pray for America or pray for a revival in America, dispite God's Word clearly inviting us to believe in the following:
Matthew 5:13-16: You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? ... You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
II Chronicles 7:14: If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (Even non-believers will benefit from living in a "healed land.")
“What is important to Beck is belief in God -- God generically -- not a specific understanding of God revealed in the biblical witness, but God who appears in nature and from which one draws universal truths,” (Seems like this would be a great starting point for someone leading to a faith in Jesus Christ) Parham said. “Not surprisingly, Beck only uses the Bible to point toward the idea of a God-generic. He does not listen to the God of the Bible who calls for the practice of social justice, the pursuit of peacemaking, the protection of the poor in the formation of community. Beck has little room for God's warning about national idolatry and rejection of fabricated religion.” (This is a false statement)
Mr. Marus, if you believe in the absolute "Separation of Church and State" that you and the Left/Progressives speak of so often, why would you even expect anyone to be more specific about God.
Land, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, has said that he does not believe Beck’s Mormonism is compatible with biblical Christianity. (Many Baptists do not even believe other Baptists beliefs are compatible with Biblical Christianity. What is Beck's Mormonism? Or, have YOU defined his Mormanism? Do all Mormans believe exactly the same? Baptists don't.) However, he told the Washington Post that he and other evangelical leaders who met with Beck in the planning stages of the rally were impressed with the authenticity of the Fox News personality’s faith.
“We walked back to the hotel after and said: ‘That was extraordinary,’” Land said. "I’ve never heard a cultural figure of that popularity talking that overtly about his faith. He sounded like Billy Graham.”
But to fellow conservative Southern Baptist Moore, Beck's faith has little in common with that of Billy Graham.
“It’s sad to see so many Christians confusing Mormon (What about your "Baptist politics?) politics or American nationalism (Do you pray for America?) with the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, don’t get me wrong, I’m not pessimistic. Jesus will build his church, and he will build it on the gospel. He doesn’t need American Christianity to do it. Vibrant, loving, orthodox Christianity will flourish, perhaps among the poor of Haiti or the persecuted of Sudan or the outlawed of China, but it will flourish,” Moore wrote.
He concluded: “And there will be a new generation, in America and elsewhere, who will be ready for a gospel that is more than just Fox News at prayer.” (What nations send out Christian Missionaries? Communist/Socialist ones? Poor ones?)
FOX NEWS does not claim to be a religious organization. Beck was a Catholic who converted to Mormanism with his wife in 1999 to provide a base upon which to build their marriage and family. Do any of these "Religious" people, who so clearly deny so much of the Word of God themselves, know what is in Glenn Beck's heart or know how God might use him?
PLEASE!!! If you "Religious Leaders" really believe in the "Separation of Church and State" and your brand of "Freedom of Religion," atleast be consistant enough to refrain from commenting on political issues. Or is it just the other guys views that are banned by your "Separation of Church and State?"
Any by all means, continue to support the building of Islamic Mosques in America which are funded by and attended by Muslims who neither believe in any "Separation of Church and State" nor "Freedom of Religion."
Don't forget, Mr. Manus, that it has been your generation that has presided over the greatest moral decline in the history of the USA. Abortion, divorce, homosexuality, crime, moral confusion, relevance of the Church, education, and more. We are reaping the seeds of Liberalism & Progressivism sewn over the past 50 years plus. Tell us, has this been intentional? Do you believe that you can hasten the return of our Savior by assisting in the spread of Godlessness?
You may view the entire article, and other responses, by clicking HERE.
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