Why all the Hatred for Jesus?

The ACLU and other groups that claim they are offended at religious expression in the public have sued to remove memorial crosses and the 10 commandments across America. But the atheists (and communists) claim to be against religion is not accurate. We hear nothing when it comes to Islam, or other religions besides Christianity. For these religions they seem to have a tolerance. In school’s they learned about Islam to help them learn what Muslims believe. Be instructed to use Muslim names, memorize and recite a passages from the Koran and have prayers in class. This could only take place in the “left coast,” the California school districts.

So it is not really about religion per se but about A CERTAIN religion, Christ and Christianity. It seems when Christmas comes around each year there is a protest “for the reason for the Season,” we call Christmas. Atheists, secularists do not want any mention of Christ in public life; they want him to stay away from everyone’s life just as they have done in their own lives. That means they are infringing their standards on our individual freedom.

Can we be left alone to practice our spiritual lives the way we see fit without some non religious zealot infringing on us? After all this is what our founders of our nation came here for. The Pilgrims left a overbearing religious country to find freedom to worship God as they saw fit within the confines of Christianity, not to be dictated by a state religion. We are being forced to hide our faith because of secularism.

Atheists have had an aggressive campaign among the youth for the last several years, it cannot be called an evangelistic effort when they have no good news, there message is that there is no heaven or hell and when you die that’s it, your gone. So you can live your life however you want with no repercussions afterwards, (only you will receive repercussion now if you break the law and get caught). Do what you like has a certain attraction to youth that are often rebellious. However, for those who live in a world and see that there is a distinction of evil and good they often look for a meaning to life which leads them toward God for explanations.

Where are there protests for the Fisher Price doll that speaks “Islam is the light?” I guess if it said Jesus loves you or he is the way they would line up around the block like black Friday to enter a lawsuit. We see court battles about Nativity scenes in the city square, and even on home property are challenged with vigor. Don’t they have anything better to do with their time?

A London bus campaign a few years ago allowed atheists to put signs on city buses saying, “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” If God doesn’t exist, if Jesus is only a myth, then why so loud a protest? Maybe they can stop worrying about what we believe and learn to enjoy their life of unbelief.

The humanists have a zeal to remove the true meaning of Christmas by calling it X-mas instead of ‘Christmas’. I have heard the arguments about Christmas from the Jehovah Witnesses to it not being spoken of in the Bible by religious legalists who do not understand the point. While I’m not fond of the word Christmas, every Christian understands the actual meaning behind the word and what it stands for, and so do atheists. That is why they openly protest it, and Christians should not be joining in with their protest. The manger story and is incomplete about the reason Jesus was born, to die for our sins and be raised to live again. The idea is to remember and honor who was born and why he was born. But it is this very reason “to die for sin and be raised again” that atheists get bent out of shape over. Because they are reminded of their shared human condition and an after life that they refuse to accept.

God asks through the prophet Isaiah, Isa. 1:18: “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

He stretches his hand out to discuss the matter, but the people would not have anything to do with it, just as they do today. Ps. 2:1-2: “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed”

Michael Newdow, has litigated over references to God challenging inaugural prayers twice and twice has had his arguments rejected. Atheists joined in a lawsuit that tried to rid government ceremonies that mention God, such as the inauguration of a president or other prayers tied to government functions, even though it has been the tradition of our nation.

Atheists say prayer makes them physically sick ‘My stomach did a somersault with disgust’ http://www.wnd.com/2009/10/112261/

So what of those who might say they feel the same when the prayers are excluded? Where’s the freedom to express ones heart publically. Can we stop people from wearing certain colors because we do not like them? Prayer was part of our government’s process from the inception. The idea of ‘separation of Church and State’ is not the prohibition of religious expression by symbols in the public or on private property. A church, a private individual, a city has every right to display manger scenes and celebrate the meaning of Christmas.

Both the federal and state celebrate the birth of Jesus but now they are being forced to remove any reminder by calling the school recess “holiday recess,” instead of Christmas holiday.

Inside the state Capitol building in Olympia there is a traditional holiday display featuring a tree and the Nativity scene. Washington State Gov. Christine Gregoire decided to add another item to the display. Standing alongside the baby Jesus is a giant placard designed by atheists that reads: “There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.” A statement reminiscent of John Lennon’s Imagine song that promoted a sought after utopia.

For nearly 60 years at Christmas time, Christian congregations from Santa Monica have come together to organize a life-size Nativity scene, using 14 display areas in a city park to illustrate the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. This year, however, the story had to be abridged. Because of a city lottery system to dole out available spots in Santa Monica's Palisades Park, along Ocean Avenue, atheists have been able to claim most of the display spaces traditionally used for the Nativity, leaving room for only three of the scenes.: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/14/BAB11MBMTF.DTL#ixzz1k3c0XQGM

Then we hear of religion being “enslaving,” doesn't sound like tolerance from a liberal does it? A few weeks in December cannot be allowed for religious purposes even though our heritage of our nation is about God and is distinctly Judeo-Christian in the principles of law. Our government is NOT to endorse any one religion, (make it a state religion) nor any philosophical viewpoint (like atheism). Even though atheism is not a religion it is a belief system that one must be dedicated to uphold.

Are we to be silent and not speak freely to appease them, and make them comfortable” Maybe if we were a bit more timid it could be acceptable, live like what Meister Eckhart stated “If the only prayer you ever say in your life is thank you, it is sufficient.” Well if we are quiet about this now it will be far worse as the year’s progress.

On the other hand, we have those who promote Jesus as a religion, in the sense of rituals and ceremonies diminishing the necessity of the true meaning of Christianity, that being a relationship with the living God through the savior Jesus Christ.

Recently someone stepped up to voice the differences by a rhyme in a soft type rap method. Jefferson Bethke, a 22-year-old told the world “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus,” 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1IAhDGYlpqY#!

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/why-i-hate-religion-but-love-jesus-controversial-viral-video-logs-10-million-hits-in-four-days/

The video has gone viral much like “zeitgeist” and “The God Who Wasn't There” which excited the atheists.

Viewed nearly 16 million times on YouTube it has gained wide-spread media attention. He has gathered the attention of both Christians and non-believers. Bethke makes some forthright points, though none are original and have been used before. I commend him for his courage and holding up under fire.

In his video he spoke of religion in this manner: “What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion? “Not realizing religion’s like spraying perfume on a casket “the problem with religion is it never gets to the core” “It’s just behavior modification, like a long list of chores.”

So Bethke spells out the problems and wants people to have real faith in Jesus rather than live by traditions, rituals and works that become their religion. Did he explain everything correctly, no… but I understand his point.

Bethke in an interview explains that he created the video so that he could share his struggles, while highlighting Jesus’ attributes. His goal, he said, was to take on the common characteristics of religion he sees in his local area. “In my context, I’m in Seattle — religion, in shorthand, is defined as legalism, self-righteousness, self-justification,” “Once I put the video out, I realized a lot of people in the nation don’t define it as that.” He went on, saying, “Religion as the institution and as the church — as Jesus’ bride — that is God’s plan A and there is no plan B. So I don’t want to abolish that. I don’t want to turn from that. And that’s where God is manifest.”

The problem is that religion is mentioned in the Bible, and Jesus didn’t hate religion. Jesus was a Jew who practiced the true religion of Moses. Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. But the religions we have today are certainly not what Jesus approved of.

Without any consideration of the Bible we find “Christian” leaders have joined with humanist politicians and other world religions in the task of achieving world peace and protecting the environment (which is more often religious) through human effort. Humanist Manifesto affirms: “We can discover no divine purpose or providence for the human species. ... No deity will save us; we must save ourselves (Humanist Manifestos I and II, Paul Kurtz, ed., (Prometheus Books, 1973), p. 16).

How does the world's religious leaders join with those who deny that a deity will save us. The Biblical prophecies of Jesus Christ coming to reign over planet earth are becoming clearer all the time,. It will not come by ecumenical peace conferences with those who deny his existence.

As Jesus addressed his own people he gave a parable and said “But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us' (Luke 19:14).

John 7:7: “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.”

What Jesus means by evil is that they will not accept their fallen condition and allow God to change it. We know this because of what he said to Israel’s religious teacher Nicodemus in John 3.

If they hate him they certainly will hate those who follow Him, and if you haven’t noticed this separation is becoming more apparent and the attacks on the Christian faith are increasing. If you haven’t been a recipient of these attacks directly or indirectly then maybe you are not involved.

The world we live in today is accurately predicted in the Bible thousands of years ago, 2 Tim. 3:1-4: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, … blasphemers, … unholy,…despisers of good.”

Christmas time only brings more attention to the faith we practice every day. If the atheist can win at that time of year what can they do the rest of the year?

If you are insecure or confused about your rights on faith go to www.aclj.org and read their counsels articles on our rights. A quote from attorney Jay Sekulow is apropo “It’s important to understand that expressing your faith during this special time of year is constitutionally protected.” Don’t let anti God folks push you around!

We know what the atheist’s view of God is, but what is God’s view of the atheist?

What does God say about the atheist that practices his secular humanism.

Ps 14:1-3: “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.”

Why are they unable to do any acceptable good in god’s eyes: because they deny the ultimate standard of good, the giver of good, the one who can judge what is good and what is evil.

This is actually said twice in the Bible to get the point across. Ps. 53:1-4: “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. Every one of them has turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon God?”

Why does God, who has every right, call them fools? The Bible thousands of years before our modern science spoke of the earth as round. If the majority of mankind believed the earth was flat before it was discovered from space that it was round, then how did the Bible speak of it before this discovery? If the Bible was a book made up by men, they must have been smarter than all the other men at the time. In fact, they were smarter than scientists of our day because they did not rely on an instrument to find this out, but they weren’t smarter, they simply believed what God had spoken.

The Bible is not a science book however it does contain scientific facts. If scientists did not believe in the invisible atom and some man came along, who was not a scientist and said, “something that we cannot see is what everything is made of,” and was proven right, people –would say he was brilliant a man, way ahead of his time. But when it is found in the Bible, atheists reject the fact of it being written before science made the discovery. Since Atheists view the Bible as written by such ignorant men, how were they able to write accurately: “the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” This is said thousands of years before, not just 20 or 100 years.

Let’s face it, everyone believes in things that you cannot see or prove, our whole education system is built on it. Ex: we are told the sun is 93 million miles away. But you have to accept someone else’s belief on this, since you cannot measure it yourself; or how hot or how large the sun is 93 million miles from us. It is the same with the Bible. Some people accept what others say about it without ever going to the source to read it. There are too many of these points to willfully ignore the Bible. These are not lucky guesses or coincidences. Read it!

Archeology confirms the Biblical record with numerous findings just in the last century. Dr. Nelson Glueck, probably the greatest modern authority on Israeli archeology, has said that “No archeological discovery has ever controverted a Biblical reference. Scores of archeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or in exact detail historical statements in the Bible. And, by the same token, proper evaluation of Biblical descriptions has often led to amazing discoveries.”

Hundreds of Bible prophecies have been specifically fulfilled, often long after the prophetic writer had
passed away. Many prophecies about nations, cities and people throughout history have been literally fulfilled. 300 prophecies were fulfilled by Christ Himself at His first coming. Other prophecies predict many other subjects that we see taking place today, especially with Israel and the same surrounding countries written in the Scripture. Read it!