Monday, September 16, 2013

Good, "Evil," and Evil, "Good"

Isaiah (5:20) wrote:

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

This "woe" comes more to mind more with the disintegration of American culture.  People are deceived and lack discernment or they outright lie.  They really think evil is good and good is evil.  They don't know better.  Or they just call evil and good their reverse, knowing they're doing that, because they like what that does.

Driving home on highway 80 from San Francisco a few nights ago, a rotating billboard said, "OMG, OMG, OMG."  Somebody wanted to use that for an advertisement, thought it would be good.

In 2007, Al Gore won a Nobel peace prize before predicting the arctic summer ice would disappear by 2013.  There is more sea ice in 2013 than there was on this date in 2002.

We find that Matthew Shephard was killed in October 1998, not by two angry "homophobes," but by a same sex "lover" in a meth deal gone bad.

A security feature on facebook for "reporting" inappropriate or abusive material is used most for reporting righteous, true, and helpful material, while the inappropriate or abusive or disgusting material stays up.  When you don't like the Bible, just report it at facebook.  They might take that seriously.

D. A. Carson writes that God supports and desires ecumenism.  He takes a winding and contorted path, forcing John 17 to get there, but he arrives.

Christian rock was actually a blessing and a benefit that most Christians didn't know and many still don't.

7000 may not have bowed the knee to Baal, but you know times are tough when people feel sorry for a hypothetical girl in a made-up parable, because she might have to dress modest.

Rachel Held Evans and then many others in evangelicalism celebrate the woman as breadwinner.



6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great thoughts! Church leaders today will not take a stand against immorality and worldliness. They know too many people who live in sin that are "nice", charitable, intelligent (deep thinkers) who know scripture. They despise those who judge people by their outward appearance and actions. They quote Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along." It's all about loving people where they are but those people never grow beyond that. For years they continue to look like the world and act like the world but we are told they are growing in grace and love. The world looks good and acts good to these church leaders and we are not to judge them.

Kent Brandenburg said...

Thanks anonymous.

d4v34x said...

I think you might have missed the point of that parable.

Kent Brandenburg said...

d4,

I was referring to the comment section with people feeling sorry for a hypothetical girl who dresses modest.

d4v34x said...

Ah, makes sense. I guess I missed your point.

Anonymous said...

It's been a while since I've been able to read your blog. I am glad you are still courageously challenging the status quo in Christianity. I do not know if you will even publish my comment. No problem. I have mentioned before about the downward trend of Christian colleges. The calling evil good and good evil comes to mind. This link will show the latest from BJU. If you click on this faculty member's media/photos, you will see images of the Bruin Women's at their cross country event last Saturday.

https://twitter.com/JeffStegall

BJU Bruins site and their Facebook quickly removed images of this event within hours of someone posted them. This does not erase the fact that they are now endorsing and encouraging these types of events. So much of this goes against what is stated in their Student Handbook (along with the Bruin Women athletic attire). Are they no longer wanting to be a separatist conservative Christian university? As it is now, apart from some music strongholds and a conservative chapel platform, little else differentiates them from other Christian colleges.

In some way, this is supposed to help "build faith, challenge potential, follow Christ"--using sports as a "platform for Christ."

As if He needs such a platform.