Proposition 8 and Gay Marriage

Proposition 8 and Gay Marriage
Tim Haile, for the Parkway Church of Christ

Proposition 8 was an amendment to the California state constitution that restricts “marriage” to a union between a man and a woman. It bans “gay marriage.” The amendment passed, but it has created a firestorm of controversy in California and in other places. Gay activists have invaded churches and disrupted their worship services, trampled crosses at demonstrations, and boycotted businesses whose owners favored the anti-gay-marriage amendment. Gays are now working to remove this decision from the hands of the California citizens by taking their case to liberal courts. We shall see where this ends.

Of course, all Bible believers were very pleased with the election results relating to the prop-8 amendment. The Bible teaches that marriage is for one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4-6). It teaches that like all other illicit sexual relations, homosexuality is immoral (Romans 1:26,27; 1 Tim. 1:10; Jude 7).

Gays and lesbians are presently making two faulty arguments in there efforts to protest the recent California election results and legitimize their behavior: 1. They classify gays as just another “minority group.” 2. They equate “gay marriage” with “interracial marriage.”

1. It is faulty classification to classify gays with “Blacks, Jews, Hispanics and Women.” Being “gay” has to do with a particular sexual preference. Being “black” or “white” has to do with race, not sexual behavior. One’s color has nothing to do with his morality. The fact that it is possible for one to engage in sexual perversion whether he is black, white, brown or yellow, male or female, proves that homosexuality is a behavior! It insults and denigrates legitimate classes of people, like Blacks, Hispanics and women, to classify them with some type of sexual deviancy. There is nothing inherently wrong with being black, white, brown, male or female, whereas there is something wrong with practicing homosexuality.

2. No sin is committed when a black man marries a white woman, or a white man marries a black woman! The Bible stipulates “man” and “woman” but it does not stipulate race. It is a specious and godless argument for one to equate “gay marriage” with “interracial marriage.” We must rise up in opposition to those who would redefine God’s institution of marriage and the home.

Parkway Church of Christ, 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. Worship Times: Sundays at 10:00AM and 6:00PM - Bible Study: Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM. Radio: Sundays at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com

The Church of Oprah Winfrey (Part 2)

The Church of Oprah Winfrey (Part 2)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

I pointed out in last week’s article that Oprah Winfrey is now attempting to help her followers spiritually, not just socially and psychologically. The problem is that her religious concepts are rooted in New Ageism, rather than the Holy Scriptures. Oprah’s website showcases the teachings of a prominent new age philosopher named Eckhart Tolle. Oprah cited the following statement from Tolle as being one of her “favorites:” “Only the truth of who you are, if realized, will set you free.” This is classic new ageism. It suggests that truth is not contained or expressed in a divine communiqué, such as the Bible. They believe that truth is subjective, not objective. The new-ager believes that truth is buried within oneself and must be discovered by “conscious awakening.”

Perhaps you noticed that the last part of Tolle’s statement is identical to the words of Jesus in John 8:32. Jesus said, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Of course, Jesus taught that people would be made free as a result of knowing the truth of God, not the truth of themselves. Tolle adapted the words of Jesus to his own concept of “God” and “truth.” New Ageism sees “all as one,” and thus “God” is in all things. The technical term for this is monism. The new-ager finds “God” when he “finds himself.” This was once said to be accomplished by transcendental meditation. Tolle’s term for it is “enlightened perception.” The Bible reader is reminded of Jeremiah’s words: “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer. 10:23). “Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). We must look to Christ for Truth.

Sadly, this fact is denied by Oprah Winfrey. She told an audience, “One of the mistakes that human beings make is believing that there is only one way. There are many paths to what you call God.” This statement is based upon the New Age belief that Jesus was just one of many who achieved “enlightenment.” They compare and equate Jesus to Buddha, Krishna, Mohammed, and any others who attained to such “a state.” Bible believers must beware! These people are preaching “another Jesus” (2 Cor. 11:4), and their Godless doctrines must be challenged and rejected.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

The Church of Oprah Winfrey (Part 1)

The Church of Oprah Winfrey (Part 1)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Some people wish to be “religious” or “spiritual,” but they do not wish to follow the Holy Scriptures. They reject the Church that Jesus built, and establish in its place their own brand and concept of “church.” Hundreds of human religions have been formed from the rejection of Bible truth. Some of these have been fairly inconsequential, while others have affected millions of people. The more popular, charismatic, wealthy and influential the founder/leader of the new movement, the larger and faster growing that movement.

One of the newest of these religious movements is that of the talk show host, Oprah Winfrey. In her determination to help people with their problems, Oprah has delved into the spiritual realm. And while Oprah may have helped a lot of people through various psychological hardships, she is no prophetess. To the contrary, her new concepts of God amount to blasphemy. Oprah has the help of prominent new age philosophers like Eckhart Tolle, whose works are prominently featured on her website. Tolle speaks and writes much about “enlightened perception” and “conscious awakening.” His concepts bear a striking resemblance to those of Buddhism. God is not seen as a transcendent personal being, but as a feeling. Heaven is not a real place, but a state of mind. Oprah Winfrey said, “God, in the essence of all consciousness, isn’t something to believe, God is, and God is a feeling experience and not a believing experience. If religion and God for you is about believing, then it is not truly God” (Oprah Winfrey, In a Recorded Interview With Eckhart Tolle).

Oprah's "God" is not a supreme being, but a supreme essence and feeling. This is completely contrary to the teaching of Scripture. The Bible teaches that God’s existence is independent of man’s thoughts, feelings and actions (Acts 17:24-29). God is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:2), and He does not change (Malachi 3:6). He preexisted the universe (Genesis 1:1).

Oprah’s religion also denies the concept of sin. And with no sin, there is no need for any type of sin sacrifice. Her religion focuses upon the development of a certain mental state that is free of negative thoughts. One can see how this new religion has such an appeal to its millions of followers. There is no doctrine to learn, no commands to be obeyed and no risk of damnation. (More to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.