So-Called “Progressivism” Is Actually Regressive

Today, on the comments section of this blog, a lengthy comment was posted from a “Progressive” taking exception with President Trump and “Conservatives.” He called all politicians “moral” and found it hard to understand why anyone would hold to conservative values.

Here is my response to him:

Thank you for your comments although they’re too lengthy for the comments section of a typical blog including this one.

Even though your comments are contrary to main philosophical tenets of this blog and grossly mischaracterize my philosophical views, I am not opposed to counterpoints when presented intelligently and respectfully as you have done. As the Bible wisely states, iron sharpens iron, and when our beliefs are challenged, as you have done, this opens the channels for dialog allowing, hopefully, the advancement of truth.

This blog is primarily a Bible study blog, and it’s from this perspective and worldview that we operate. Thus I will answer you accordingly. I will be brief and to the point. The older I get, the more I see the value in saying more with fewer words.

The God/Elohim of the Bible isn’t sectarian. He is neither a Democrat or Republican, a progressive or a conservative, a socialist or a capitalist. He is on the side of truth—his truth. Therefore he can’t be pigeon-holed into labels. As a follower of him neither can I. Truth as the Bible defines it can be found in many areas. In the political arena, the so-called Progressives have some truth as do the Conservatives. In determine who to follow, the questions to ask are these: What is truth? Who determines it? Who enforces it thus legitimizing it? How much truth does a person or group have? One can have one percent truth and 99 percent lives, or vice versa. Which is better? Who determines this?

The idea that “all politics is moral” quite frankly is laughable. That presumes that all men are moral. If that were the case, then why are there politicians in jail convicted of crimes? Was Mao, Stalin, Hitler, et al moral? They were politicians.

The problem here is that the social evolutionist presumes that man is evolving upward and improving morally. If that were the case, then why, when left to themselves, do things in the physical world naturally go from a state of order to disorder? That law of physics alone disproves the evolutionary model right there. This is true of humans as well. At this point, I’m reminded of the book and movie, “The Lord of the Flies.”

Next, your thesis presume that man is innately good. This is the typical foundation upon which cosmic or secular humanists base their beliefs. This is neither a biblical worldview and nor logical one. If man is innately good, then why all the problems, sin, disease, pollution, war, criminality, misery, suffering, etc. on the earth? The secular humanist and Marxist models blame this on man’s environment and how they were raised (i.e. nature and nurture). If they can just manipulate (called social engineering) the environment (political, economic and social systems) and destroy religion, then we’ll have paradise on earth. Hmm?! Show me where that’s ever worked? Castro, Pol Pot, Mao, Stalin, Hugo Chavez, etc., etc. have all failed miserably!

The Bible, on the other hand, teaches that men are innately sinful and morally debased. He needs redemption, deliverance and to be brought to a higher level through divine intervention. He needs a hand up, not a hand out. Elohim provides the former, governments of men the latter. The former improves a person from the inside out; the latter enslaves and often debases a person!

You see, the political progressive looks to government to supply all of its needs and to fix all of its problems. Government has become their god. This is called the religion of statism. This seems to be the ladder you have leaned your ladder up against. The problem is that government is run by sinful men who are not always moral. Therefore, putting one’s faith in government is regressive, not progressive. That’s why I view Progressivism largely as a joke. It’s not working in Europe. Why do you think it will work in America? A wise man learns from other people’s mistakes (and from history), so he doesn’t have to make them himself.

Over the history of the world governments have come and gone. There is nothing new under the sun. Men still have the same social ills they always have. So why should I trust government? Usually it’s the source of the problem, not the solution. Government enslaves, not liberates.

I could go on and on. And I have only made it to the fourth paragraph of your rather lengthy comment. I shall stop here.

 

The Rise of Secular Humanism—The Devil’s Religion

The Devil’s Original Lie and the Religion of the New World Order

We are presently watching unfolding before us an epic and cosmic struggle between the forces of evil and good. The world system or cosmos of the devil is pitted against the unalterable and immutable plans, purposes and Word of the sovereign Creator of the universe, YHVH Elohim.

At the center of this battle is man. He was created in the image of Elohim and destined to become a son of Elohim. The Adversary, on the other hand, wants to make man into his image—a son of perdition. Man has to choose whom he will follow. To sit on the sidelines, ignore the battle and not to choose is, by default, to choose the side of the devil. Man must carefully choose his course of action, for the consequences are eternal. Inaction—not to choose—is to ignore the battle and by default to choose the side of the devil.

That battle will reach its nexus at the end of the age, just prior to the return of the Messiah. Will man fall for the lies of the counterfeit Messiah, or remain faithful to the Truth and Word of the real Messiah? To resist the deceiver and not fall for his lies one must know the face of his enemy: his tactics, game plan and the nature of his deception. The lies he will use in the end times to woo the multitudes to his side are not new. The tactics and game plan are the same, for it has never changed from the beginning. What are the lies he will use to seduce man to his side of this struggle? When did the deceiver first ply his trade? The answers are in the Book of Life.

The Big Lie and Its Origin—The Scriptures Speak of a “Lie”

There are those who turn from the revealed truth of Elohim and turn to believing a lie as Romans 1:24–25 states:

Wherefore Elohim also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of Elohim into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen

The Man of Sin/Lawlessness will cause many to turn from YHVH’s truth and believe a lie as 2 Thessalonians 2:7–12 states:

For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now restrains will do so, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom YHVH shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause Elohim shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Outside of the New Jerusalem will be those wicked ones who believe a lie as the Book of Revelation states:

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defiles, neither whatsoever works abomination, or makes a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Rev 21:27)

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. (Rev 22:14–15)

The primary meaning of these passages is referring to those who have exchanged the truth of YHVH for a lie. But what lie? Who did Yeshua say was the father of lies (John 8:44)? The devil is, of course. So, ultimately all lies that humans believe had to have originate from those lies the devil through the serpent told the first humans in the Garden of Eden.

What Was This “Big Lie”?

Fundamentally, all big lies against the truth of YHVH actually originate from several big lies with which the serpent seduced Adam and Eve at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen 3:1–5). The serpent told the following lies: Continue reading

 

Korah — A Malcontent, a Rebel and a Secular Humanist

The Spirit of Korah

The spirit of Korah is currently alive and well on planet earth. The righteous must discern, identify and then oppose this evil spirit. Everywhere in every way, this demonic spirit of rebellion is attempting to destroy the work of YHVH Elohim on earth.

The spirit of Korah is the spirit of rebellion against YHVH and his divine authority and biblical truth. In our society, it is manifested in the philosophies of secular humanism, atheism, the New Age Movement, radical environmentalism, earth worship, progressivism, socialism, Marxism, evolution, which are all aspects of the Babylon the Great, New World Order political-religious system that will oppose the saints of Yeshua and Yeshua himself at this second coming. We also see this spirit at work, supported and encouraged in international politics, in our own government, in our educational systems, in the media, in the false religions of the world, and in the apostate church where foundational Judeo-Christian biblical values are being rejected and even demonized.

The spirit Korah, the rebel, has even worked its way into the modern church system where it is attempting to subvert and pervert the truth of Elohim as revealed in the Bible, and to undermine legitimate, YHVH-ordained authority. Every man becomes his own spiritual leader, refuses the accountability afforded by authentic godly spiritual leadership, and basically chooses to do what is right in his own eyes. Many modern Continue reading

 

Pagan Influences in Judaism and Christianity Prophesied and Denounced

Isaiah 26: 27:6–8:13 and 29:22–23, YHVH Speaks Out Against Assimilation With the World

The prophet Isaiah wrote his rebukes of Ephraim (the Northern Kingdom, 27:6–28:6) and of Judah (the Southern Kingdom, 28:7–13) during the time period after the fall of the Northern Kingdom to Assyria in 721–723 B.C. and before the fall of the Southern Kingdom to Babylon in 586 B.C.

Isaiah 27:9, Groves/asherim and sun images /pillars. In this passage, Isaiah denounces the people of Ephraim for their worship of pagan deities. If Isaiah were alive today, what pagan practices within the Christian church would rankle his ire?

Isaiah 28:7, The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink … wine … they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. Here the prophet is addressing Judah. In Scripture, when wine causes spiritual degradation what is the cause of this? (Read Revelation 14:8; 17:2; 18:3.) Wine is the stuff of spiritual harlotry. What does YHVH plead with his people to do in this regard? (Read Rev 18:4.)

Through the lips of his prophets, YHVH not only bring words of rebuke and judgment to his people, but also words of encouragement. Isaiah speaks of a time when not only will YHVH discipline his people for their idolatrous ways, but he will bring them back from exile and restore them as a people to worship him (instead of pagan deities) in their own land. In this regard, study the following passages: Isaiah 27:12–13; 28:5–6; 29:22–23. Have these prophecies yet been fulfilled with regard to both houses of Israel (Ephraim and Judah)?

What are some examples of humanist or pagan influences that persist in the modern Christian church (Ephraim) and in Rabbinic Judaism (Judah), which could lead to YHVH’s judgment? Here are a few examples to ponder:

Rabbinic Judaism and Humanism

Rabbinic Judaism went humanist at Yavneh after the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70 when rabbinical authority replaced the Levitical authority. It was there, under the influences of such rabbis as Akiba, that Judaism rejected divine authority and established the rabbinical system. Some say this was necessary to insure the survival of Judaism in the wake of the destruction of the Temple and removal of Jews from Jerusalem and environs by the Romans after A.D. 135. But this reason does not explain why or how so many Jewish traditions supplanted the truth of the Bible before this time. Yeshua makes reference to this in Matthew 15:1–9. Rabbinic authority often supplanted the Word of Elohim. “The Jewish Encyclopedia” defines ‘Rabbinical Authority’ as ‘The power or right of deciding the Law, in dubious cases, or of interpreting, modifying, or amplifying, and occasionally of abrogating it, as vested in the Rabbis as its teachers and expounders’” (Rabbi Akiba’s Messiah, Daniel Gruber, p. 82, emphasis added). Some examples of this are as follow:

  • The concept of the “Oral Torah/Law” came into being sometime in the second-century A.D. as being on a par with or greater than the Written Torah (Gruber, pp. 60, 76–77). This led to the traditions of the elders, which were eventually codified in the Mishnah and Talmud.
  • YHVH is subject to rabbinic halachic (legal) rulings (Ibid., pp. 76–77).
  • There are many rabbinic decrees and rulings that supplant biblical law. This was especially the case after the destruction of the Temple when the Jewish religious leaders practically reinvented their religion (Ibid., p. 78). Examples of this are:
  • Alternative means of atonement (the shedding of blood is no longer necessary; atonement is achieved through prayer [tefilim], charitable deeds [mitzvot] and charitable giving [tzedakah]) along with other activities such as study of the Torah, being circumcised and giving to the Jewish “rabbis” (Ibid.).
  • In Matthew 23 (along with Matt 15:3–9 and Mark 7:7–13), Yeshua rebukes the Jewish leaders of his day for replacing YHVH’s Torah with man-made traditions.
  • The Jewish leaders or sages are allowed to make pronouncements from Moses’ Seat or by beit din (rabbinic) ruling (called takanot and ma’asim) that totally annulled the Torah (Gruber, pp. 80–81; The Hebrew Yeshua Versus the Greek Jesus, Nehemiah Gordon, pp. 47–53). Later these rulings were codified into the Talmud (Gordon, p. 52).
  • The sages have the right to change and control the calendar. The modern rabbinic or traditional Hebrew calendar dates to A.D. 360. For example, many times, according to the rabbinic calendar Rosh Chodesh (the new moon) does not fall on the actual day the new moon is sighted, and Yom Teruah (the Day of the Shofar Blowing ), which Torah states must fall on the first day of the seventh month (i.e., the rosh chodesh of that month), does not actually occur on rosh chodesh.
  • One month on the Jewish calendar is named after a pagan deity (Tammuz) when the Torah specifically states that Israelites are not to take the name of pagan deities on their lips.
  • Rabbinic law allows a divorced and remarried woman to remarry her first husband, something Torah forbids (Gruber, p. 81).
  • The Jewish sages instituted the laws of postponement, which says that YHVH’s feasts cannot fall on certain days, and therefore have to be postponed.
  • The sages teach that baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), a leavening agent, is permissible to eat during the Days of Unleavened Bread when Torah demands that we abstain from all bread containing leavening agents.
  • The wearing of all white tzitzits (fringes) have replaced the Torah law that says they must have a blue thread.
  • Torah says that Israelite lineage is determined by one’s father. Modern rabbinic law says that it is determined by one’s mother.
  • The ineffable name doctrine, which states that using the Hebrew names of Elohim (e.g., YHVH) are prohibited, even though Scripture commands that we use them and not forget them.
  • Singing and playing of musical instruments is prohibited under rabbinic law at religious services (Sabbath and appointed times), yet the Torah commands that the shofar be blown on these days, and the Psalms speak of it occurring, and the biblical record states that music and singing were a big part of the Levitical priesthood system in the Temple (Jewish Book of Why, Alfred J. Kolatch, p. 143).
  • The shofar is never blown on the Sabbath, even when the Day of Shofar Blowing falls on a Sabbath, even though Torah commands us to do it (Kolatch, p. 228).
  • The anti-missionary movement within Judaism is the outgrowth of humanist philosophy, for it attempts to destroy the deity of Yeshua and rejects the authority and divine inspiration of the Renewed Covenant Scriptures.

Christianity and Humanism

Christianity is not to be outdone by rabbinic Judaism when it comes to replacing the Word of Elohim with the traditions of men. To the degree that Christianity has rejected Torah, replacing it with men’s traditions, is the degree that it is a humanistic religion. Christianity is becoming more humanistic all the time. That is why modern-day “prophets” like Francis Schaeffer attempted to warn the church about the perils of secular humanism. Here are some areas where the modern church has succumbed to the influences of the philosophy of secular humanism:

  • The Catholic Church makes pronouncements ex cathedra (from the chair of papal authority) to establish doctrines and traditions that are contrary to Scripture.
  • The establishment of pagan-based Christian holidays that have replaced YHVH’s biblical feasts. This is a form of interfaithism and syncretism with other pagan religions.
  • Sunday replaced the Sabbath as a day of formal gatherings and worship (more syncretism with pagan religions)
  • Other examples of syncretism with idolatrous pagan concepts: steeples on churches, Christmas trees, Santa Claus, Easter hams and bunnies, 40 days of Lent, Mardi Gras.
  • Humanistic Christian doctrines include the concept of law versus grace, dispensational/dual covenant theology, and Old versus New Testament, which originated from the pagan (Greek) concept of dualism.
  • Seeker sensitive churches; becoming like the world to win the world to Christ (adopting the world’s dress and hair styles, music, entertainment, etc.).
  • The positivization of the gospel message; that is, a de-emphasis on sin, judgment and repentance.
  • Preaching a social gospel: sermons are often pop-psychology messages to build up one’s self-esteem.
  • Changes in terminologies: biblical terms give way to “politically correct,” “seeker sensitive” terms: e.g., the heathens are now called “the unchurched,” forgiveness replaces repentance, puppet shows/skits and dramas replace hard preaching, sin is called “wrong thoughts.”
  • The Word of Faith movement: health and wealth (prosperity) teaching (heavy emphasis on materialism and gratification of the lust of the flesh for enjoyment in the here and now.
  • Christian (Charismatic) “divination” or “witchcraft” occurs where Christians take the legitimate gifts (especially the gift of prophecy) of the Spirit of Elohim, and a) use them to control or manipulate other people for unrighteous purposes, b) operate in counterfeit gifts of the Spirit (either out of their psyches or souls—i.e., their mind, will and emotions, or under demonic influence) to control, manipulate or subvert others for unrighteous purposes, or c) attempt to ascertain the future through means other than direct revelation of the Spirit of Elohim, as he wills to make the future known to human vessels (1 Cor 12:11).
  • Idolatry of formulas, programs and methodologies that are unbiblical (e.g., saying Sinners Prayer to be saved, the Four Spiritual Laws, give-to-get, the obtaining of Christian degrees, labels and accolades of men is the key to spiritual success and giftedness.
 

Can you trust your feelings? If not then what can you trust?

Should we make major life decisions based on our feelings? La decisin correcta Should we make moral choices that determine what is right and wrong based on our feelings? To what degree can we trust our feelings? If we can’t trust our feelings, then what can we trust?

In our modern culture, it is becoming more common for people to act or speak based largely if not totally on their feelings. For many, feelings have become their “moral compass” determining what is right and wrong and thus their actions. Is this a reliable standard to follow? If everyone is following their feelings, does this promote and insure peace and stability in a society over the long haul?

What are feelings? The dictionary defines feelings as “an emotional state or reaction; the emotional side of someone’s character; emotional responses or tendencies to respond; a belief, especially a vague or irrational one.” In short, Continue reading