Do you support the release of suspected terrorists? Are you concerned for their safety? Like it or not the answer is “yes” if you are a member of the ELCA.
The following is an “Advocacy Action Alert” from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. - “A message of thanks to Uruguay for opening its doors to Guantanamo detainees On Sunday, December 7, six detainees who had been held for 12 years at Guantanamo Bay were resettled as refugees in Uruguay. These Syrian, Tunisian, and Palestinian men were detained but never charged. Their release has taken multiple years, but due to the kindness of the Uruguayan government, they are finally in a safe place. In taking seriously the moral imperative to welcome the stranger -- something that the United States has been unwilling to do with Guantanamo detainees who pose no threat to national security nor to the communities to which they would be resettled -- the Uruguayan government has displayed leadership and is a positive example to the U.S. and the rest of the international community. Uruguay’s actions are to be commended. Lutherans, whose collective commitment to welcoming the stranger is evident in both our teaching and practice, are especially grateful to the Uruguayan government for opening its doors to these individuals. We continue to pray for the closure of Guantanamo Bay and the resettlement of detainees who have the right for release. We also give praise to all countries that decide to show courage and leadership as Uruguay has done.” (see here) Somehow I doubt these ELCA leaders would act on their (warped) commitment “to welcome the stranger” by giving these suspected terrorists shelter in their own homes.
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Last week I reported on actions the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is actively taking against the state of Israel (read here). The ELCA's Presiding Bishop outlines two of these steps in a recent interview this way, “We also engage in selective purchasing. So we not only try to trade with the Palestinian Authority, but we do not purchase produces made in the illegal Israeli settlements.” And “We've urged our government not to engage in grants to the state of Israel while the settlements are going on.” In other words, the ELCA is boycotting products made by Jews living in Judea and Samaria (or what the ELCA calls the West Bank and Gaza) and stopping financial aid to Israel. Earlier this year, a speech was given during a UCLA Undergraduate Students' Association Council meeting. The council was considering a resolution which called for the university to divest from businesses that, in their words, “profit from the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.” The following speech could have been and should be given to the leadership and members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Here it is - “My name is Ben Shapiro. I'm an alumnus of this university. I'm also a local talk show host on 870 [AM] in the morning, and I got out of bed and left my one month old baby there when I saw what was going on here tonight. I've never been more ashamed to be a Bruin. I've never been more ashamed to be an alumnus of this university than to see this divestment petition being considered at this level. To pretend this is about occupation, to pretend this is about peace, to pretend that this anything other than vile, spiteful Jew hatred is a lie! There is only one reason we are discussing Israel and not discussing Saudi Arabia. There is only one reason we are discussing Israel and not discussing Iran. There is only one reason we are discussing Israel and not discussing Palestine. There is only one reason we are discussing Israel and not discussing the vast bevy of human rights violations that happen every day in the Middle East, exponentially worse that what happens in Israel. Any gay or lesbian that is targeting Israel in this room seems to have forgotten how high they hang gays from cranes in Iran. Every person of liberal bent who suggests that Israel is the problem in the Middle East seems to have forgotten that there is only one country in the Middle East that actually has any sort of religious diversity in it. The countries that are apartheid countries are those that are Judenrein (a Nazi term that means 'clean of Jews.') -- like, for example, Palestine. So, for us to sit here and pretend that Israel is somehow on a lower moral plane is a direct manifestation of anti-Semitism. And to hold Jews to a different moral standard than any other country or group on the face of the earth represents nothing but an age-old and historic hatred for the Jewish people. All the folks here who are pretending that the B.D.S is about anything other than that, I would like to see a poll of those folks, and see how many of them actually believe in the existence of a Jewish state, qua-Jewish state, not as a state like any other, but as a Jewish state. They don't. They don't acknowledge that existence. They don't believe in that existence. They don't believe in peace. All this is about, pure and simple, is a desire to target the Jewish people.” Here is a video of the speech - The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recently was interviewed on a Pro-Hezbollah TV station (see article here) and during the interview she outline the different actions the ELCA has taken to hurt the Israeli democracy and the Jewish people:
It should be noted that the term "illegal settlements" is a false notion but it is useful for those anti-Israeli actors who are trying to garner sympathy as they try to remove Israel from Israeli land. (read more about that in an excellent article here) Here is the Presiding Bishop's television interview: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America begs for YOUR money in a new video saying, "When we launched 'Always Being Made New,' the campaign for the ELCA, we envisioned all of us, every synod, congregation and member coming together to achieve things we never thought possible." --- The ELCA's Oregon Synod promotes the People's Climate March in Portland. (read here) ---
Guess what Lutheran Denomination is NOT served by Lutherans For Life? (find out here) --- Showing their satanic inspired stupidity the World Council of Churches, of which the ELCA is a member, Demands Israel Release Terrorists. The article states “The World Council of Churches (WCC) is holding its annual 'World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel' (WWPPI) this week, calling on Israel to release jailed terrorists - despite the severity of their crimes and the abundance of terrorists immediately returning to terror.” (read here) Critical comments from readers printed in The Lutheran to the ELCA/publishers of the magazine:
"Not buying it I am all for elevating people out of poverty (July, page 16). But I do not share your cheerleading enthusiasm that paints economic inequality as demonic injustice. Nor do I share your animosity toward the so-called '1 percent.' I thought the Bible was a staunch critic of envy. Oh, I forgot this is all Democratic Party talking-points. Carry on. The Rev. John R. Thompson Treasure Island, Fla." (read here) "Enough already Marty’s article distracts from, rather than enriches, our worship of God. Why would it bother anyone to think of God in masculine terms? Is God ever referred to in the Bible as anything but 'he'? We cannot make God over to fit our human terms because God is God. Traditional hymns in Evangelical Lutheran Worship have already been reworded to avoid masculine pronouns for God. Now this. Enough. Hildegard P. Lamparter Lititz, Pa." (read here) “Politicized gospel The recent visit by ELCA bishops to Congress (May, page 4) reminds all yet again of church leaders’ devotion to a politicized, self-absorbed gospel. Peter advises Christ’s followers to 'always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.' Confident believers answer by boldly confessing Christ crucified and raised from the dead. But our bishops’ hope centers on convincing lawmakers to spend other people’s money on the ELCA’s lofty causes. Cheap grace indeed. Cliff Hadley Huron, S.D." (read here) “Law and gospel Once again Marty shows that neither he nor this denomination is in any way, shape or form Lutheran (May, page 3). Instead of discussing 'The Ten Words' as the law, which serves as a curb, a guide and principally a mirror, he denigrates obedience to them (which sinners can never fully achieve). Funny how Jesus told those whom he healed to 'go and sin no more.' God does command us to do things we cannot do. That’s why God fulfilled the law himself for us (the gospel). Drew Kornreich Los Alamos, N.M." (read here) If you are Lutheran, you have probably heard of Lutheran Social Services (LSS). In fact, your church may support Lutheran Social Services. Many orthodox, conservative Lutheran churches as well as liberal, non-Biblical Lutheran churches financially fund them.
Lutheran Services in America (LSA) says it is an “alliance of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, (and) The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod" and these two denominations are "active in LSA's governance, provide grant support, designate staff liaisons to LSA, and collaborate programmatically with LSA.” (read here) Lutheran Social Services operates in many states and are member organizations of LSA. (read here) With that said, you need to know what you and/or your church may be supporting.
I suggest each of us ask our pastor and church council if our church or denomination supports or cooperates with Lutheran Social Services. If they do, share this blog with them. This week a federal judge threw out a 10 year old constitutional amendment, approved by the people of Oregon, banning same-sex marriage. A gleeful ELCA bishop, Dave Brauer-Rieke, went to the newspaper to proclaim his support for the federal judge's action. Bishop Brauer-Rieke of the Oregon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, in an obvious attempt to draw in new parishioners and money to the crumbling denomination, writes, “My church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the largest Lutheran denomination in the U.S., has always and unwaveringly supported civil rights for all people. This includes individuals who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender . . . This past weekend, our Assembly of Oregon congregations overwhelmingly affirmed the freedom to marry for same-gender couples in Oregon. Thank you, Judge McShane, for doing the right thing.”
Bishop Brauer-Rieke than writes that the “Assembly of Oregon Lutherans also passed a resolution 'to stand in opposition to any and all attempts to legalize discrimination in the name of religious freedom.'" In other words, if you are a Christian business person, the ELCA synod rejects your right to refuse to participate in a gay wedding or to refuse to hire a transsexual. Bishop Brauer-Rieke writes, “In the public realm, Christians do not pick and choose.” (read here) Thank you, Bishop and the Oregon Synod, for letting us know that your denomination stands against and is leading the charge against the religious rights of Bible-believing Christians. Last week, Holy Week, the Metropolitan New York Synod embarked on an effort to encourage people on social media (see April 18th post here) to visit an exhibit called “Stations Of The Cross: The Struggle For LGBT Equality.” The exhibit was held at St. John's Lutheran Church (ELCA) in New York City. This exhibit, that ties Christ's arrest and crucifixion to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights (LGBT), was promoted last year by Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. (WELCA) In a blog I wrote last year (see here) I describe some of the artwork and the artist's descriptions -
The artist's last painting is called “Station 15: Resurrection of Christ.” Here she paints our resurrected Lord and Savior along with two homosexuals, passionately kissing. (see exhibit here)
Why is this acceptable? ELCA Lobbies U.S. Gov't to Pay the Palestinian National Authority's Bill to ELCA's Federation4/8/2014 Thirty-two ELCA bishops went to Washington D.C. to lobby the U.S. Congress. What was on their agenda? They are attempting to get U.S. taxpayers to pay the Palestinian National Authority's bills to Augusta Victoria Hospital which is owned and operated by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a member of the Lutheran World Federation and helps fund the organization. So in essence, the ELCA wants the United States to pay them for the Palestinian Authority's bills. The Palestinian Authority owes over 18 million Euros ($25,000,000 U.S.) to the East Jerusalem hospital. The ELCA press release reports -
“Bishops will request that members of Congress urge the U.S. Agency for International Development to designate a portion of its bilateral support to the Palestinian National Authority to paying its debt to Augusta Victoria Hospital. The hospital is a program of The Lutheran World Federation, a global communion of 142 churches representing more than 70 million Christians in 79 countries. The ELCA is the communion's only member church from the United States.” For other policies for which the ELCA was advocating, read here. Check out what these ELCA Synods are bolstering:
The Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is proudly promoting in their synod newsletter:
The Rocky Mountain Synod's newsletter from a few months ago promoted:
Three ELCA synods in Illinois and Lutheran Social Services of Illinois promote Lutheran Advocacy—Illinois, a justice ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Among the issues they advocate for are:
Three readers stand up for truth and correct falsehoods published by the ELCA's official magazine saying -
- "There is a way to God I strongly disagree with the Rev. Dave Daubert's statement that 'there is no way to God' (October, page 28). In John 14:6, Jesus clearly states that he is the way. Ephesians 2:8 reminds us that we are saved by grace through faith. The faith response is absolutely essential — that is 'the way.' That may take the form of baptism, confirmation or a simple prayer expressing faith ('Lord, I believe, help my unbelief') and so on. Everyone's faith journey is unique and there is no set 'formula,' but there has to be a commitment to an ongoing relationship with our Lord. To say that we don't have a part in the equation takes away the personal responsibility we all have and dangerously implies we can just sit back, do nothing and all is OK. Dave Gale Auburn, Wash.” - "Inconsistent ethic The Rev. Bernard K. Kern's article about the death penalty (September, page 49) was well written and logical. But it is hard to get motivated on that subject while we continue to kill our children at a rate of about 23,000 per week. The sin of silence in the ELCA on abortion is very grievous. Dave Nelson Billings, Mont.” - “More than social work The study guide “Activism: 'Doing church' a new way" (November, page 26) seems to be saying that social work can be the main purpose of the church. The church is not just another social service agency. Its main purpose is to praise God, which is both our duty and our joy. It is also there to bring up children in the faith through baptism, Sunday school, worship services, communion, confirmation and youth groups, and to evangelize, as well as to do good works in the community and the world. If you get the faith right, it will produce good works, which is the evidence of faith. If works isn't there, go back and look at the faith of the church. It doesn't work the other way around — works doesn't lead to faith. Richard N. Bergesen West Chester, Pa.” (read here) The leadership of the ELCA ignores and maligns the Word of God. The above three readers expose this truth. As the evidence of a great deal of research within the work and writings of Exposing the ELCA reveals, those in leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America lack the ability to lead a Christ-following church. We want to acknowledge the challenging work of those, like the contributors above, who have spoken out courageously! The Director of Justice for Women of the ELCA (WELCA), Inez Torres Davis, doesn't like abstinence education. In a WELCA blog posted on their website she states, “there has been no evidence that abstinence-only sex education is effective for much of anything but making girls feel badly about themselves.” The studies show that she is wrong (see here).
Then, in complete disregard for what God has said, Inez Torres Davis writes: “I have no quarrel with the idea we should encourage our children to abstain from sexual activity until they reach a certain age or marriage. . .” Notice she says abstain “until they reach a certain age.” Really? Is that what the ELCA is teaching? Sex before marriage is okay? It wouldn't surprise me since the ELCA is fine with homosexual couples engaging in sex. Question: when was the last time you heard an ELCA leader say it is a sin for non-married individuals to be sexually active? Inez Torres Davis goes on to say, “that is how I raised my two daughters. They also received good sex education in their public school. But, I did not teach them that their remaining virgins would define their worth as a young woman. I did not teach them that keeping their virginity was more important than using their heads as well as their hearts.” Inez Torres Davis ends with this, “I believe we should all just say no! We should all just say no to abstinence-only sex education as it does nothing to protect the health of youth. On the contrary, it attacks the mental health of our youth and sends an oppressive message to both young women and men. Just say no!” (see here) In other words, WELCA is telling people, and at the very least endorsing the message, to “just say no” to God and His teaching. God says: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 - For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; Here are two more blogs by Exposing the ELCA featuring Inez Torres Davis (here and here). Tea Party supporters have come to expect liberals to call them names, denigrate them and try to weaken their influence. The mainstream media has been doing it for years. The scandal involving the IRS targeting Tea Party organizations grows bigger every week. Yet you wouldn't expect church leaders, who are supposed to be followers of Christ, to do this. But it happened just yesterday. A large synod in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) let the “cat out of the bag” and very clearly revealed just how it feels about the Tea Party. The Northern Texas - Northern Louisiana Mission Area, an ELCA synod representing 108 ELCA churches wrote this on their official synod Twitter account:
Below is my reply and the ELCA synod's next tweet:
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has been growing more and more liberal over the last decade. They have been moving away for the truth of Scripture and adopting the liberal agenda as their gospel. Even so, there are still hundreds of thousands of conservative members in the denomination and no doubt many supporters of the Tea Party. So the ELCA has had to, very slyly, implement their liberal agenda, much like a lion sneaking up on its prey, so as not to chase away their Bible-believing conservative members, who give quite generously to the church.
So in a refreshingly rare moment, out of anger toward my ministry, Exposing the ELCA, this synod of the ELCA jumped up and declared what they believe and feel about the Tea Party. The ELCA synod even said “don't we stand for everything they're against?” Tea Party supporters and conservatives within the almost 4 million member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, do you want to be a part of a denomination that thinks this way about you? A denomination that stands against everything you believe in? Honestly, I'd like to write about something different, but I can't. When the ELCA continually presents false information, encourages destructive sins and makes hateful resolutions, it must be exposed. So here I am writing about homosexuality again. I've written about the ELCA and homosexuality so many times this summer it seems almost constant. But the truth is that the ELCA is obsessed with homosexuality and the ELCA glowingly writes about it and talks about it and forces their opinion of it down their membership's throats. (see here, here, here and here)
The September 2013 issue of The Lutheran, the official magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, had a big article on homosexuality again, which presented this false justification for homosexuality to their ELCA readership, “There is no Greek or Hebrew word that corresponds exactly to our word 'homosexual.' You may have participated in a Bible study where the term was used. But that's a modern application of the word. The category or classification that we may refer to as homosexuality did not exist in biblical times. The few scriptural references to lusting or exploitative sexual behaviors between same- or differently gendered people have nothing to do with the abiding personal companionship, enduring love, shared intimacy, and trusting commitment of gay and straight couples who cherish such qualities in our day.” (read here) The ELCA hopes if they say homosexuality is “good” enough times, people will start to believe them instead of God's Word. The ELCA wants to indoctrinate church members into believing that the homosexual lifestyle is perfectly fine, that it is normal and the way God made those individuals to be. How else can you explain the ELCA's obsession with declaring to their members that homosexuality is to be considered normal? This plan has worked, to a great extent. When trusted pastors explain to their congregations that same-sex relationships are fine, people are going to believe them, especially those who have little Biblical knowledge. And when synod bishops say it, ELCA assemblies declare it, ELCA pastors claim it, ELCA seminaries and colleges teach it and ELCA publications expound on it, church members are going to start to believe it. Maybe not all members believe it immediately. There are some who have stayed with their ELCA congregation who know what God says in Scripture about same-sex relationships. They thought it wouldn't affect them or their local church, but they are constantly being fed this line of cow dung by the denomination. A majority of these members will succumb to the lie and will eventually view homosexuality as good. Sadly, many of the people have made an informed choice to stay in the denomination. They have known of the ELCA's departure from God's Word, but they have placed their lifelong loyalty, to a church building or friends, over what they know is true. They stay in churches despite knowing that the ELCA is teaching in opposition to Scripture. They justify it in their minds and they begrudgingly go down the path of acceptance because, after all, their parents and grandparents belonged to their church and are buried in the church cemetery. They can't leave their church, no matter what they are being taught. Whether we like it or not, followers end up emulating their leaders. Spiritual leaders have a great deal of influence. I do hope that people are willing to recognize how they are being influenced and take a stand for Truth, standing to their feet and walking out for the sake of what is far more important than tradition or generational loyalty, but instead out of obedience and allegiance to God. The 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly elected William Chris Boerger the new secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Rev. Boerger is the former bishop of the Northwest Washington Synod, a position he held for 12 years. He made a name for himself, over those twelve years, showing himself to be a vocal gay rights, liberal activist. So let me tell you more about the man the ELCA has voted to hold the second most powerful position in the denomination.
The Homosexual Rights Activist: Here is a statement made by Bishop Boerger to the Washington state Senate Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee: "Mr. Chairman, I am Chris Boerger, the bishop of the Northwest Washington Synod of the Evangelical Church in America . . . In 2009, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted to commit itself to find ways to allow congregations who choose to do so, to support and hold publicly accountable lifelong monogamous same gender relationships . . .One of the people who had questions about our doing this said, "Bishop, isn't that marriage?" And my response is, "Well, in everything but name." The reality is, the Lutheran church has always held that it is the state that defines what marriage is; it's the church that then blesses people who enter into that relationship. We have now stated our desire to bless those who are publicly accountable in lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships. We can't call it marriage, you can . . . we ask for that freedom." (see here, beginning at the 1:12:20 mark) The Lutheran LGBT rights organization ReconcilingWorks celebrated the election of Rev. Boerger to his new office and Executive Director, Emily Eastwood said, “Pr. Chris Boerger has been an ally for full participation for many years. His prophetic witness in favor of civil marriage equality for same-gender couples before the Washington State legislature was remarkable in its clarity. Chris ordained our own regional director, Pr. Kari Lipke, and has been an avid supporter of clergy in same-gender relationships as their bishop...We applaud his election and look forward to the ways in which we may partner with him in the years ahead.” (read here) ReconcilingWorks also reports that in 2012 “Bishop Chris Boerger said in his remarks closing the synod assembly that he pledged to continue speaking in favor of civil marriage equality until it became the law of the land in Washington State.” (read here) At a retirement party/roast for Bishop Boerger “Jan Nesse said that in this unique time to be the church she and the Bishop had more talks about sex than in all the years she taught sex education.” (read here) The Anti-Israel Activist: Bishop Boerger and Presiding Bishop-elect Elizabeth E. Eaton were two of 58 ELCA bishops who signed a letter to President Obama in 2009 concerning Israel and Palestinians. In the letter it was written, “We express profound concern at the stalemate that persists and at the fading hopes for a two-state solution due to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.” And “We urge the U.S. to insist upon an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land...” and “ The ELCA has long called for a halt to settlements, and we reiterate that call now with a deep sense of urgency.” (read here) The Environmental Activist: “ELCA Bishop Chris Boerger (NW WA) stated that it 'is “blatant sin” for human beings to fail to protect creation' (ELCA News Release 11/23/2010). Boerger represented ELCA bishops as leaders from 56 denominations and faith-based organizations called on the US Senate to leave intact the power of the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate pollutants.” (read here) Also, “Chris Boerger, who serves as bishop for the Northwest Washington Synod, came to Washington, D.C., as part of a delegation of senior religious leaders to speak to members of Congress and to Obama administration officials about a proposed gold and copper mine, which threatens the world’s largest wild salmon fishery in Bristol Bay, Alaska.” (read here) |
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Dan Skogen
Former ELCA seminary student and former ELCA member who is fed up with the ELCA's consistent mockery of God's Word. If you have been helped and blessed by Exposing the ELCA's ministry, please help us continue to proclaim the truth of God's Word to ELCA members who need to hear it.
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Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. - Ephesians 5:11
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