Salt Shakers Journal Summary May 2007

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Editorial (in full below)
In our article ‘A Time to Fight, Command and Guard’ in our February Journal, Peter wrote “Christians used to sing ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ but today it seems to have become ‘Onward Christian PACIFIST’!

Little did we know that within a few months those words would become reality. In the April 2007 edition of Crosslight, the Victorian Uniting Church newspaper, we were concerned to see the title of a new ‘song, ‘Onward with non-violence’, to be sung to the tune of none other than “Onward Christian Soldiers”.

An Evangelical Litmus test
Roger Birch proposes a litmus test for evangelicals. He looks at “three issues where different individuals or groups – all calling themselves evangelical – have demonstrated interpretations of the Bible significantly different to that of other evangelicals. For example:

• The support of a same-sex relationships register in Victoria;

• The endorsement by a number of evangelicals and evangelical churches of Jim Wallis, the ‘king-pin of the American religious left’ and his book God’s Politics; and

• A Bible College president who told a new lecturer that the College’s ethos was “evangelical not fundamentalist” adding that fundamentalists take a literal reading of the Bible – with the unspoken implication that the evangelicals don’t.”

Surrogacy and ART
The Victorian Law Reform Commission (VLRC) has been considering the question of IVF for single women and lesbians, surrogacy and adoption for some years. The VLRC has just finished its final report on Assisted Reproductive Technology and Adoption and handed it to the Attorney-General on Friday 30 March 2007.

News Update
NSW Election; IVF: Saviour siblings; Footy faith; Smacking.

Same Sex Relationships
Why should we oppose ALL legal recognition of ‘same-sex’ and ‘other’ relationships? Any legal recognition of any ‘other’ form of relationship will directly undermine marriage by encouraging people AWAY from a ‘life long marriage commitment’. This will create a form of ‘marriage lite’ that many people will see as a viable option to full commitment marriage.

RT Update
Over the past six months Resistance Thinking has come a long way- we now have over a hundred subscribers to our monthly email service, 30 registered forum members and our website is expanding!

‘Progressive Christian’
Jenny Stokes looks at labels of particular views of Christianity, particularly the term ‘progressive’ asking “hen an organization uses the word ‘progressive’ to describe itself, we need to ask ‘What is progressive?” and “What are they progressing to?”

States- Embryo Stem Cell research
Following the passing of the federal ‘cloning’ bill, in December 2006, to allow the creation of embryos for stem cell research, several state governments are now introducing similar legislation to mirror the federal law - Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia.

Cloning Guidelines
The legislation on cloning and embryo stem cell research that was passed by the federal government in November 2006 is due to commence operation on 12 June 2007.

Update: Religious vilification case
Pray for Pastors Danny Nalliah and Daniel Scot as they prepare for the vilification complaint case to be heard at VCAT.

Right to Justice
Barnabas Fund’s ‘Right to Justice’ petition closed on 30th April. It had over 105,172 signatures by mid-April. The UK petition will be handed to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on 14th May.

Reaching out to Muslims
“God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Tim. 2: 3-5. That includes Muslims!

The Affwan Project
Craig writes.... “Surfers Paradise, Queensland. When you hear these words, the first thing that comes to mind is glorious beaches, high rise apartments, fun, theme parks and all that comes with it. But do you think Muslims? Well you can now!

Family Instability and Child well-being
More evidence that the two-parent biological family is best for children! A new sociology study from John Hopkins University (Maryland, USA) has confirmed that family instability has a direct correlation to bad behaviour in children.

Childcare and children
A US study of the effect of child care on children has found that keeping preschoolers in long day care for a year or more increases the likelihood they will become disruptive in class later, persisting into grade 6.

World News
UK: SORs first test case; Portugal: abortion legalised; USA: Golfer acknowledges Jesus; UK: Cannabis; UN: Homosexual rights

Editorial (full version)
In our article ‘A Time to Fight, Command and Guard’ in our February Journal, Peter wrote “Christians used to sing ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ but today it seems to have become ‘Onward Christian PACIFIST’!

Little did we know that within a few months those words would become reality. In the April edition of Crosslight, the Victorian Uniting Church newspaper, we were concerned to see the title of a new ‘song, ‘Onward with non-violence’, to be sung to the tune of none other than “Onward Christian Soldiers”.

The first verse is, “We can be inclusive, of each faith and race; no discrimination, each can have their place; We can call for justice; we can march for peace; demonstrate for captives, call for their release.”

The chorus is “Peace from justice through non-violence, This is where we stand; ‘Freedom from oppression’, This is our demand.

What does “Inclusive of each faith and race” really mean?

It seems to us this is now an appeasing, multi-faith anthem, not an evangelical hymn to the God who said “Thou shalt have NO OTHER GOD but me”. (Ex 20)

Can we pray and worship with those who worship false gods? Psalm 1, particularly verses 1 and 2, are very important here: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.”

This clearly relates to us NOT getting involved with the wrong people or simply ‘hanging out’ with those whose religion, ideas or lifestyle are wrong.

Despite what is so often said today, that ‘Jesus hung out with sinners’, Jesus did not simply hang out, go partying or ‘fellowship’ with people of false religions, drunkards, homosexuals or prostitutes. He went to them with a singular purpose, to change their lives – to turn them back to God.

We received another appalling example of Christians selling out to ‘other religions’ and therefore false gods during April.

A ‘news brief’ from ekklesia.co.uk heralded ‘Pluralism Sunday’, taking place at the end of May “to celebrate religious diversity”. It announced “an initiative by Christians to dedicate their worship to a celebration of religious diversity”!

Celebrating other religions? What a complete contradiction of not only the first commandment but the whole of Scripture.

Yes, as stated in our last Editorial, we must go outside our churches and engage people, BUT to evangelise people, not to worship their gods or even to worship with them, and we must never condone their false religions.

At Easter we remembered that Christ conquered sin and death; He died to set men free. This is the message we must give to all people - our rally cry must remain...

“Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before. Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe; forward into battle see his banners go!

“Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng, Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song. Glory, laud and honor unto Christ the King, This through countless ages men and angels sing.

“Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus going on before.”

Yours in His Service
Peter & Jenny Stokes