VOL. XIV  NO. 2  NEWS & VIEWS, NOTES & QUOTES, TO WARN & INFORM   January 15, 1997

GAY RIGHTS, OR GAY APPROVAL?—Dr. Richard Flanders writes in Frontline(Vol. 6, #6): "The gay rights movement as a whole is looking more for approval than for rights. The concept of 'gay marriage' as a legal status is a symbol of societal sanction. Should society sanction homosexuality? The homosexual lifestyle is degrading, depressing and disease-producing. As a group, homosexuals have a lower than average life expectancy. They are especially prone to contract AIDS and many other serious diseases. They are plagued by a high suicide rate. Counseling as a pastor has taught me much about the homosexual way of life; it is anything but gay. Why should society sanction homosexuality?"

MARILYN HICKEY'S 'PRAYER'—Marilyn Hickey co-pastors, with her husband, a large charismatic church in Denver. She has made 25 Bible-smuggling trips to China. But we are shocked by the irreverent "prayer" she prays each time she crosses the border (1/97 Charisma): "God, don't ruin Your reputation by letting me get caught."

CoMISSION UNITY BASED ON LAUSANNE COVENANT—The CoMission is a coalition of mostly New Evangelicals (Wheaton, Navigators, YFC, Campus Crusade, Moody, Cedarville, etc.) for teaching former Soviet Union educators Christian ethics and morality ("Character Education") for them to teach to students. A 1995 letter canceling the Protocol (see 6/1/95 CC), had negligible effect. Tongues-speaking CoMission members are asked to refrain from public exercise, but private exercise of tongues is permitted. An 11/22 paper from the Navigators CoMission stated the policy for dealing with doctrinal diversity: "All CoMission organizations and individuals must agree to the Lausanne Covenant. This provides for great commonality. CoMission training focuses on what we have in common and what we have to offer each other, not on different doctrines, traditions or gray areas." The Graham/Stott Lausanne Covenant is weak on Biblical inerrancy.

CCM'S CHAPMAN MOVES LEFTWARD—The 9/21 Tennessean said: "Gospel's biggest male star [Steven Curtis Chapman] has taken a radical left turn with his music." His new album is a lot closer to rock than to old-time religion. He asked his pastor about taking his songwriting in new directions, and said: "I was encouraged by my pastor to allow the songs to go in [this] direction." Chapman is "elder statesman" to rock/rap acts such as dc Talk and mainstream rock-crossover group Jars of Clay. He is on mainstream Billboard's chart. He said being 'safe,' would be the kiss of death, and: "The creative process can be a drug, and I'm becoming an addict."

GAMBLING FEVER DISEASE—Lottery fever is spreading worldwide. Gambling on planes and the Internet is increasing. The sad results are predictable. The number of Gamblers Anonymous groups in the U.S. has doubled since 1980 to 1,200. Gambling costs some states more than they receive (O Timothy). It is resulting in increased family breakup, suicide, crime, and overwhelming personal debt. It also causes increased embezzlement, insurance and credit card fraud, theft, bad checks, and domestic violence. Compulsive gamblers have an average gambling debt of $43,000, and 85 percent of them have stolen from employers to pay debts. Gambling is indeed a tax on the weak, the sick, and the poor.

ISLAM EXPOSEDThe Truth Seekers reported a debate between Dr. Robert Morey and Dr. Jamel Badawi, whom many Muslims consider the best debater for Islam (12/16 Chr. News). The report says: "Dr. Morey successfully demonstrated that Allah is not God, Muhammad was a false prophet, and the Qur'an is not the Word of God."

UN AGENDA IS GLOBAL TRANSFORMATION—Radical ideas were heard at the recent UN Food Summit. UN conferences reach beyond stated topics such as saving the earth, protecting children, eradicating poverty, empowering women, and feeding the poor. A 12/9 Christian News article cited the Marxist economics and social "equality" touted by the UN, and said: "No wonder the World Food Summit contract tells nations to "reallocate resources" as "required to ensure food for all--not through foreign aid but through total worldwide social and economic transformation." And: "It's already happening across America. Young and old are being trained to blend their values, adapt their beliefs, think as a group, and conform to the new standards. Like other nations, America is following the Pied Piper into a new world order whose architects may sound wise and compassionate, but are neither rational, factual, honest or tolerant."

ONE-WORLD CHURCH THIS YEAR?—Episcopal Bishop William Swing, the Communist Gorbachev Foundation, and certain Catholic and other leaders are collaborating on the New World Order's United Religions (UR) patterned after the UN (12/ 16 C.News). The UR is meant to be for religions what the UN is for nations. It is to be launched June 1997 with the writing of its charter, be in place by June 2000, and fully operational by June 2005. It will locate in San Francisco, and will be a "permanent gathering center where the world's religions engage in daily prayer, dialogue, and action for the good of all life on this earth." Antichrist, where are you!

FALWELL RESPONDS TO CT's 'SCATHING ATTACK'—Dr. Jerry Falwell in his Jan. '97 National Liberty Journal said Christianity Today magazine used its Dec. 9 issue to publish "an extremely negative article about Liberty University and Jerry Falwell." The CT article is pictured in the NLJ with a caption calling it "a scathing and unfounded article aimed at damaging Falwell and Liberty." Loyal friend and former Falwell aide Dr. Ed Dobson, who is now a Senior Editor of CT, defended Falwell in a "letter of rebuke" to CT Executive Editor David Neff. Falwell accused the article's author of "deceitful and unprofessional behavior." He said: "Some feel the magazine [CT] has shifted its theological thrust leftward." Dr. Falwell's complaints seem valid, but it is ironic that CT's founder and current Board Chairman is Dr. Billy Graham who is to bring the LU commencement address in May.

IFCA, MacARTHUR, & DOCTRINAL INTEGRITY—John MacArthur has signed the IFCA doctrinal statement even though he contradicts it in his public tapes and writings. Three examples: 1) The Two Natures of the Believer. IFCA Statement: "We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit." MacArthur: "I believe it is a serious misunderstanding to think of the believer as having both an old and new nature...there is no such thing as an old nature in the believer" (Freedom From Sin--Rom. 6-7, p31-32). 2) The Extent of the Atonement. IFCA Statement: "We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for all mankind as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice." MacArthur: "He is the Substitute only for those who believe....In the substitutionary sense He bore only the sins of those who ultimately would put their faith in Him (Tape GC 47-36). 3) The Eternal Sonship of Christ. IFCA Statement: "We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God." MacArthur: "The Bible nowhere speaks of the eternal Sonship of Christ...only from His incarnation has He been Son. He was not a son until He was born into this world" (Hebrews comm., 1:4-5). Can the IFCA leadership ignore such glaring contradictions? Apparently so. The 6/97 IFCA national convention will be at the Word of Life facilities (NY), with John MacArthur as main speaker!

'COMMITMENTS' DON'T ALWAYS CONVERT—Dr. R. L. Hymers writes: "In May Billy Graham received the Congressional Gold Medal from Pres. Clinton. Although 74% of Americans say they have 'made a commitment to Jesus Christ' (per a recent Gallup Poll), Dr. Graham said to the President and Congress, 'We are a society poised on the brink of self destruction.' No one seemed to notice the irony of this statement. How could a nation where 74% of the people are committed to Jesus Christ possibly be on the brink of self destruction? The only conclusion one can logically draw is that these 'commitments' have not converted the vast majority of our people."

SBC REPORT AVAILABLE FROM SWORDSword of theLord editor Dr. Shelton Smith has run a 2-part series on the Southern Baptist Convention showing that SB conservatives are not so conservative after all. Some state conventions are still largely controlled by the moderates/liberals. This series, with other info, is available in booklet form for $1.95 + postage. Call 1-800-24-SWORD. This is especially timely, in the wake of Dr. Falwell's recent defection to the SBC.

FASTING & PRAYER '96 MEETING—Bill Bright's Fasting and Prayer gathering met in St. Louis, Nov. 14-16. In its third year, this nationwide event was called Mission America Fasting and Prayer '96. It was the largest yet, drawing almost 4,000. Many religious denominations were represented. NAE president Don Argue and Adrian Rogers (SBC) were there. Paul Cedar is chairman of the super ecumenical Mission America. ACCC exec. dir. Dr. Ralph Colas attended with press credentials, and will have a report ready in a few weeks (ACCC, PO Box 19, Wallingford, PA 19086). He said Bright made fasting a public matter rather than a private one. Dr. Cathy Burns says: "To broadcast a fasting event seems to go against the Scripture that says we shouldn't appear in public as though we are fasting." She has a tape exposing Bill Bright and Jay Gary ministries, and a lot of other literature (212 E. 7th St., Mt. Carmel, PA 17851).

GENE EDWARDS A MYSTIC?—Dr. Tim Lee's 9/89 CORE conference featured some ecumenical and new-evangelical speakers. Gene Edwards (SBC background) was a listed speaker. He promotes "deeper life," and his writings seem to border on the mystical realm. He promotes books by Madame J. Guyon, a French mystic/quietist, and an apparent Roman Catholic (see 7/1/89 CC). The 11/96 Berean Call, commenting on a tape by Edwards, said: "Edwards is obviously a mystic who applies his own esoteric meaning to words." It termed certain of his strange teachings as "heresy."

MARIOLATRY—Mary worship and apparitions are on the rise. Some Catholics say she turns the chains of their rosaries to gold. She receives the daily devotions of Pope John Paul II who says she saved him from an assassin's bullet in 1981 (12/21 H. Times). In Mexico, millions still crowd a shrine built to honor her five visits in 1531. A new book says "there is no question that in Mexico, God is a woman." Per a paper by Roman Catholics (Fatima Crusader, Sum. '96): "Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven and we will one day join Her if we make our Five First Saturdays in reparation to Her, for She promises to assist with the graces necessary for salvation all those who do so." Roman Catholicism is a soul-damning, false-gospel religion.

BARTH & TILLICH—The 11/11 Christian News said Swiss theologian Karl Barth was a modernist, the founding father of Neo-orthodoxy. It said he had a close romantic involvement with Charlotte von Kirschbaum for 35 years. CN said Barth repudiated historic Christianity and denied such doctrines as the resurrection of Christ. Yet he is widely considered the most influential Protestant theologian of the 20th century. Christianity Today, the flagship new-evangelical magazine, praises him as does Billy Graham who said the world needs more theologians like Barth. *** Similarly, CN said Paul Tillich rejected the Trinity, did not believe in a personal God, and led an adulterous lifestyle. His liberal admirers excused his infidelities and called him the "Twentieth Century's Greatest Lutheran Theologian." He was one of former Pres. Jimmy Carter's four favorite theologians.

NewsNotes—Trans World Radio founder Dr. Paul Freed died Dec. 1 after long illness (12/16 CN). * * * Multnomah Bible College president Dr. Joe Aldrich is resigning in May for health reasons. He has Parkinson's disease. * * * Former Falwell lieutenant Ed Hindson is listed as a speaker in the Jan. '97 Charisma for a charismatic "Abiding in the Anointing'97" conference.

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