As I continue writing about the Young Evangelical seduction, I want to point out, after receiving some e-mail, that I am, in fact, a young Evangelical in my mid-to-late 20s. Usually, age is irrelevant, but given the subject matter, I think it’s of some import.

Now, when one looks at how the secular left is getting the children of many Evangelicals to support their causes, we have to look at the issues both in the church and the conservative movement that are behind this. We’ve already talked about the lack of a systematic teaching of a biblical worldview and materialism.

Modern liberalism is a thoroughly post-modern philosophy that, at its core, denies absolute truth. Thus it becomes possible to hold the position that abortion is the taking of an innocent human life, but should be legal, because that’s just my opinion, and you may have a different one. There’s a different truth for every person. No culture is better than another culture. No system is better than any other system. Our constitution is a living document subject to redefinition.

Christianity, on the other hand, affirms absolute truths about God, Christ, the World, and society. How can you mix Christianity and post-modernism in politics? It’s pretty easy if you’ve been doing it in church.

A Sensitive Topic

To say the subject of morals in the church is a sensitive topic would be an understatement. An element in many churches is legalistic, placing demands on people that scripture does not place. I was in one church where we were told not to drink root beer from brown glass bottles because people would think we were drinking alcohol. Never mind that even drinking alcohol is never strictly forbidden in the scriptures, though drunkenness is.

Some elements demand pastors prescribe rules on courtship and schooling found nowhere in scripture. These preachers focus on cleansing the outside of the cup through external rules, rather than letting God work to change hearts. Many have been spiritually abused by such legalists and my heart goes out to these wounded souls.

Yet I’m reminded of the passage of the Screwtape Letters where Screwtape advises Wormwood to get Christians to focus on the exact opposite of their most pressing problem. Legalism is a minor problem compared to the church’s refusal to stand for biblical truth.

There is a maxim: “Where the scriptures speak, we will speak. Where the scriptures are silent, we will be silent.” Yet in many cases, where the scriptures speak, churches are silent. Issues such as divorce and cohabitation are rarely preached on from most pulpits. In a select few pulpits is the issue of abortion discussed.

Churches often appeal to Matthew 7’s command to, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” In the context of scripture, when one reads the whole passage, it’s clearly about hypocrisy. Religious post-modernists turn it into a requirement to abandon all moral judgment about many things scripture speaks to. In other words, they use it, ironically, as a pretext to judge as acceptable what the bible condemns as sin.

However, Christ not only tells us to judge righteous judgment (John 7:24), which is odd if we were to resign from all moral judgments, but also lays out a system of Church discipline in Matthew 18:15-17, and Paul lays this out further in 1 Corinthians 5.

Yet, Church discipline is never practiced in most churches for several reasons: 1) fear of losing members, 2) fear of lawsuits, and 3) if church discipline is practiced, the person can just go down the street and find another church that will completely ignore the applied discipline. And condemn the church to anyone who will listen, and that will again hurt the church’s precious reputation, membership numbers, and coffers.

Thus, many churches misuse Matthew 7 and committing adultery is treated no more seriously than drinking root beer from a brown glass bottle.

This is especially problematic in churches where homosexuality will be condemned, but other equally grave sins are left untouched from the pulpit. What the church does is show partiality, and to young evangelicals, the hypocrisy comes across crystal clear.

Rush to War

To close this look at the issues in the church that have led to some of these shifts among young Evangelicals, I think we need to turn the issue of war.

War is a tough issue. Scripture doesn’t bar America from defending itself. It behooves us to stand behind our soldiers with love, support, and plenty of prayer. They’re risking their lives in service to our country.

While I did not support the Iraq War going in, once our troops are committed, there’s only one acceptable course: victory. Defeat strengthens America’s enemies and bring us dishonor at home and abroad.

That said, some Christians on the right are far too quick to embrace war. War is sometimes necessary, but there are consequences: The cries of widows and orphans on all sides, the inevitable collateral damage, the destruction of property and the scattering of families, economic destruction, loss of national treasure, and loss of liberties. The law of unintended consequences also comes into play, as we saw manifested with the fall of Saddam bringing persecution to Iraqi Christians. Proper respect for human life and our freedom, as well as humility, requires that we ensure war is absolutely necessary before we enter into it.

We must also be sure we do not pursue war with the dangerous belief that democracy alone can make a good society. Remember, the democratic process gave us Hitler. Let us not attribute to voting transformative powers that should be attributed to God alone.

Standing by America’s troops as they go into battle is one thing. Being out front agitating for wars without thoughtfully considering the consequences sends the wrong message to young Evangelicals.

Young Evangelicals are considered to be a key swing vote in this upcoming election. I’d suggest the issue of Young Evangelicals is far more important than this upcoming election. How they ultimately go but could determine the fate of our nation.

It is said that these young Evangelical voters are concerned about issues such as social justice, poverty, and the environment. These are not bad things to be concerned about in and of themselves. If because of this concern people become aware of the crisis of human trafficking, band together in community to help people escape poverty, and create backyard oasises n their home town, that’s a good thing. If, on the other hand, we recreate the mistakes of the 1960s and 70s and destroy people by making them dependent on government, create useless feel good government policies, and cripple the economy through idiotic legislation based on pseudo-science, that’s another matter.

How We Got Here

Why are so many Young Evangelicals being lured by people who are generally pro-abortion, anti-traditional morality, and radical? I would suggest that there are issues within the church and within the conservative movement and the Republican Party that will explain these issues. This column as well as the next one will deal with the issues in the church. A series next week will deal within the conservative movement.

Given the wide disparity between different churches under the label of Evangelical, there will be some general issues that will perhaps not apply to your church or my church, but their presence in many Evangelical churches across the country helps explain why so many young Evangelicals are moving left.

No comprehensive training of the mind: Catholics and many mainline Protestants use Catechisms to communicate the formal views and doctrines of their church and instill them into their children. There is no catechism for Evangelicals, in fact many would disdain the idea as formalistic. The result of this is that Sunday School classes and Youth Groups often provide a hodgepodge of scattershot ideas, but fail to inculcate a Biblical worldview, which Barna has found only 5% of Americans hold to.

Sermons are in many cases no help. The Word of God is as deep as the ocean, but I would think it fair to say that, in many churches across America, it’s a rare event when the congregations’ ankles get wet. Too often these sermons are general and non-challenging in order to be “seeker sensitive.”

While the church is lackadaisical about teaching a consistent biblical worldview, the public schools that 90% of church kids attend are certainly not lackadaisical about secularist views, nor are the makers of movies that Christian parents send their kids to without a second thought. Secular humanism is pushed in both education and the arts, and those two mediums take scores more of a child’s time than does the Church.

This general lack of biblical literacy allows secular liberals to slap a couple scriptures on old style Socialism and sell it to young Evangelicals hungry for adventure and purpose.

Focus on the Family has produced a wonderful series called, “The Truth Project” that teaches a biblical worldview, but it’s definitely an upstream effort against a sleepy church and a culture that’s more than happy to fill in the gaps.

Materialism: Within American Christianity, there are many people who sincerely love and serve God, regardless of denomination. However, there is also a greater degree of materialism than you will see in churches across the world. This is made even worse by the presence of a prosperity gospel that teaches God’s will for everyone is material prosperity.

There are many Evangelical Christians who live to keep up with the Joneses: bigger houses, bigger cars, more expensive toys. These are the things of a blessed life. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with these things in and of themselves. But when they become the focus of our lives, and when we would rather insure that we hold onto these things than put them at risk by standing for what’s right, children see. Many people do not become involved in public issues such as abortion, the display of the Ten Commandments, or the sanctity of marriage because they fear it will cost them their bobbles.

Ultimately, Christianity teaches that man has needs that go beyond the material, and it doesn’t just end with salvation as the focus of some churches would seem to indicate. As a minister, Paul declared, “Woe to me if I don’t preach to the Gospel.” And with each of us, it’s the same. “Woe to us if we don’t do what God has called us to do.” This spiritual shallowness at home, in the midst of physical abundance, leaves a great emptiness, a search for meaning.

It may be filled by Mission organizations that work through the local church. When it is not, and far too often, it is not, far left organizations are more than happy to provide grandiose meaning and purpose that promises something better than the shallow and materialistic faith witnessed at home.

Want to see what’s behind some of the fuss about Bobby Jindal? At Race42008, Dave G warns that Jindal is “headed down the Huckabee route.” In the course of complaining about the legislative increase, we get down to brass tax about what’s bugging him:

But never fear, Gov. Jindal is not the sort of politician that will back down on all of his principles. Especially when those principles involve religion. Indeed, Jindal has just signed into law a measure that will allow public schools to teach something other than science in science class. Local school boards can now approve “supplemental materials” for schools to include in discussions of evolution. Something tells me those materials won’t involve the scientific method (because if they did, they’d already be there) and will involve lots of concepts that belong in philosophy, theology, and religion classes, not in science class.

With these actions, Gov. Jindal is off to a very Huckabeean start. But that should probably have been anticipated. Jindal was always more of a culture warrior than most of us secular conservatives liked to believe when we saw a non-Caucasian, young, smart conservative who could actually form coherent sentences make his way onto the stage. And he was always less interested in fiscal issues than economic conservatives would have preferred. He voted for the tax-hiking, pork-laden farm bill and against the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Meanwhile, he continues to support a ban on abortion with no exceptions, and has written articles on how Catholicism is the true Christianity and the true path to God. If you thought Huckabee’s women-should-submit language was unfairly taken out of context, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

So let’s just say that this skeptic remains especially skeptical of Jindal, who seems at this point to be an economic moderate and hard-right social conservative more in line with the former governor of Arkansas than with the former governor of California. If this trend continues, I suspect that economic conservatives, moderates, and Independents will ensure that a future Jindal presidential campaign has the same fate as Huckabee’s, and once again, a certain segment of the Republican base just won’t be able to figure out why.

First of all, there’s plenty of scientific texts on intelligent design, as well as global warming, and cloning (all of which are covered by the law). How wicked of Bobby Jindal. He wanted kids to be able to see something on Global Warming other than an Inconvenient Truth.

Bobby Jindal broke the unwritten law. Rather than paying lip service to the concerns of social conservatives he actually did something.

Gov. Bill Ritter is another one of those politicians no longer serving his constituents. It’s all about getting re-elected and sucking up to those anti-Christ activists who contribute the most coin to their campaign efforts. If you go to his web site you’ll see photos of the Gov. Bill Ritter signing legislation helping the boy scouts, people with developmental disabilities and Boys and Girls Clubs. These kids have no idea that this new bill could open them up to a whole new world of sexual predators in public restrooms. Way to go Gov’…you put the “core” in “corruption.”

From the fine folks at World Net Daily:

‘Religion in private’ OK, says ACLU
New limits on Christians leave family groups reeling

Colorado Knucklehead Gov. Bill Ritter

Colorado’s new state law that was based on the apparent belief that free speech rights are not unalienable and they sometimes must be restricted is scaring residents who now fear expressing their opinions in public.

WND has reported previously that the law, SB200, which was promoted as an “anti-discrimination” plan favoring alternative sexual lifestyles and gender perceptions, has made it a criminal offense to discriminate against someone based on those lifestyles or perceptions.

The Christian publishing house Focus on the Family has called it a payback by the Democrat-controlled legislature and Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter to homosexual activists such as millionaire Tim Gill, who has donated widely to pro-homosexual political candidates.

The Focus analysis of the plan, according to spokesman Bruce Hausknecht, shows that besides the obvious impacts of opening restrooms and locker rooms statewide to members of either sex, depending on a perception of their gender, “the biggest danger this law poses is to the religious or moral consciences of small business owners who may object to doing business with people whose lifestyle they do not want to promote.’

“Who would have believed that the Colorado state legislature and its governor would have made it fully legal for men to enter and use women’s restrooms and locker-room facilities without notice or explanation?” Focus founder James Dobson said. “Henceforth, every woman and little girl will have to fear that a predator, bisexual, cross-dresser or even a homosexual or heterosexual male might walk in and relieve himself in their presence.”

Other groups also have issued warnings.

Colorado Family Action wrote of the plan: “This bill lays groundwork for state-sanctioned abuse of individuals and organizations who have faithfully held religious convictions and refuse to offer or sell goods or services to homosexuals, bisexuals, transgendered, or transsexual individuals because of such beliefs.

“This desire to limit the constitutionally guaranteed right to the ‘free exercise of religion’ can be seen in Cathryn Hazouri’s, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, testimony given before the Colorado House Judiciary Committee,” the group said.

“One may practice one’s religion in private; however, once a religious person comes into the public arena, there are limitations in how the expression of their religion impacts others,” she had said.

Individual residents also now are beginning to realize the potential of the new law, which was approved by the legislature with a declaration that it is needed for “public safety” so it is not subject to any vote of the people.

“Now, as I stand outside of a movie theater bathroom or a swimming pool shower room door and guard the most precious thing in my life: my wife and daughter’s safety, modesty and privacy, I can no longer stop a man from entering a woman’s domain,” wrote a concern resident whose name was withheld. “(I will anyway, that’s why I’m a criminal!)”

“An act that once was criminal is now legitimate, and what was taught to me as a virtue is now a vice. Not only am I liable for civil penalties but criminal, as I can be sentenced for up to a year in jail,” he wrote.

“I immediately contacted my state representative, Wes McKinley, to ask him what his stand was on this bill. He proudly told me he supported it. I brought to his attention the recent case in New Mexico that was in national news. A photographer refused to photograph a lesbian ceremony. The lesbian couple found another photographer who would and then turned around and sued the Christian photographer for refusing. They won the suit and the photographer was fined over $6,000.00. I asked Rep. McKinley if he thought this was right. He told me no and assured me that wouldn’t happen with this bill,” the resident wrote.

“I then contacted my attorney who told me that SB200 does, indeed, open the door to this kind of litigation, and that I would have to be careful to not express my convictions in public in this kind of situation,” he wrote.

He also reacted to Hazouri’s comments, which were unchallenged by the state legislature.

She said, “You give up some of your rights when you go into the public square,” the resident said. “Wow, I didn’t know that. I was taught in school that these rights of free speech were ‘unalienable.’ Apparently, gay rights trump heterosexual rights, as well as the First Amendment.”

“So, as long as I keep my convictions to myself and only express them in my home or church, I’m legal. Somehow, I don’t think this is what the Bill of Rights meant,” he said.

“Will SB200 be the end of it? No. Next, hate crime legislation must be passed so that it is illegal for me to write this letter (as it is now illegal in Canada); then enforced homosexual/transsexual indoctrination of our children in the public educational system; finally, all other alternative forms of education must be outlawed. Impossible, you say? It’s already happened in California,” he said. “As I’m being forced into this ’shotgun wedding’ with the radical homosexual agenda, I hope it’s not too late to ’speak now, or forever hold my peace.’ What is it called when you are forced, against your will, to participate in a sexual lifestyle that you find objectionable? I believe that is called ‘rape.’ My state legislature has ‘violated’ me and charged me with the crime.”

Tom Minnery, the senior vice president of government and public policy for Focus, told the Denver Post there are “multiple problems” with the plan, “but the problem of restrooms is the most breathtaking one. … With SB200, however, we no longer have two ’sexes,’ we enter a brave new world with a myriad of ’sexual orientations’ that must not be discriminated against, upon pain of the substantial civil and criminal penalties contained in the bill.

“Woe to the first women’s fitness facility or mall owner who objects to a man dressed as a woman who wants to enter previously forbidden territory. And what an opportunity for sexual predators,” he wrote.

He said every Christian, Jewish or Muslim business owner now is under a threat.

“We’ve seen … charges brought by homosexuals against a video reproduction business in Virginia, a medical clinic in California, an adoption service in Arizona and a church in New Jersey,” he continued. “Colorado tops them all on the potential outrage meter, however, because in addition to civil fines and penalties, small-business owners can be prosecuted under the criminal laws of Colorado and spend up to one year in jail for trying to live according to their faith.”

There are other groups preparing for full-scale war in Colorado.

“American RTL [Right to Life] Action is a political 527 group headquartered a half-block from the Colorado capitol, and we’re not going to hire someone cohabitating outside of marriage, let alone a homosexual,” said Steve Curtis, the group’s president and former chairman of the Colorado Republican Party. “SB200 also makes it a crime for us to publish biblical teaching on immorality, so we are prepared to violate this anti-Christian government censorship. The liberals always said what homosexuals do in private could never affect anyone else; of course that was always a lie; they’re trying to criminalize traditional Christianity. The fight is on.”

© 2008 WorldNetDaily

Podcast Show Notes

I interviewed Karen Holgate, Author of From Crayons to Condoms and we discuss the problems in America’s public schools: Teachers as Amateur Psychologists messing with the minds of America’s youth, Self-esteem trumping academic achievement, death education, and what you can do about it.

Click here to listen, click here to download.

Podcast Show Notes

One Obama supporter suggests that Obama’s story should be added to the Bible. (Hat Tip: Reformed Chicks Babbling.)

A Christian PAC forms in support of Obama.

While Obama learns a new Commandment regarding his new religious youth organization, “Thou Shalt Not Rip Off a Legal Defense Association.”

One Congressman withholds his endorsement from Obama.

Ron Paul plans a counterconvention while McCain continues to struggle with religious conservative voters.

The voters are speaking on drilling for oil but neither candidate is listening. (Hat TipL: Club for Growth.)

Congress once again fights crime and secures the border–for other countries. (Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin.)

While voting for the government to take over everything else, the Senate privatizes its own restaurant.

Voters wise up: most don’t even believe the media is trying to be objective. (Hat Tip: Hot Air.)

The ACLU raises more than $300 million to expand its far left operation. (Hat Tip: Stop the ACLU.)

The abusive Canadian Human Rights Commission strikes again and orders a pastor to not speak against homosexuality.

A West Virginia Mayor opposes a pay raise for himself.

Click here to listen, click here to download.

Podcast Show Notes

Why Obama’s decision to leave his church smacks of politics.

Why Hillary supporters are wrong to make a stink about the DNC decision to admit half of Florida and Michigan’s delegates.

Is big ears the only thing keeping Barack Obama off Mount Rushmore?

Plus Barack Obama’s dangerous plans for national security.  (Hat Tip: Obama Watch.)  Plus Obama’s new states.

Is Tom Coburn off his nut when he suggests John McCain can lead us back to true conservatism. (Hat Tip: Hot Air.)

Plus a new rallying cry for conservatives wary of McCain: “No More Susan Sarandon” (Hat Tip: Reformed Chicks Babbling.)

Congressman Paul Ryan proposes bold reform  (Hat Tip: Save the GOP.)

Bob Dole nails Scott McClellan. (Hat Tip: Wizbang.)

Reuters sues New York State over New York’s over-reaching.

Organ donations go to foreign mobsters over U.S. citizens.  (Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin.)

The California Assembly takes a step towards Euthanasia.  (Hat Tip: Right Mind.)

Child pornography by any other name.

Virginia takes steps to protect children from teacher predators after an AP investigation.

Bureaucratic rules mean that a student with the highest GPA won’t be her class valedictorian and will cost her a college scholarship.

A 10 year old was suspended and faces potential probation for bringing a Memorial Day souvenir to school.

Clint Eastwood and Spike Lee face off over Iwo Jima.

Are 70% of Americans wrong when they say divorce is alright? (Hat Tip: Evangelical Outpost.) 

Why are so many liberals against transracial adoption but for homosexual adoption? (Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin.)

Watch out ladies in Colorado, new legislation makes locker rooms and restrooms gender free.

Rowan Williams futilely appeals to the UN. to intervene in Zimbabwe.

An apology to the class of 2008.

A Sandpoint employer takes care of his employees.

Click here to listen.

Bonus Podcast:

Subway apologizes for their slight of homeschoolers.

Anti-male bias in domestic violence shelters. (Hat Tip: Political Correctness Watch.)

Taking risks for God in China.

A U.S. soldier in trouble for sharing the gospel in Iraq. (Hat Tip: Stop the ACLU.)

What a restored house tells us about how to address the environment and the future of our nation. (Hat Tip: Crunchy Con.)

Click here to download, click here to add this podcast to your Itunes.

Much of the disappointment I felt with our evangelical leaders during the Mike Huckabee campaign can be summed up with the title of this post. What happened to our warriors? Ken Hutcherson puts it all in perspective for us in this report from Jeff Johnson of OneNewsNow.com. Your comments are welcomed and encouraged.

An outspoken pastor and pro-family activist is speaking out about Evangelical leaders he says have no spiritual backbone.

Pastor Ken Hutcherson of the Antioch Bible Church in suburban Seattle is known as much for his straight talk as for his former NFL career. And when it comes to Evangelicals who want to disengage from allegedly “political” issues, his comments are as hard-hitting as his tackles.

“Right now a lot of white Evangelicals are just ‘Evan-jellyfish’ with no spiritual vertebrae,” he says.

Hutcherson is particularly critical of the many liberal and some mainstream leaders who signed on to the recently released document “An Evangelical Manifesto.” He accuses the signers of “trying to hijack evangelicalism because of their moral standards and because of their cultural background.”

The Manifesto’s call away from allegedly political issues, Hutcherson argues, shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the very nature of the culture war.

“We haven’t gotten political as Evangelicals,” he asserts. “What has taken place is, the government knows [that] if it makes something political that the church will step out — and that is exactly what has taken place. They are hijacking our moral issues and then telling us to be quiet about it … and that isn’t going to work.”

The Seattle-area pastor believes the best thing that could happen to churches would be to lose the 501(c)3 tax-exempt status that liberal activists currently use to threaten pastors who might speak out on moral issues in the political realm. Then, perhaps, churches would “find [their] backbone again,” Hutcherson says.

“The government did not give us our 501(c)3 because they like us,” he shares. “The government gave us our 501(c)3 so they could control us.”

Pastors need to stand up for biblical truth in every area of society, including politics and government, Hutcherson says, ignoring any threats to their church’s tax-exempt status. “We need to start standing together to do the things that God has called us, take back these moral issues that belong to the church, and stand strong on them — regardless of who says or regardless of what the government threatens us with.”

Amen…