LIBERALS WANT TO CONTROL GUNS—"What liberals fear is privately owned guns--not guns owned by the Government. The liberal position on privately owned guns is consistent with the liberal position on all private property: there shouldn’t be any. All private property should be controlled, regulated or confiscated by the omnipotent state. Liberals have no objection to guns--only to guns they don’t control. They seek a legal monopoly on guns...to eliminate any final opposition to a socialist government."(4/4 New Amer.). Reduction of crime is not the goal--sure and harsher pen-alties would do that. Less than 0.02 percent of the total firearms and less than 0.4 percent of handguns are used in crimes. Thus, 99.98 percent of U.S. guns are not involved in criminal use.

LARRY CRABB’S FLAWED COUNSEL—Popular author Larry Crabb is chairman of the Graduate Department Biblical Counseling at Colorado Christian University. His new book, Finding God, is favorably reviewed in the 4/4 Christianity Today. Miles J. Stanford (840 Vindicator Dr., #111, Colo. Springs, CO 80919), in a 10-page review of this book, quotes Dr. John Whitcomb and others concerning the "damaging impact" of Crabb’s teachings. Dr. Jay Adams says that in a 117-page critique in Martin & Deidre Bobgan’s PsychoHeresy I book, they "explode the claim that the system is biblical, demonstrating Crabb’s.. .dependence on Adler, Maslow, Ellis, and--especially--Freud." Crabb "uses the Scripture out of context." In his works "pagan theorists are praised," and he seeks to combine psychological theories and therapies with the Bible. Dr. Wendell Miller (IFCA’s Voice) reviewed Crabb’s Inside Out book, called it "confusing," a "mixture of errors of ‘need’ psychology and ‘ra-tional therapy'," and could not recommend the book "because of its conflict with biblical truth." Rick Miesel, in a 3-page analysis, said Crabb’s model effectively denies some biblical teachings.

PROTEST OF WOMEN’S CONFERENCE ESCALATES—As more weird details of last November’s unorthodox "Re-Imagining" feminist conference (see 2/15 CC) unfold, the concern within the mainline denominations mounts. It was held in conjunction with the World Council of Churches’ Decade of Chur-ches in Solidarity, and a controversial incantation to "Our maker, Sophia" was used. The 4/4 Chr. Today said: "[F]rom a basis in feminist theology, conference participants looked to pantheistic religions and the heretical gnostic gospels to ‘reimagine’ a new god and a new road to salvation. The attendees blessed, thanked, and praised Sophia as a deity. Organizers claimed Sophia is the embodiment of wisdom...[who] was with God at Creation." Many of the 34 major speakers objected to the doctrine of the Atonement. The ecumenical Church Women United helped finance the event.

WAR AGAINST WOMEN—A 1980 U.N. report said: "Women, half the world’s population, did two thirds of the world’s work, earned one tenth of the world’s income and owned one hundredth of the world’s property. (3/28 USN&WR). There were many gains in the past decade, but a 1993 U.N. report found that there still is no country that treats its women as well as its men. Bride burnings ("dowry deaths") still occur in India. China and India still value sons above daughters, and dispose of unwanted baby girls. Girls and women in some parts of Africa face a painful ancient ritual where all or part of their external genitalia is removed (4/4 USN&WR). Meanwhile, a 1991 survey con-cludes that men lie, steal, drink, abuse drugs and commit adultery more than women (4/94 Charisma).

GARBC ENDORSES ECUMENICAL EVENT—Larry Fetzer, State Rep. of the Ohio Assoc. of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC-affiliated) says: "Once again the OARBC is suggesting that our churches take part in the National Day of Prayer on May 5." (4/94 OIB Newsl.). Mrs. James Dobson is chairman of the event; Pat Boone and Mrs. Bill Bright are co-chairmen. A Rabbi and RC Cardinal are "Liaisons."

IS W.A. CRISWELL A MASON?—We ran an article in the 3/15 CC entitled, "Criswell A Mason?," and quoted a 1/31 Christian News article which said he is. But a pastor on our mailing list sent us a copy of a reply from Criswell which stated, "No, I do not belong to the Masonic lodge." Due to past experience with deceptive new-evangelicals and their word games, we immediately wrote Dr. Criswell and asked, "Have you ever been a Mason? If so, when did you with-draw (or whatever)?" It’s been almost two weeks and we have had no reply. Meanwhile, we called James Holly, M.D., Beaumont, TX, who is perhaps the SBC’s foremost authority on Freemasonry and who has written 3 volumes of books on the SBC & Freemasonry, and has led the battle against Freemasonry in the SBC. He told us that while Criswell does not attend meetings nor pay dues he is nonetheless still a Mason, albeit an in-active one. He said Criswell has not denied he was a Mason, nor denounced Masonry, and probably sincerely believes he can say he does not be-long to the Masonic lodge. Dr. Holly gave us names of other former Criswell associates who can verify these and other facts. For example, Criswell had ordered Dr. Paige Patterson not to use anti-Masonry materials on the Criswell radio station, KCBI. Patterson is now presi-dent of the SBC’s Southeastern Seminary in N.C.

ED DOBSON’S ‘SEEKER SERVICE’—In the preface of his 1993 book, Starting a Seeker Sensitive Service, Dr. Ed Dobson, pastor of Calvary Church Grand Rapids and former assistant to Dr. Jerry Falwell, says: "....Five years ago we began a service on Saturday night that we called ‘Sat-urday Night--A Place to Answer Questions.’ The format is non- (almost anti-) traditional. The music is contemporary rock and roll. We use drama. The dress code is blue jeans and T-shirts...I give a talk (sermon) while sitting on a bar stool (renamed a church stool), and at the end of the talk I receive written questions from the audience..." Dr. Robert Sumner in a re-view of another Dobson book in the 3/93 Target, says: "...Our only objection relates to the author’s low standards in worldliness areas. He both presents Hollywood movies in a positive light and openly confesses to being ‘a rock-and-roll enthusiast.’ The latter undoubtedly explains his informal Saturday night services when he dons blue jeans, sits on a bar stool to speak, and rock ‘n’ roll music pulses through the church sanctuary." Dobson’s church hosted the 1988 IFCA convention, and he was named 1993 "Pastor of the Year" by Moody Bible Institute.

VAN IMPE’S DEFECTION, VIDEO—Dr. Jack Van Impe now praises the Pope and accepts as brothers those of whom he formerly warned. In 1976, he spoke at the World Congress of Fundamentalists in Edinburg, Scotland and said the preacher and evangelist "is to contend with false religionists in order to show them the error of their way." But now he, Billy Graham and others, are cozying with false religionists and enemies of Christ. He makes inflated pompous claims con-cerning his videos. In a letter to supporters promoting his new video tapes on the book of Daniel, he wrote: "The book of Daniel is now explainable and understandable. There is not one iota of truth that I was unable to exposit under the guidance of the blessed Holy Spirit." (10/93 Foundation). In a 3/21 letter he says: "The most stunning news in 2000 years of Chris-tendom is about to be exposed by the 264th Pope on our new video..." We grieve to see Van Impe and others repudiate fundamentalism and become so abysmally bereft of Biblical discernment.

LEE’S DANGEROUS STANCE ON SEPARATION—Dr. Tim Lee in his 3/94 Target says there can be more cooperation and fellowship with Southern Bap-tists, but no merger. He said: "[T]he lines of separation in Scripture are clear, and they do not include separating from our Bible-believing brethren." This strikes at the heart of our disagreement with him. He calls Dr. W.A. Cris-well and other brethren, "fundamentalists," by virtue of the fact that they believe the five fundamentals he lists. SBC seminaries and col-leges have professors who teach false doctrine. For decades, SBC conservatives have been un-scripturally yoked with these unbelievers and have helped pay their salaries. Pseudo-funda-mentalists such as Lee share platforms with these disobedient brethren instead of separat-ing from them as 2 Thes. 3:14 (and other Scrip-ture) commands. Would Lee platform-share with worldly, adulterous [Dave Hyles?], homosexual, charismatic, and other preachers who say they believe those five fundamentals (and thus are fundamentalists by his definition)? Then, how can he seem to treat so lightly the sin of SBC conservatives? Are they not under the "wrath" of God for "helping the ungodly"? (2 Chr. 19:2).

DR. G. ARCHER WENIGER ON THE ‘FIVE FUNDAMENTALS’—The five fundamentals have only to do with the Presbyterian aspect of the struggle with moder-nism....The bulk of Fundamentalism, especially the Baptists of every stripe who composed the majority by far, never accepted the five funda-mentals alone. The World’s Christian Fundamen-tals Association, founded in 1919, had at least a dozen main doctrines highlighted. The same was true of the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship, which originated in 1920. A true Fundamentalist would under no circumstances restrict his doc-trinal position to five fundamentals. Even Dr. Carl F.H. Henry, a New Evangelical theologian, listed at least several dozen doctrines essen-tial to the Faith. The only advantage of reduc-ing the Faith down to five is to make possible a wider inclusion of religionists, who might be way off in heresy on other specific doctrines. It is much easier to have large numbers of ad-herents with the lowest common denominator in doctrine....(From The Fund. Phenomenon, or Fun-damentalist Betrayal, Ed. by Dr. James Singleton)

GRAHAM A ‘BRIDGE-BUILDER’ BETWEEN CHINA & U.S.—Red China is cracking down harder in "prohibi-ting foreigners from making disciples, distri-buting religious literature, and establishing religious schools or organizations." (4/4 C.T.). But Billy Graham in his recent visit told the Chinese communists that: "For the rest of my life I want to be a bridge-builder, especially between [Red] China and the United States." (2/5 World). We are to contend with God-haters, not build bridges to them. In his 3/94 letter, Graham praises the "contagious optimism" in China, tells of being feted at a banquet, and seems to gloss over their human rights problem. As he did in Russia, Graham, instead of solely helping the persecuted, praises the persecutors.

KAREN MAINS INTO NEW AGE SHAMANISM?—Karen Mains, wife of Chapel of the Air radio host David Mains, is a popular speaker at women’s confer-ences. She chairs Intervarsity Christian Fel-lowship’s USA board of trustees. In a new book, Lonely No More, she tells of acquiring a per-sonal spirit guide and contacting, through vis-ualization, what occultist Carl Jung calls "the idiot child within," whom she identifies as "Jesus Christ." (2/94 TBC). Many evangelicals today seem open to psychological delusions.

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