Tag: Bible

Again I Voted for Freedom

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Freedom3 Comments

Yes, I did it again. I found my way to the early voting polling place recently. You have heard the story of how I did this very same thing in Baltimore a couple years ago. Yes, I voted early because I bemoan those long lines and loud people. What I bemoan even more is the lack of freedom that some seek to impose on this wonderful nation. With that I had no choice but to return to the polls as had been in the past in order to cast my mark for freedom. Yet before my vote was cast I paid attention to what was going on. I listened to the arguments of the contestants and knew that again I had to vote for freedom.

This is another matter that had to be taken personally. This is because there remain some in these United States of America that choose not freedom. Consider the many fights over individuals flying the United States flag on their property. This is a flag that resembles a free land. The red stands for the shed blood of those before us while the white stands for the purity of a free people and the blue for the loyalty of same. Well, I have had my fill of those who attack those choosing to express patriotism by flying the flag of the United States of America. That is a flag that I joined the Marine Corps to fight for. It is that flag that I learned to respect as a boy scout. It is because of the flag that I again voted for freedom.

As important as that flag is there is one thing more important than the flag that some want to trample upon. You see not only I am a natural born citizen of the United States I am also a staunch Christian to which I make no apologies. The Bible is in fact the Word of God and it is upon that Word that I stand. And when some tell me that I have to keep my Christian worldview to myself my freedom is greatly infringed upon. Even more Romans 6:7 declared that “He who the Son has set free is free indeed.” Well, I choose to walk in that freedom. I choose to wear that freedom on my sleeve and I will not hold back the truths of the word of God simply because some choose not freedom. While I love my country I love my God even more so once again I voted for freedom.

There is another document that affords me freedom. In fact much of the freedom by this document comes from the freedom of the Word of God. The Constitution of the United States of America specifically affords the citizens (not illegal immigrants) specific freedoms and specifically limits the government. A big government is not the mark of a free people rather a small government that allows freedom to live and breathe without the hand of a tyrannical government making and forcing decisions that have nothing to do with freedom. My vote went toward a small manageable government not one seeking to dictate my every move. Yes, I enjoy the freedom to worship and all other freedoms afforded by the Constitution so that again I voted for freedom.

In order to have freedom one must first have life. If life is prematurely snuffed out then there is no freedom. This is why I stand for those who would be killed before they are born. These people are not choices rather that are human beings that have been formed in the wombs of their mothers. How dare we decide who should live and who should die? How dare we abort simply because that new life would be an imposition? That unborn person deserves to be free and for that unborn person I voted. Life and freedom most definitely go hand in hand so again my vote was cast for freedom.

Economic freedom is another that only builds a strong people. The idea of raising the minimal wage (for which no such idea can be found in the Constitution) serves only to push some out of employment while raising the costs of goods and services. That is not freedom. That will only pull freedom from some and redistribute wealth to those who were pushed out of the work force. Instead I voted for the freedom of the free market wherein businesses are not over taxed. I voted for the freedom of hardworking people setting the course for their only lives. I voted for the freedom of energy independence. I voted for a nation to be prosperous and competitive in every possible way. I will not give in to the idea that economic freedom is tantamount to the love of money. So because I want economic freedom for me and mine again I voted for freedom.

The list of freedoms I voted for are nearly endless. I love the Lord Jesus Christ and the entire Godhead and I will fight for the freedom to worship until I can fight no more. I love my country and vowed to defend it against all enemies foreign and domestic. I voted to secure the freedom of a free loving people so I encourage one and all to join me in not just a right but also a responsibility as again I voted for freedom!

With Them I Stand

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Holiness3 Comments

It is true that I have been told that I rail too much against homosexuality. And I do rail against the immorality and godless practice of not homosexuality alone but also against all things that are an offense to the Word of God. My cries will not soften as I see this nation emboldening a group of people that are less than two percent of the population and are setting the course to change the culture of morality in this nation. Consider, for instance, a fairly new law in Houston, Texas wherein the lesbian mayor seeks to employ tactics of “fairness” in discriminatory practices in favour of the local LGBT community. Among the fair things required are that those that feel they are a certain gender at any given time are allowed to use the bathroom of choice depending on feeling rather than actual gender (http://www.thenewamerican.com/culture/faith-and-morals/item/18398-houston-city-council-passes-pro-homosexual-law-opponents-vow-to-fight).

This resulted in the people of Houston putting forth a petition in order to overturn the law. And of course the fair authorities declared that there were not enough names on the petition even though the numbers far exceeded the required amount of signatures. This did not sit well with the citizenry of Houston so that there was another legal uprising which included at least five pastours in Houston. Needless to say the lesbian mayor (whom I choose not to mention) decided that she wanted no dissenting voices from the clergy. With that decision it was further decided that the people of God had to turn over their speeches to congregants particularly in respect to discussions on homosexuality (http://www.thepoliticalinsider.com/frighten-every-american-believes-freedom/). The clergy members continue to stand against the tyranny of a few that seek only to push an agenda that is largely unwanted.

I stand with these men of God. I, too, stand against the immorality of homosexuality. The law in place in Houston is an unjust law on many fronts. Among the ideas presented is the fallacious idea of illegal discrimination against homosexuals. Perhaps the, ah, good mayor of Houston should be reminded of the idiom coined by Augustine, “An unjust law is no law at all.” Wait a minute! This mayor is certainly not familiar with the teachings of Church fathers so perhaps she should be reminded of the constitutional amendments. Never mind, she apparently is not familiar with those either. Nonetheless the fact of the matter is that the few homosexuals not only in this country but also in Houston suffer no discrimination. They have jobs and are not denied housing. The Supreme Court, and other lower courts, have even chimed in and declared that States banning same sex marriages are acting anti-constitutionally. This seems strange to me as I have found no place in the Constitution that supports heterosexual marriage. How then can there be clauses for same sex marriages?

The fact of the matter is that this mayor does not care about anything except her own agenda. Her agenda has nothing to do with what she was elected mayor to do. Now, I really don’t care how homosexuals choose to live. Yes, it is an offense to God and directly opposed to His Word. Still God has provided choices if we will walk in a holy manner or live according to the rudiments of the flesh. Well, I choose holiness and so do those faithful ones in Houston. I stand with them and will not bend to the winds of perversion which seek only to destroy a nation whose founding is predicated on the freedom Scripture provides. I will not give in to the feel good legislation that causes only a few to feel good for but a moment of time. I will not give in and I will not give up!

If it sounds like I am taking this matter personally you can bet that I am. I am more than weary of political hacks telling me what I can and cannot preach over the pulpit. I am sick and tired of my fellow clergy members being threatened because they stand on the Word of God. I have had more than I am willing to take and I am fully in support of the First Amendment which affords me not only the right to worship God but also the absolute write to say what I will in respect to same. Yes, dang blast it, I have had enough and will not sit idly by while my country is being run over not only by illegal immigrants but also my rights are being stripped away piece by piece. Well, enough already! It is time for Christians to stand and to stand uncompromisingly.

You men of God down in Houston, I stand with you. No, I do not hate homosexuals I just love the Word of God more. And, it may as well be stated that I won’t marry some heterosexual couples never mind homosexuals. I simply will not go against the teachings of the Word of God because I fear God way more than I will ever fear man. No, I will not succumb to the threats of imprisonment or to ruthless tactics of the IRS. Yes, there are some that stand on the principles of God and it is with them I stand!

Freedom by Two Documents

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Uncategorized7 Comments

     Looking back at history it becomes extremely evident that many of our predecessors lived under the hand of certain slavery. While not all the slavery had to do with limitations imposed by man there was certainly slavery that limited mankind. Consider for a moment the bondage Adam found himself in. His decision to disobey God placed him in rather precarious situation. On one hand he was immediately inundated with a lot of knowledge but Adam became bound by that knowledge because the realization of sin became the centerpiece of his limited understanding.

     It was always God’s desire that man be free of sin but disobedience caused man to be enslaved by sin. God would not be deterred by man’s rebellion but rather he put in place a plan that would free man from the destruction of sin. With that God used about forty men over the period of about sixteen hundred years to show His plan. His plan was and remains simple; to free man from the oppressive power of sin. In doing this man would be free to love and worship God unhindered by the very thing that pollutes worship.

     Another matter to consider is that of the Israelites when they were in bondage to the Egyptians. They were not allowed to worship God freely and were made to work under impossible odds. Despite that God had a plan to free His people and soon that plan was put into action. With much ado the people of God were freed from the debilitating grip of a people that did not love the True and Living God. They were made free so that they could worship the Most High God without the mandates of dictatorial, supercilious ruffians whose sole purpose was to oppress a people that loved God. Freedom was a great reward for the people and our Bible well documents that freedom.

     John 8:32 speaks of freedom as it relates to the truth. The text, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” seems to suggest that freedom is held from those that lack knowledge of what the truth is. This is, at least in part, the reason the slaves in the United States were not allowed to learn to read. If they knew how to read then the possibility of them stumbling across the truth would mean that those bound by slavery would realize that their bondage was illegal consequently result in revolts of one kind or another in order to secure that freedom. This is what the Bible does for the sinner as well as the Christian who is bound by certain indiscretions. It shines a light on that that which brings burdens and provides an avenue of freedom.

     This makes complete sense considering the fact that man, by his very nature, is bound by sin. Deliverance is mandated in order for him to freely worship God. This is the reason Christ became incarnate and willingly laid down His life – so that man could be free from sin. The scriptural text clearly shows man’s absolute need to be freed from the power of sin and Christ is the One that has the ability to provide such deliverance. Once Christ has made man free then freedom is assured. John 8:34-36 discusses freedom relative to sin; “ Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” As such if man is free from sin he is free to worship God.

     However man seems to have a problem with freedom. King George was one that did not take kindly to freedom. He desired that all those under his charge had to worship as he said or there, by extension, would be consequences. As a result of the tyrannical rule of this supercilious dictator many fled from under the despot’s rule. They came to a new land and eventually wrote what is The Constitution of the United States of America. Amendment One to the Bill of Rights clearly states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Yet the attacks on these freedoms are becoming more and more evident as the coming of Christ draws nearer.

     Some are declaring that Christians should not be allowed to freely worship God by reason of the fallacy of hatred within Christendom. They seek to attack the freedom of worshipping the Most High God by monitoring Christian speak and Christian lifestyle. Attempts are made on a daily basis to silence the Christian while making the First Amendment of none effect. This would mean that Christians would fall under bondage to the State which is exactly what the founding fathers sought to prevent. Yet The Constitution stands strong proving the citizens of the United States freedom from an oppressive government. Even more the freedoms spelled out in The Constitution are a type of the freedoms exemplified in biblical text.

     Freedom is not a matter provided by the bondage of mankind rather it is a lifestyle provided by a God that desires that His people be free. That freedom is guaranteed by biblical texts and is bolstered by the words of The Constitution.

    

The Reason Why

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Uncategorized6 Comments

I have been told that I protest too much against homosexuality. The reason is because I am supposed to be tolerant and understanding of those who choose to live a lifestyle other than that I have chosen. After all God loves the homosexual as well as the heterosexual. Making the matter more interesting is that one person proclaiming that I protest too much is counted as Christian. And while it is certain that God does indeed love the homosexual, absolute certainty provides for the fact that God hates sin.

But, as I reflect on things that Christians have been apathetic about, the matters of prayer and Bible reading in school comes to mind. It was because of one godless person the rights of Christians have been trampled upon. Because of her arguable hatred for the country and the God of it, Madalyn Murray O’Hair found reason to make legal protestations against prayer and Bible reading in public schools. In 1963 “After the Baltimore courts ruled against her, she appealed her case all the way to the Supreme Court, who overwhelmingly ruled in her favor in 1963: school-sponsored Bible reading and prayer were banned in public schools.”[1] It would seem that O’Hair had no opposition from Christians but what if Christians would have taken a stand? And while the Supreme Court did not say there could be no prayer and Bible in school many are afraid to participate in them out of fear of retribution.

This is the reason why I stand for the Word of God. I have worked in public schools and with many students outside the school setting. At no time did I lay aside my constitutional and God given right to celebrate Jesus. In fact, I have dared to teach biblical principles because it is not possible for me to separate myself from the God I serve. As such the reason why I am so bold in my stance is because the God of gods has proven Himself to me over and over and I refuse to relent to the  sound of political overtures or bend to the whistling winds of destruction.  But this is just one reason I stand. Roe vs. Wade is another Supreme Court decision wherein the Court decided that it was within a woman’s right to abort children under nearly all circumstances (410 U.S. 113 (1973)).

There is little doubt that the State of Texas fought on behalf the unborn child. But what would have happened if the Christians had gathered together and fought in light of the Word of God in respect to the sanctity of life? Would we have Planned Parenthood in place now? Now, while it appears that Planned Parenthood seeks to protect the rights of the woman its true purpose was, and may continue to be, the eradication of Blacks in the United States. But, Blacks were not the only problem. Planned Parenthood’s founder Margaret Higgins Sanger “primarily sought to control the reproduction of immigrants, the poor, certain religious groups, and anyone else she thought was from an “unacceptable” heritage.”[2] This is the reason I fight for the lives of those who cannot fight for themselves. If they are unborn they deserve to live out their lives as God prescribed. I am diametrically opposed to the unlawful and unrighteous taking of life just because the parents choose to live recklessly outside the perimeters set by God or because a true bigot takes issue with those for whom he disapproves.

And now Christianity is being attacked again but more vigorously than ever before. There was a time when homosexuals were ashamed of their practices because they knew it was wrong. Now it is politically incorrect to suggest that the act of homosexuality is an abomination. Yet there is an issue that many do not consider that lies side by side with this immoral conduct and that is the matter of the effeminate. Basically the effeminate, as laid out in I Corinthians 6:9, are men that take on the likeness of and act like females. This goes to the matter of cross dressing and a range of other issues. God is not pleased when mankind perverts and changes inherent conditions of males and females, yet we laugh when movie stars and others wade into this category. They have made light of God and made room for the abominable acts of homosexuality.

It seems that everyone is now stating that homosexual marriage is acceptable and should be a legal right. One of its greatest proponents is Barak Obama who unconstitutionally refuses to defend the Defense of Marriage Act signed into law by Bill Clinton. Going against his own convictions Clinton is now having reservations about marriage being between one man and one woman. And the matter grows worse. Even “Christians” are supporting this thing that God has condemned. One prominent group is the Episcopal Church. This corpus of adherents allows “priests in the 1.9 million-member church can officiate blessings to same-sex couples who are in long-term relationships.”[3] This very idea brings to light unchecked immorality that apparently runs throughout the Episcopal Church.

This is the reason why I stand for the standards set down by God. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for the very reason yet the United States Supreme Court is hearing arguments on who can constitutionally be married. The problem is that if the Court follows suit as in with abortion and prayer and Bible reading in school then this country might well find itself without the God who has been faithful to it. This is the reason why I stand because I know God’s Word to be true and I further realize that if Christians stand and hold fast to the Word of God then the immoral and ungodly agenda of reprobates and heathens will be halted. Yes, the reason why I stand is because Christ continues to stand for me. The reason I protest homosexuality is because it is abhorred by God!