Equal Opportunity Offender

I love people, but I am not terribly sociable.  I am friendly and always say hello, but I feel awkward as soon as the small talk begins, always have.  I have strong convictions and I make every effort to live by them.  I do long for greater fruit of the Spirit regarding gentleness, as I tend to be rather forthright and blunt.  My attitude is changing though, as to how to direct the gentleness I would like to display in my life.  There are a few groups of folks that I will no longer be handling with kid gloves.  I've really been heavy hearted about the children of this nation and world and it's time all the adults with a voice, wise up and speak up.

I've been noticing for years now, the so called "tolerant" are most intolerant of anyone with convictions.  I no longer care if you tolerate me or not, I'm not giving up my convictions.  Last Friday, when the SCOTUS declared their self-exaltation to overrule Scripture, I noticed two things immediately.  It seemed the colorful "party favors" at the taxpayers expense were already in place.  Nobody is going to convince me that all those colored lights were ordered and installed that same day!  Second, I realized all the states that had voted down same sex marriage have been overruled by five people who were never elected.  Americans are not represented in the government, and the three branches do not keep each other in check, at all!

Once those ideas settled in, I then became very politically aware that I needed to add the word "rainbow" to my sentence describing the White House as now the Colored House.  More political correctness.  Which of course, brought me to how very far we've NOT come, racially.  Rather than everyone living and letting live, we've found even more ways to be racially divided and offended.  The race card continues to be well played and this brown woman is sick and tired of it!  Racism is wrong, reverse racism is wrong.  Children are not born racist.  Racism is taught by very small minded people and reverse racism is rallied, also by very small minded people.

As for all the new gender bender identity issues, I'm just not playing.  I still remember when Bruce Jenner won the Gold in 1976.  He'll never be anyone but Bruce to me. and I refuse to use female pronouns.  He's openly referred to still having "that little thing" and has not discussed "reassignment" surgery.  So, although he may refer to his male genitalia as "that little thing" when it comes to sexual identity, size doesn't matter.  If you have male genitalia, you are a "he."  If you came equipped with female anatomy, you are a "she."  In all this sexually open talk in our society, it's very simple.  I'll use plumbing and electrical terms.  Parts that point outward and fit into another part is male.  Fittings that are hollow and connect around another part are female.  See how easy that is!  Any questions?  

Now as for gay marriage.  Sexual sin is rampant in many forms and the Bible has quite a bit to say about heterosexual sin.  I've not participated in homosexual sin, but I've certainly been guilty of heterosexual fornication, and that's sin also.  Torah does allow for divorce, so all I can say is, I've repented, I've been forgiven.  I've worn mixed threads in my clothing, but I stopped doing that too, and yes I've had, probably, just about every non-kosher meat there is, but I've repented and kept kosher now for 20 years, and fornication went out the window even before I became Torah observant.

I was under the impression, truly I was, that becoming a Christian meant Torah no longer applied.  I've since seen the light, repented and been forgiven.  Homosexual sin is not the unpardonable sin, but it is sin and the only way to be forgiven is to repent.  Now I'm a married heterosexual in a very strained and estranged relationship.  We are not equally yoked spiritually, and mutually not attracted to each other, but Mr. B does not want a divorce, so since I'm still legally married, sex with anyone else would be adultery.  I've been living celibate for 8 years now, and I'm still alive to tell about it.  Regardless of the changes in the law to accommodate the LGBT, etc. it's just never going to be enough!  "Suck it up buttercup" and stop all your sniveling!  Several years before this last marriage I was celibate.  I've found myself attracted to other men, but acting upon that attraction would be sin.

And stop comparing this to civil rights for blacks.  It is not the same!  It's not even comparing apples to oranges!  Skin color is a physical characteristic, sexual behavior is a choice.  So, LGBT, nobody is telling you have to like the opposite sex, it's just sin if you keep having sex with the same sex.   I refer to myself as a disenfranchised heterosexual.  Add that one to the gender identity glossary.

So Elohim created man in His own image, in the image of Elohim created He him; male and female created He them.  Torah of Holy Scripture

Pervasive Perversion

While we look at ISIS, illegal immigration, and Operation Jade Helm 15, I see a true nemesis.  The true nemesis is the Agenda of Perversion masquerading in our society, as sexual tolerance and anti-bullying.  This so called tolerance is tolerant of everything except chaste decorum, and as for anti-bullying, I think the Oregon Supreme Court has spoken volumes in defense of bullying against those who are just living their life and not trying to hurt anyone.  I've struggled with writing this article, because on many levels, it hits entirely too close to home.  As far as I know, homosexuality is not a family issue yet, but we've had our own brand of justification for a number of years now, from shotgun weddings to illegitimate births, to my own personal divorce statistics.  The gay agenda may be the straw that breaks the camel's back, but this nation and world have been on a slippery slope of immorality for a very long time, and the perversion is much more pervasive than just the LGBT.

Although I am not an advocate of sinning, sadly; I am still not perfect.  I believe in resting on the Sabbath and keeping a kosher diet, as well as the other commandments of Torah regarding personal behavior, which includes sexual behavior.  I do not believe Messiah came to change the Instructions for righteous living.  He came to set the example for righteous living and bring redemption.  Obeying the Laws of G-d does not earn one the right to be a child of G-d.  His grace is what affords us to be His children, and grateful gracious children strive to obey.  It seems obvious, at least here in America, that ignoring the Laws of our Creator is hazardous to our health, and thus to our society.  Willful disobedience, by definition is in fact; sin.

Now with that being said, which sins are causing the most problems?  Sexual issues seem to be the most problematic, on many levels.  Probably the biggest problem with sexual sin is it tends to affect the most people, and often makes more people.  When the concept of same-sex marriage was introduced, we were told, it would not affect those who do not embrace the concept.  That isn't true!  People are losing their businesses, their jobs, and their livelihoods; and the decision has yet to be rendered by the Supreme Court.  The public school system is openly declaring that LGBT does indeed affect everyone, not only in the reading curriculum, but in sports, using the restrooms, and even showers!  For whatever reason, sexual tolerance is being forced and there's just something wrong with that on a very base level.  If two lesbians can feel "mentally raped" for someone to stand by their beliefs, I think many of the rest of us can use that same term, as this aggressive sexual agenda is forced down our throat.  Aggressively targeting and attacking a Christian bakery is just as much bullying as picking on a feminine boy or a rugged tomboy at school.   But, alas, this sexual agenda began long before two lesbians started whining or before an Olympian doubted his sexuality.

I grew up in a time in which premarital sex was frowned upon by a generation who obviously had crossed that line in their own teenage years, and our generation was bringing the "sexual revolution."  Interestingly, revolution and revolting have the same root word, and sadly the revolution has brought revolting results.  This article is in no way intended to remove personal responsibility for the moral decline of this nation, but America made a serious mistake over a century ago, when marriage became legislatively governed, thus ceasing to be sacred.  Oh, I know, we all heard that single line as the preacher officiates: "joined in the sight of G-d," but once marriage involved a state license, we had mingled holy with profane.  Now, all these years later, the Supreme Court of the land has already determined it has the right to rule on Scripture, and the social validity thereof.

With the sexual revolution came a sexual openness in our society, that included pornography.  Or perhaps, it was the pornography industry that "inspired" the sexual openness, I can't speak with true knowledge on that subject.  What I do know, is television programming became more blatant, movies were often filled with a great deal of sexual content as the rating system became blurred, and then cable brought sexuality openly into everyone's living room.  All of that was gaining momentum through last century.  The internet has made pornography available in a simple click of the mouse.  I was not raised with a father who read Playboy, but my uncle did, and provided my cousins with their own copy.  I still remember the shocking find in helping them unpack when they moved.

I was born to teenaged parents, who eloped and undoubtedly prayed for a late arrival.  I grew up, with my own set of hang-ups about that, so I decided to do it differently.  I had intended to be a single mom, but ultimately decided my child should grow up in a two parent household . . . I got that wrong, in several attempts.  I am now living undivorced and celibate with a disabled husband in what has been the longest marriage of my life . . . Considering my track record, I know this is somehow the result of the law of sowing and reaping, or as some would say; "comeuppance."   Each generation in our society appears to only intensify their stand against Torah.  The current status of society indicates my family is no exception to the rule, or substandard to the general population in America, but we've certainly done nothing to raise the standard!  By the time I came to a covenant relationship with our Creator, my kids had been raised pretty permissively.

I know a woman who is nearly 40 and married, while working in the rather kinky end of the adult entertainment industry.  She's not a dancer or stripper, nuff said there, except she has mentioned two things I find very spiritually haunting.  One, after reading my book, "Can We All Be Wrong?" I did what I thought was mentor, encourage her to read the Bible, and answer her questions, but in looking back . . . At any rate she said she realized homosexuality was wrong. Although she didn't feel led to that lifestyle, had always supported their right, until reading what was written in Leviticus.  The next year, I saw photos of her with her teen aged daughters attending a gay pride parade.  The second thing about this individual is her insistence in discussing her career and perspective with someone she knows doesn't want to hear about it.  This sexual agenda is so aggressive.  Anyway, in one of our few conversations since she's embraced the darkness, she mentioned doing some modeling . . . I can't help but wonder, now, when I see some of the illustrations of the Harlot of Babylon, if she indeed has done some modeling.

My parents generation said, you could sanctify fornication with a marriage license.  My generation said divorce and cohabitation are fine . . . The generation we raised now says anything goes, and we're going to force it on everyone . . . What will be the stand of the next generation?   Or will society even survive the absence of a moral standard?  So far, there is no evidence that a society can survive this sort of moral breakdown.  

If I were to do it all over again, or if anyone were listening to my advice, I would suggest a religious ceremony, only without a state license, and not on a Sabbath.  Then a legal change of name for the bride, and do not use the children as tax deductions . . .

And even as they did not like to retain G-d in their knowledge, G-d gave them over to a reprobate mind . . . Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful . . . Who knowing the judgment of G-d, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.  ~  letter to Rome

The New Progressive Tolerance

Is it just me, or does it seem tolerance has been redefined to be very judgmental of those who are not considered "progressive?"  I've known many church ladies that cannot hold a candle to the judgmental comments coming forth from those who claim to be "tolerant."  "Open-mindedness" seems to be very selective in what is considered open minded, and any disagreement with said "open-mindedness" is labeled some sort of phobia or hate speech.  I saw some meme this week in social media addressing the old adage "you can't judge a book by it's cover" in new terms slamming the religious while applauding the tattooed.  Suffice it to say, we all make decisions that do not always meet with approval, and often many of us actually have regrets about our own decisions, therefore; try to warn others . . .

I can honestly say, the most judgmental person I have ever met has tattoos, smokes, drinks, and even touts a career in the adult entertainment industry.  There's just something mind boggling about listening to a woman with a raspy smoker's voice, beer in one hand and cigarette in the other, sporting visible tattoos; while she analyzes and labels everyone who isn't aligned with her own self-assured standard.  Once, as I listened to her drone on, I formed the mental image of Dana Carvey's "church lady" and this woman discussing world events, sexuality, and religion, head to head or toe to toe, as the case may be.  It's as if she is the antithesis of the church lady, just as devout in her own perspective.  This individual is also filter-free with an abundant vocabulary, so she truly inspired my mental image of a parody.  Although I give this example, there are several individuals who judge by a standard other than Scripture or religious, but the religious seem to frequently be the target of their judgment.

There are of course, others in society who receive judgment, as well.  We've all heard someone who judges a single welfare mom while taking advantage of their employer, or scamming disability . . .  I'm not applauding welfare, since it has become an albatross on this society, as there is now no shame in collecting the benefits for which others have worked.  There used to be a term called situational ethics, that was not perceived to be a good thing.  It's been years since I've heard that term, but it seems to now be the status quo in our society.

When right and wrong is determined simply by which end of the stick one seems to be holding, social mores have already slipped away.   When those who hold themselves up to no accountability, stand in judgment of others, society has given way to what is Scripturally referred to as a seared conscience.  In a world of digital definitions, and Googling experts, the times they are truly changing and there will be no real record of the change . . . as the standard continues to decline in the name of progressive tolerance.  Interestingly it is in the book of Judges we can find the precise definition of what our society calls "progressive."

. . . every man did that which was right in his own eyes.  History of Holy Scripture