Saturday, January 22, 2005

Peggy Noonan Decries the God Factor in Speech

I'd like to give Ms. Noonan the benefit of the doubt when she stated President Bush's speech gave her a "bad feeling." She said there was too much God. God, God, God. God here, God there, God everywhere.

Oh God.

Christians and Jews are Too Scared of What People Think
I'm really tired of secularists using the Bible and Torah to reinforce their own arguments that religion generally, and Christianity and Judaism specifically, calls for killing people in the name of God (among other scurrilous charges).

For someone who's learned something new, does a bit of studying about the subject, a little information can be a dangerous thing. These zealous humanists take information from a book in the Bible, convinced it underscores the idea that God is capricious and angry. "It's right there in Job," they say. "Look how your God made him suffer." Or, "Why would your loving God allow a tsunami?" Or, ""What kind of God would give man AIDs?" Then there's one of my faves, "If Jesus was God, why didn't he climb down from the cross?"

One more time, kids. Here's the deal. The Old Testament (the one that's part of the Holy Bible), consists of an old promise, a covenant with the people of Israel that He would protect them, give them their own land if they would simply obey His rules. In those books are contained massive information about what was to come, e.g., The Messiah (Jesus). For those not familiar with the whole Bible, both books contain ongoing references to OT and NT prophecies alongside the scriptures.

For instance, when Jesus said on the cross, "God, why have You forsaken Me?" he was quoting a Psalm. When Jesus was speared in his side while on the cross, that was also a note to us that Christ's crucifixion was foretold. In fact the whole story was foretold in Isaiah, written long before the death of Jesus. On and on.

Christians use the OT now for clarification and understanding of God's word and prophecy. The New Testament, the new covenant from God, gave Christians their how-to book, leaving the Torah for Jews, the first five chapters of the OT. Here's where it gets interesting. It's a lot like watching Psychic Detectives.

(By the way, we are told by Jesus in the NT that we are to leave His people, the Jews to him, that they are His chosen people. God loves His people. That's why I refuse to get into a shouting match about how the Jews killed Jesus.)

In the NT, God has good news for everyone. That's precisely what the word "gospel" means--good news. No matter how much you've sinned against God and your fellow man, you can and will be forgiven by simply confessing that sin, forsaking it and believing that Christ is the living God, the son of God and part of the Trinity. Once one has jumped that hurdle, i.e., giving your ego and pride up to God, God wants us to try the best we can, not because we're afraid of Him, but because we love Him. It's like pleasing a parent because we love him, not because we're afraid of him. Note: the word sin means "missing the mark."

So when atheist scholars present their views of a horrid and vengeful God, I know they speak from ignorance of the basic structures of Judeo-Christian dogma. They know nothing of the love of God, His grace and justice.

My mother used to say, "The church isn't the best thing in the world, but it's the best thing we've got." She was right. This Christian "baloney" has fed and housed millions, doctored as many and provided many who are lost a way to go.

Roman Catholicism versus Protestantism
Again, Protestants don't believe the same as Roman Catholics. Period. Regardless, we're all thrown in the historical Roman Catholic cesspool of papal and church corruption.

I no more agree with the Roman Catholic about the ways to get to eternity than I do with Jews. Lumping Christians together shows a huge ignorance on the part of these critics. It has to do with being saved by grace or saved by good works. I happen to believe that we're saved by grace. Most Catholics believe you must work your way toward heaven. That's why God made Martin Luther. (Rent the movie "Luther." It's a fabulous account of the Reformation.

But do not lay blame on me for centuries-old internal laspses within the Catholic church. We Prots have our own, thanks. They're just not as institutionalized.

Ms. Noonan Should Recant
She must have been drunk...or out of sorts. Mentioning God (four times in this president's speech) is not excessive. Read inaugural speeches from each past president. God not only was mentioned, but implored as in prayer in most of them.

I hope she'll recover from this. Frankly, I forgive her. We all have our "Peter" moments. But I'm disappointed she felt she couldn't stand tall as a Christian and take the heat from her fellow journalists.

Thanks for the read.