Freedom of Religion
All posts tagged Freedom of Religion
Whatever democracy is supposed to be it isn’t anymore in Australia. The China virus has allowed the Federal and state governments to rip away the freedoms once enjoyed. Once taken they will NEVER be returned! What is surprising and sad is how easily these freedoms were snatched from the citizens. Our political masters are selling us out to the highest bidder.
United Australia Party (UAP) Craig Kelly speaks to Monica Smit.
Across Australia and ‘Across America today, there is a move to silence Christians.
There’s a massive effort on the part of social media, the biased news media, politicians and bureaucrats to silence Christians from speaking on moral issues, political issues, and even the truth about Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, many Christians are caving in and compromising, including pastors and church leaders.
Here are 6 things every Christian should know:
#1. Freedom of worship – today’s megatrend.
Freedom of worship is what President Biden and those hostile to evangelical Christians believe in.
This is in contrast to freedom of religion.
Freedom of worship means you can believe what you want, but you cannot share it.
This is what you find in many socialist and communist countries: you can believe in Jesus Christ, but you have to keep your beliefs to yourself.
This megatrend is based on the fact that they want a consensus that’s not offensive to anyone.
Don’t disagree with the culture…or the politicians and bureaucrats.
Don’t speak out about truth or your faith.
Don’t say anything that would offend anyone.
If what you say is “hurtful,” you need to be silent.
If what you say makes someone uncomfortable, you need to be silent.
If you want to share the gospel, you need to make sure it’s not offensive.
If it is, it’s disallowed.
In ancient Rome, in the early church, Christians were known as “haters.”
Why?
Not because they hated but because they were defined as haters by the government and by the average person.
Why? Because their beliefs were contrary to the cultural and political values of the day.
You see, the Christians – who are known by their love — were acknowledged for helping pick up babies set aside on the side of the road as a form of abortion — and adopting them.
Christians were the ones who started the hospitals, took care of the sick, and educated people.
Christians were known for helping one another and those around them.
But they were still “haters” because they were contrary to the culture.
That’s why the early church endured such tremendous persecution.
You can also see this in the book of Acts and in Paul’s writings.
I’m teaching a Bible study right now on the book of Philippians, and in Acts 16 you can see some of the persecution that Paul went through and that the church had to endure.
#2: Resist religious zealots who oppose biblical morality and who make good evil, and evil good.
“Religious” zealots – some who are secular, some who follow a false religion — are attacking Christians with moral superiority and great energy.
They are promoting the Equality Act.
They are using the media to try to force Christians into silence.
In the schools and in the community, they want to silence Christians.
They have replaced the true and living God with religious zealousness. They claim that they have the high moral ground, and that Christians are terrible people – deplorables.
#3. Many Christians are okay with cultural conformity.
This is not true – Christians being conformed to this world. “Conform to our culture…conform to the political establishment” is not what Christianity is about.
From the early church on, Christians have stood on a moral ground based upon biblical truth, not cultural acceptance.
The Philippians, for example, where at odds with the culture. The slave girl, the jailer, the wealthy Asian businesswoman, they and others in the church of Philipi accepted Christ, pitting themselves in contrast to the pagan society around them.
#4: Christians must have the courage to stand strong.
What’s interesting throughout the Bible is how we see Christians – people of God — being persecuted from the start to the end.
What we see over and over again in the New Testament is a declaration that Christians need to stand firm. Not to give in. Not to compromise. But to have courage to move forward.
There is a choice between compromise and just getting along.
We see this in Acts 5:28: “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” the high priest said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
And what was the response?
“On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.” Acts 5:24.
#5. What is a Christian?
A Christian is one who has been translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.
They have been born again.
They are salt and light. And we have the Great Commission to spread the gospel.
Our testimony requires not editing and watering down the gospel to please man.
Some pastors and church leaders seem to be okay with keeping their churches closed or compromised or not loving their flock. These are not being good shepherds to their people.
Those who are afraid about what the politicians, bureaucrats, media and others say — who wish to get along for political or economic favor — are not standing firm.
Some are afraid of losing influence or status. It’s something that we must resist.
#6: Finally…yes, there is sin and hell.
There are those who are silent about sin.
There are those who will want to deny hell.
They think talking about sin and hell is wrong.
They might not believe in electricity.
That doesn’t change the truth that electricity is real.
There is one prediction I feel confident making: you and every human born has sin and will die.
What happens at death?
Hebrews 9:27: Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.
The Bible is clear. 2 Corinthians 5:10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
Our hope is in Jesus Christ alone.
He died on the cross for our sin.
He rose from the dead.
He provides those who believe in eternal life…and forgiveness of sins because of his death on the cross.
It’s all because of His grace and mercy.
We must stand firm.’https://mychristiandaily.com/freedom-of-worship-vs-freedom-of-religion-the-cultural-divide-you-need-to-be-aware-of/
‘…Tim Gielen reveals how a small group of super rich criminals have been buying virtually everything on earth, until they own it all. From media, health care, travel, food industry, governments… That allows them to control the whole world. Because of this they are trying to impose the New World Order.’https://rumble.com/vn7lf5-monopoly-who-owns-the-world-must-see.html?mref=6zof&mc=dgip3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=stopworldcontrol&ep=1
The generous New South Wales government has your health and safety in mind when they say you must be vaccinated to enjoy a picnic! Yes, that’s today’s freedom in New South Wales, Australia!
‘The NSW government is hoping picnic freedoms for fully vaccinated residents will encourage more people to take up the vaccine after Byron Bay and surrounding areas were plunged back into lockdown.
Stay at home orders were reintroduced for Byron, Tweed and Kempsey LGAs at 5pm yesterday, just two weeks after the areas were freed from lockdown.
The regions have some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, but there are hopes a slight adjustment in the lockdown rules could change that.
Under the lockdown rules, fully vaccinated residents will be able to gather together in groups of five for outdoor recreation, such as picnics.’https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/australia/australia-covid-news-live-lockdowns-protests-and-case-numbers/news-story/0d4c5e1dd64a544a71f67f80b749959f
After watching the video below would you put your health and SAFETY in the hands of this man? NO FREEDOM FOR YOU! This scare campaign will NEVER end!
Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
‘An Oklahoma pastor and political candidate says thousands of people have downloaded a COVID-19 vaccine exemption form he’s provided. It’s meant to be signed by one’s pastor. But if another pastor won’t sign it, he says, he will — on certain conditions.
People must like the church’s social media page and give at least a dollar to the church. Then they’ll be his church members.
“If your pastor’s not willing to, then I will sign it for you, but in order for it to carry some weight you would need to become a member of the church,” said pastor Jackson Lahmeyer of Sheridan Church in Tulsa.
Lahmeyer is also challenging U.S. Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, in the Republican primary election set for next summer.
Attendance and financial support are the two criteria for membership at Sheridan Church of Tulsa, Lahmeyer said. For online members — and there are thousands, he said — that means liking the church’s Facebook or YouTube page and donating.
“This is nothing new,” Lahmeyer said. The nondenominational charismatic church started accepting online members about four years ago. It delivers its sermons on various social media, or on DVD for elderly homebound members, Lahmeyer said.
“We are much larger online than we are in-house,” he said. The Washington Post reported the church has about 300 members who attend in person.
Lahmeyer’s COVID vaccine exemption form is downloadable from Sheridan Church’s website. His campaign also provides the form by email.
But one legal expert said employers might have grounds to reject it.
“One focal point for those exemptions is always whether the religious belief is sincerely held,” said Robert K. Vischer, dean of the University of St. Thomas law school in Minneapolis. Several ways exist to assess that, he explained.
“But anybody who makes a donation or signs up for a church in order to get an exemption form is going to have a hard time arguing that the belief evidenced by their membership in that church is a product of sincerely held religious beliefs,” he said, “as opposed to a product of their desire to avoid vaccination requirements.”
Moreover, he said, “if your pastor won’t sign it, that might be evidence that the teachings of your religious tradition don’t actually believe that . . . the COVID vaccine conflicts with those teachings.”
The “COVID-19 Religious Accommodation Employee Form” leaves a blank space for the employee to fill in the “religious belief or practice that necessitates this request for accommodation.” A separate space allows the employee to request a specific alternative to vaccination.
Lahmeyer said his kids have had their childhood vaccines and he was not “anti-vax.”
“We’re pro-freedom,” he said, adding he believes vaccination is a personal decision.
Lahmeyer said the form he’s providing was modeled after Oklahoma’s certificate of exemption from school vaccine requirements. That form requires a parent or religious leader to “certify that immunization is contrary to the teachings of the … child’s religion.” It also allows a parent to ask for an exemption if immunization is “contrary to my beliefs.”
Less than 3% of kindergarteners enrolled in Oklahoma public schools and about 5% in private schools received medical, religious or personal-belief exemptions in the 2019-2020 school year.
Lahmeyer said his form left the grounds for requesting an employee exemption up to the individual. “I don’t fill that in.”
He also acknowledged he could theoretically refuse to sign a form based on what the religious objection was. But as of Wednesday, he hadn’t seen any forms yet that he wasn’t comfortable signing.’https://julieroys.com/lahmeyer-pastor-covid-vaccine-exemption-donation/?mc_cid=3050ae9a35&mc_eid=b13d34ad49
This Wuhan Flu has made many Western nations such as Australia become more and more like CCP China. What’s next?
‘Qiqihar, the second largest city in China’s Heilongjiang province, joined an increasing number of cities, districts and county governments to offer cash rewards to anyone who reports to the authorities on “illegal religious activities”.
Whistle-blowers could pocket between 500 yuan (£56, $77, €65) and 1,000 yuan (£112, $154, €132) for informing on private house gatherings, preaching, the distribution of printed religious works, audio-visual products outside churches, unqualified religious personnel and illicit foreign infiltration.
Residents of Qiqihar are being told the new rewards scheme will ensure a “harmonious” religious landscape.
The measures aim to “strengthen the control of illegal religious activities in the district and prevent any Covid-19 cluster resulting from religious gatherings”, according to a statement from the Meilisi Daur District United Front Work Department of Qiqihar.’https://mychristiandaily.com/cash-rewards-offered-by-chinese-cities-for-reporting-illegal-religious-activities/
‘NSW Police issued $35,000 in COVID-19 fines after around 60 people were on Sunday sprung gathering at a Western Sydney church, where the pastor declared “the lockdown is over”.
Officers were called to the Christ Embassy Church on Fourth Avenue in Blacktown about 7:30pm, after multiple complaints were made to Crime Stoppers.
In a video of a service held earlier in the day posted to social media, Pastor Marvin Osaghae can be heard urging parishioners to join him in prayer for the NSW government.
Sixty people were inside, including adults and children, police said.
Thirty attendees received $1,000 Penalty Infringement Notices (PINS) while the organisation was issued a $5,000 fine.
Christ Embassy Sydney sits in the Blacktown local government area (LGA) which is one of 12 hotspot LGAs under tighter restrictions.
Police said there was no QR code present at the entry to the building and those in attendance were from various LGAs including Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield and Liverpool, which are also areas of concern.’https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-23/blacktown-churchgoers-fined-for-large-gathering-covid-breach/100398402
