2010 July Journal

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Summary of the articles and information in the Journal.

Summary - Salt Shakers Journal July 2010 

Editorial (full version below)
With a federal election heading our way, we all need to re-read Romans 13 about the role and responsibility of 'governments', which, interestingly, follows chapter 12 on personal responsibility. It seems to us that may Christians and politicians get the two chapters very confused these days.

Enough to make you go Gaga!
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, aged 24, also known as Lady Gaga, features disturbing and graphic sex and violence in her music videos and lyrics.

More music to be aware of........
Christina Aguilera, often promoted as a 'nice girl', has produced an extremely sexualised music video that has been shown on Rage.

Politics in Australia
Peter Stokes highlights the importance of understanding our legal system and how it functions. We need to know what the Parties actually stand for and what our candidates' values and standards are.

News Update
NSW: Protecting unborn babies; Victoria: Late-term Abortions; Election - sign up! Uniting Network

Atheists and 'non-belief'
Greg Koukl, of Stand to Reason, writes a very insightful article on atheism as an active claim rather than a passive non-belief.

Legalisation of prostitution
Jenny Stokes examines the results of legalisation in Victoria, the situation in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

TV programs and ads
Jenny Stokes warns us to be very aware of what the programs and advertising we watch are actually promoting. We need to be very discerning.

Violence and Tyranny
Murray Adamthwaite continues his series on leftist groups by discussing the Socialist Alliance, their beliefs, actions and proponents.

Mardi gras troubles and 'queer' politics
Jenny Stokes writes on the new mardi gras (NMG) and the involvement of IKEA. She also discusses the usage of the terms 'queer' and 'poof' in homosexual communications.

Sharia finance for Australia
Jenny Stokes alerts us to the action of the Federal Government in promoting the introduction of sharia finance, via a booklet launched by the then Trade Minister, Simon Crean, entitled Islamic Finance.

USA: The Pill Kills
This is a Coalition of 27 pro-life groups in the USA, formed to highlight the medical risks associated with taking the oral contraceptive pill.

World News
USA: Evangelicals & abortion: Mexico: Morning after pill; Argentina: same-sex marriage; UK: Abortion and IVF; UK: Children and rape: UK: Animal-human embryos.

Editorial

With a federal election heading our way we all need to re-read Romans 13 about the role and responsibility of 'governments' which, interestingly, follows chapter 12 on personal responsibility. It seems to us that many Christians and politicians get the two chapters very confused these days.

How many times have you heard it said that "the starting point with Christianity is a theology of social justice"? Not only church leaders,  but also politicians, like the current US President, and even our own Prime Minister Mr Rudd, have claimed that to be so. They then try to show how important 'social justice' is to them, often relating that back to their party being more in tune with this thinking than their opponent's party.

Whenever we put out a Christian Values Check List, prior to an election, we receive criticism from some Christians because we do not deal with 'social justice' issues ( the poor, unemployed, welfare, refugees, etc). At the last election we even saw 'Overseas Aid' thrown into this mix as some Christian groups made it an election issue.

Yet, if we correctly read Romans 12 and 13 we will see that social justice is far more a personal (Romans 12) issue and that the role of government is to protect the people and punish those who do harm.

Could it be that this obsession with conformity to this 'Social Justice' theology is simply a new way of striving to earn salvation? Just as Jewish leaders, following their return from captivity in Babylon, put so much emphasis on the 'Law', even adding new, man-made laws to the Pentateuch to try to earn righteousness and acceptance by God. Is this why many now say we must all be engaged in it or we are not "Christian"?

Righteousness and justice do not come from us, they come from God and are about God - we gain salvation not by works but through faith in Christ. Works become a
by-product of that faith.

We would contend that conformity to a 'theology of social justice' is simply not Biblical because we are clearly told in Scripture that different gifts are given to different people.

Does this 'good works' theology actually get respect from the community? Sadly, we don't think so. If the following comment is anything to go by it certainly doesn't.

James of Bacchus Marsh posted the following on a web article about a pastor who wanted to win a million dollars to help people overseas...

"Feeding the poor children throughout South East Asia...Why! Why should we be the ones to do that.. What's wrong with their Governments getting off their b*** and doing what they are supposed to be doing....All our do gooders are making it easier for these countries. They laugh at us.....We only do it to feel good.....About ourselves....It always annoys me when people are running off on these do good missions if you want to feel good. Help is needed here....Charity begins at home."

Now, you and I may not agree with James, but this is the type of response the new 'social justice theology' gets. Is it any wonder Jesus actually said in Matthew 28 "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you," rather than "Go, feed the poor"?

Yours in the service of Jesus Christ

Peter and Jenny Stokes