Marxaethists

Most atheists when thinking about the existence of all things have to believe in an ordering of them (things/matter) apart from God. Some process must take place apart from intelligent design! In terms of governing themselves, Christopher Hitchens claims, in a recent debate hosted by Christianity Today, you practically have to be an atheist to be a communist, which I am in agreement. All heavily leaning social type governments whether it is Marxism, communism or socialism have at their foundation atheism. Social justice is the duty of the state apart from God! What about Capitolist? Can you be an atheist and a capitalist? In his book Money, Greed, and God Jay Richard says this

"…the key source of material wealth in a modern market economy is immaterial. It’s spiritual. Wealth is created when our creative freedom is allowed to prosper in a free-market environment undergirded by the rule of law and suffused with a rich moral culture."

 Can any governing principle that has for itself an undergirding of the rule of law suffused with any kind of morals be attributed to or from anyone embracing atheism? In Is Christianity Good for the World Douglas Wilson writes in response to Hitchens

"…you now tell us that we have an innate predisposition to both good and wicked behavior…what warrant you have for calling some behaviors “good” and others “wicked”."

And..

"Your notion of morality, and the evolution it rode in on, can only be concern itself with what is. But morality as Christians understand it, and the kind you surreptitiously draw upon , is concerned with ought...You believe yourself to live in a universe where there is no such thing as any fixed ought or ought not."

Finally…

"If there is no God, then who cares?"

According to Wilson atheist have no rational basis for calling anything good or bad, furthermore given atheism ‘Who cares’! Thus, it would seem to me, the core principles capitalism cannot be achieved under atheistic principles and thereby capitalism cannot be achieved under those governing according to those principles. Can atheists live under such rule? Will the propensity to breakdown the very principles in such a capitalist society be too great (or should I say to innate)?

You may say that capitalism with its ingredients of competition, private property, self interest, and free market principles can stand on their own without God. This is obviously an idolatrous delusion; left to our own the affects of sin only lead to death. I leave this thought with this:

"I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." - Alexis de Tocqueville

See the post Timber Wolf Poo and Rabbit Poo on Doug Wilson's Blog for one the best recent posts regarding this issue!

The Sieve 12/29/09

The Lighter Side
For you hunters out there...here is a snippet from Ray Ortlund's Blog: The Lordship of Christ over the whole of life

The Heavier Side (Parental Advisory)
See this story on Abortion from Kevin DeYoung's blog: Why I Made a (Small) Year-End Gift to a Crisis Pregnancy Center, and You Should Consider Doing Something Similar
Take some time read it and look at some of these other articles regarding the temprature of this issue in our country right now!
Senate votes for massive funding for elective abortions
President Obama Signs Budget, Which Lifts DC Abortion Ban
 Women Speak out Against Stupak Amendment
And this story from a dear friend and relative of mine: Some "life" reading

Quote for the Day - Politics
The president said that the health care package that cleared the Senate was the most important social legislation since Social Security. Which was, as my daughter Rachel put, like saying we haven't had weather this good since Katrina. - Posted by Douglas Wilson on BLOG and MABLOG

Emergent Noise
Scot McKnight of Jesus Creed Blog on Universalism via Tony Jones blog: Talk of Universalism

"Is Christianity Good for the World" -- Review of Hitchens & Wilson's book

Is Christianity Good for the World?


A debate

This 67 page debate hosted by Christianity Today turned book and documentary Collision is foreworded by Jonah Goldberg, a secular Jew. Published by Canon Press whose review quotes “Put two contrarians together and shake well.” writes this about Hitchens and Douglas.

Christopher Hitchens is a popular journalist and the author of several books, including God is Not Great. A regular contributor to Vanity Fair, The Atlantic Monthly, and Slate, Hitchens has also appeared on The Daily Show, Charlie Rose, and C-Span’s Washington Journal. He was named one of the world’s “Top 100 Public Intellectuals” by Foreign Policy and Britain’s Prospect. Currently, Hitchens resides in Washington, D.C.

Douglas Wilson is a pastor of Christ Church (Moscow, Idaho) and a Senior Fellow at New Saint Andrews College. A prolific writer, he is the author of Letter from a Christian Citizen, Reforming Marriage, and Heaven Misplaced: Christ’s Kingdom on Earth, among others. He and his wife Nancy have three children and a myriad of grandkids.

The Captions under each of their pictures on the cover of the sister documentary Collision read this:

“Christianity is a wicked cult, and it’s high time we left it behind” (Hitchens)

 and

“There are two tenants of Aetheism. One there is no god. Two, I hate him.” (Wilson)

This book reads almost as quickly as the documentary but obviously is more dissectible in literary form…good thing too, both these guys are way out of my league. I watched the documentary and read the book as if I were hanging on the shirt tails of an Olympic sprinter. Both are extremely witty, intelligent and worth reading. As usual I will give only a few of my brief observations and the rest of the post will be some quotes from the book. In my humble but deadly accurate opinion Hitchens bit off a little more than could chew with Wilson. If you have seen Collision the book follows the same ol’ story that…the book is always better!

“I hope I may be forgiven for declining to believe that another human being can tell me what to do, in the most intimate details of my life and mind, and to further dictate these terms as if acting as proxy for a supernatural entity. This tyrannical idea is very much older than Christianity, of course, but I do sometimes think that Christians have less excuse for believing, let alone wishing, that such a horrible thing could be true.” (Hitchens pg. 25)

“Given your atheism, what account are you able to give that would require us to respect the individual? How does this individualism of yours flow from the premises of atheism? Why should anyone in the outside world respect the details of your though life any more than they respect the internal churnings of any other given chemical reaction?” (Wilson pg29)

“We are simply reluctant to say that , if religious faith falls—as we believe it must and to some extent already has—then the undergirding of decency falls also. And we do not fail to notice that a corollary is in play: The manner in which religion makes people behave worse than they might otherwise have done.” (Hitchens pg.45)

“What I want to know (still) is what warrant you have for calling some behaviors “good” and others “wicked.” If both are inated, what distinguishes them?...With regard to your retort that my “talent for needless complexity” has simply gotten me “God’s coexistence with evil,” I reply that I would rather have my God and the problem of evil than your no God and “Evil? No problem!”” (Wilson pg.55)

Further Reviews on Discerning Reader

The Sieve 12/22/09

Christmas

That's Christmas
This from Justin Taylor's Blog:
An evangelistic short film (10 minutes) from St. Helen’s Bishopgate in London on whether or not the Christmas story happened and what it means—featuring New Testament scholar Paul Barnett:


That's Christmas (Short Film) HD from St Helen’s Church on Vimeo.

Also this from The Gospel Coalition regarding Christmas by Tullian Tchividjian "The Great Reversal"
Here is a snippet:

We who believe the gospel will enjoy sinless hearts and minds along with disease-free bodies. All that causes us pain and discomfort will be destroyed, and we will live forever. We’ll finally be able “to enjoy what is most enjoyable with unbounded energy and passion forever.”

Christmas is the celebration of this process begun and the promise that it will one day be completed.

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Prayer

Here is the link to a series on prayer from the resurgence site. The latest installment -- Intercessory Prayer: Standing Between Two Extremes by Winfield BevinsActs 29 Pastor - Outer Banks, North Carolina. Here is a snippet:
Jesus the Ultimate Intercessor
There are numerous examples of individuals in the Bible who accepted the challenge to intercede on behalf of others, but the greatest example of intercession can be seen in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us, "Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).

Jesus still sits at the right hand of God and continually makes intercession on our behalf. Jesus' intercession isn't just a prayer that he prayed, but the life that he lived. Everything he said and did was for us! The essential meaning of the cross is Christ's mediation for all who would be saved. The Bible tells us, "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). True intercession begins by following Jesus' example of self-giving, and then flows into fervent prayer for the lives of others.
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Politics

While it is true that most all democratic senators don't care what is in the health care bill. It is more clear they don't believe in it, proven by the fact the last of the holdouts leveraged to be exempt from many of it's provisions. It this is toted to be the best piece of legislation emerge in American History then why do they want to be exempt from it? It's worse than that! While some surface dwellers say that these Senators were just serving there constituents but an article by The Foundary reveals they are worse than their democrat counterparts. Read Michigan And Nebraska: The Senate Leadership Has Got A Deal For You! .

Also a Political Christmas Jingle:

Mark Driscoll's - Pastor Dad

Pastor Dad – Scriptural insights on fatherhood, by Mark Driscoll.

A good one line description of the scope of Mark Driscoll’s Pastor Dad can be found in the first sentence of chapter 8 (pg.39)

“To many Christians, the principles I have articulated may seem obvious, but they are nothing short of revolutionary in our day”.

The book contains a preface, eight chapters, and a short autobiography by Mark Driscoll. The subtitle says it all; it is a book full of scriptural insights on fatherhood mostly from the Proverbs. It has a simple format, it’s articulated well, is full of scripture and is extremely practical. Surprisingly it has very few stories for being so pastoral in nature. I would encourage young fathers to read it for its basic but profound insights, Old parents to read it for its generational and ongoing wisdom, single men and women for its insights that wisdom leans to the future i.e. self responsibility, marriage, fatherhood and motherhood, generational gospel movement, etc., and finally to Men and Elders for its practical insight that

“the road to the pastorate passes through the home.” (pg.41).

The following are a few quotes and insights by chapter to help you get a flavor for the book…enjoy!

The Sieve 12/8/09

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY:
See the resurgence blog for Mark Driscolls exerpt on Daddy's being prepared for the Christmas Season. Good stuff Dad's and very practical...get your stuff together men. I finished Driscoll's book "Pastor Dad" last night so I thought this was good application for my life.

16 Daddy Christmas Tips
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COP15:
Copenhagen climate summit is all over the news, youtube, and every other social networking site in the world. It could be said that Climate is God by sheer volume of bandwidth being used. Regardless of what side of the isle you are on something is wrong with the whole view of man's role in nature. For sure man's arrogance, folly, and struggle for power are on full display. Discern for yourself, it's a major issue of policy and will (is) effect(ing) you. The following is the opening vidoe played at the summit followed by a link to an article from the heritage foundation.

Please help the world - COP15 opening film
Morning Bell: Obama the Czar-Maker Becomes the Ultimate Czar

These verses come to mind for so many reasons
Prov 21:1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.
Isa 45:7 I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.
Prov 8:14-16 I have counsel and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.
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CHURCH:
You have heard this before from our Elders but this is a chance to hear it again! Tim Challies has much wisdom regarding the responsibilities of listeners (church services). Please take the time and read this post.

Being a Diligent Listener
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THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
I robbed this off of Doug Wilson's blog

A European proverb tells the story -- "if envy were an illness, the world would be a hospital."

Reagan once said that socialism would only work in two places -- in Heaven, where they don't need it, and Hell, where they already have it.

The Sieve 12/7/09

CHURCH POLITY:
Here is an interesting series of discussions between a few credible blogs regarding Senior Pastor's vs. Plurality of Elders.

Should churches have a “senior” or “lead” pastor?
Dave Harvey on the "The Principle of the Presiding Elder"
Can Someone Who is 29 Years Old Be a "Senior" Pastor
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POLITICS:
I want to get a few stories some more attention. There are two things our government is putting it's time into currently. The first is climate change and the second is heath care. I will link to a story from the Heritage Foundation regarding climate change. I won't comment on it too much because it is so ridiculous and costly that it makes me smokin mad! But, there are two more stories that can't be ignored. Today and tomorrow the senate will be discussing and important part of the health care bill and that is whether abortion will be covered! What...you heard me. So I will break it down simply: Behind closed doors in a democrat caucus the democrats, in full power, will be voting on an amendment to include or not include coverage for abortions in the bill. Therefore if it is included and the heath care bill passes you will be required by law to have health care by the government or go to jail. What this means in the end is, whether by your tax dollars or some other form, you will support abortion or go to jail.

Article Links:
Washington Post Obama presses Democrats on health-care bill
Wall Street Journal Abortion Emerges as Top Bill Threat
The Foundry The Copenhagen Climate Comedy

Let us pray that our government will repent for their folly and do something constructive.
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THE STATE OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH:
Here is a good article by Dr. Mohler.

NewsNote: When “Gracious Restraint” Fails — The Real Anglican Tragedy
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THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
I have two today one from Timothy Keller via Reformation 21 blog and one from Ray Ortlund and quotes from The Lord From Heaven, pages 11-12.

Marital Conflict
The latest issue of New York has a generally positive article on Redeemer Presbyterian Church's Tim Keller and his ministry to New York City. The article includes this gem of a quotation from Dr. Keller, which echoes the whole stream of biblical teaching on spiritual adultery: "God is in the longest bad marriage in history."

Truly, truly, he said to us
“The rabbis spoke from authority, Jesus with authority. . . . ‘Thus says the Lord’ is typical of the Old Testament, but Jesus’ characteristic expression is ‘Truly, truly, I say to you.’ The difference is significant. Jesus appealed to no other authority as He spoke to men of the deep things of God.”

Leon Morris, The Lord from Heaven, pages 11-12, italics his.
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The Sieve 12/5/09

POLITICS:
I just ready two outstanding issues of imprimis both clearly attributing a right view of human nature to the greater subjects of the articles. The november issue by Victor Davis Hanson regarding Western War history and future...very good.
https://www.hillsdale.edu/news/imprimis/archive/issue.asp?year=2009&month=11
The second I just received in the mail by Larry P. Arnn the current president of Hillsdale College regarding Education, Economics, and Self-Government.
http://www.hillsdale.edu/news/imprimis/archive/issue.asp?year=2009&month=12
If you are not a subscriber to Imprimis please go to the Hillsdale College website and sign up! Very good publication in conservative thought.
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Here is a quote from site that claims they are "voice of the experts at Environmental Defense Fund"

If we don't enact a cap soon, international negotiations will fail. Without a limit on U.S. emissions, China and India will never agree to cut their global warming pollution. That means our slow-motion, real-life disaster movie continues, and we probably shoot past the environmental tipping point scientists have warned us about. That’s why President Obama endorsed the bill and said “delay is no longer an option.”
Brutal!
http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/
Well that's enough political blogging!
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ADVENT
Noel Piper wrote a good little snippet regarding advent. Something to put in our heart today as we go through this advent season!
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2128_advent_standing_in_the_middle/
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ABORTION
Sorry to blog about this after good perspective of advent...but it makes it all the more potent. I don't celebrate his murder at his Kansas church or the one who took his life but I thank God that the work of his hands has ceased. I wished is was under different circumstances other than his brutal murder. I pray God would be with his family and impact them for the love of the gospel and the sanctity of life.
As we celebrate the coming of a babe the abortion folk have been celebrating the death of a physician who killed babes. It's the equivelant of me blogging on the life of King Herod with warm sentiment and asking you to post your comments, condolences, and personal memories. Here is the caption below the picture of this phyiscian.

We continue to mourn the loss of our friend and colleague, Dr. George Tiller. Dr. Tiller was a dedicated physician who provided quality abortion care to women, at great personal sacrifice and risk. He is truly a hero to his fellow abortion providers and his patients. Dr. Tiller’s office is filled with letters from women, thanking him for the excellent, compassionate care he provided. Many of these women say Dr. Tiller saved their lives.

Since his tragic death, we have received messages from some of his patients and from people around the world who are saddened and outraged. We feel it is important to share these words and tributes to our beloved colleague and friend. For the first time, we will enable comments on our blog so that all of you can share your condolences or offer memories of Dr. Tiller. We invite you to join us in honoring a true American hero, Dr. George Tiller.
http://www.prochoice.org/blog/
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CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR CHILDREN
ndwilsons suggestions for literature as gifts for children!
http://ndwilson.com/blog/?p=261
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THE SAINTS
Here is link to an update on Matt Chandler's surgey on Justin Taylor's blog!
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/12/05/chandler-update/

A BRIEF TRIBUTE TO VERNON MCPHERSON

I have many mentors in my life, four of which bear the name McPherson.

Ray, a Christian man, an ordinary man with one of the sweetest spirits I have ever experienced. He is a husband and father of four, deacon of GCC, co-worker of Life-trac Family Ministries, and a man who demonstrates Christ in the most genuine ways.

Greg, a Christian man, an ordinary man with a burning ministry on his heart regarding marriage and family. He is a husband and father of two young men Josh and Carey. He is a man who has touched countless people in the midst of some of life’s greatest challenges and his impact on my life can’t be measured.

Josh, a Christian man, a seminary student, a dynamic elder of a young church plant of 200, and one of the best young preachers I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. I believe God is honored by messages from his pulpit. He is the husband of a lovely bride carrying their 3rd child and a father of one wild young man and a sweet, sweet daughter.

Carey, a Christian man, deacon of the church, godly husband, father of a newborn girl, and gifted teacher of God’s word. A man who I stood beside tonight in the back of a local college lecture hall while gazing upon the crowd gathered at the event he initiated. A showing of a documentary of debates between two scholarly men asking the question: Is Christianity good for the World, in which he competently fielded questions. I believe his grandpa would be so proud and honored.

There are others in the McPherson family including the many noble women of faith that display a great witness and testimony of Christ, but I specifically chose four men to display the legacy of another. These men’s lives have changed mine and I attribute much of that to another man, namely Vernon McPherson (or uncle Vernon as I affectionately call him). He demonstrated and proclaimed the gospel while cultivating it into his family with which I am a beneficiary. He was a man marked by the one we call “The Son of Man”. His legacy is not merely these men but the message with which they proclaim and the life they demonstrate. Vernon… a man awakened to see one of the most important things he could accomplish by the grace of God was to be the means by which his family would be part of another lineage, Christ’s lineage. Teaching them the ways of the Lord and showing them the fulfillment of their greatest desires was in Christ alone. I know uncle Vernon loved his family because he pointed to what would ultimately satisfy them…Jesus Christ!

Herein lies a tribute to Vern McPherson… that his life and death was a tribute to Christ! A man, a means of grace. To God be the glory! Amen.

With fond memories, love, and gratitude,
Eric Chase and Family

Recap coming soon!

It's been one year to date since my last post! The Chase family 2009 year has been wild. I decided to scrap my first entries in 2008 (except one) and start a-fresh. Stay tuned for a recap of our year and you will know why my blogging slipped into the abyss.