By Karen Y. Stevens

 

“Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant, and the rule of law, under God is acknowledged.” -Ronald Reagan

 

When religious programing came out about 25 years ago on the networks, (other than TBN) they ran a disclosure before the program, and still run that today. It would say something like “The views of this program doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of this station.”

The Network did not run that disclosure on any others; like political, or lude programming. This has always irritated me because that means they approve of lude programing, etc, but not religion? They have “G”, “R”, “MA” etc. ratings, so why can’t they just make an “RC” rating for religious content. I worked for a CBS affiliate station in Houston for 12 years, so trust me when I say people’s biases defiantly come out on the news. They should have a rating for that – “ITOOTNR” – (In the opinion of the news reporter.) (Once again, I regress!)

The definition of liberty is having the ability to act, according to your own will, if it doesn’t affect the ability of someone else to act according to their own will. Note the importance of the second part of that statement – “if it doesn’t affect the ability of someone else to act according to their own will.”

The lawsuit “Christian Legal Society v. Martinez” arose when Hastings University insisted that “The Christian Legal Society” could not require its leaders to adhere to a certain set of beliefs and behaviors, but it had to be open to all students, without discrimination.

This means, among other things, that an atheist could become president of “The Christian Legal Society” on campus. What!!? And this is just one example of how they affect our ability, for us to act on our own will.

Conservative Christians have long let the Liberal’s walk all over us, because we didn’t want to look “non-Christian”.

Jesus never said to do that.

Jesus did not make peace with the Pharisees.

Christians misunderstand the scripture when it says make peace with your brother.

Your “brother” being a Christian, and not all people are Christians. A Christian is a person who loves and talks about God, spends time in His Father’s house (church), supporting that house with their beliefs, time and money, and spreading the good news.

Matthew 10:14 says if they won’t listen to your testimony, shake the dust off your feet and leave that town.

It’s basically saying turn your back on them.

We today, have tried to appease people who want to introduce “innovative ideas” to our society by being politically correct, just like the Pharisees did, which in turn is taking our religious freedoms away.

Don’t forget – our Forefathers committed treason, for the sake of freedom of religion.

Matthew 23:13 states “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law, and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces.”

The people in power (the Pharisees) were teaching wrong beliefs, and misleading the people from finding the door to heaven. People followed them because they were in power. We have a lot of people in power today that are misleading us.

Read your Bible, do and follow what Jesus says, then freedom and religion will prosper.

 

Karen Y. Stevens is founder of Orange County Christian Writers Guild