Are pastors to blame for the divorce epidemic?

Source: AgapePress

January 2, 2007 -- We have a divorce epidemic in America today. And I am wondering how much pastors are to blame.

I am of the school that thinks we usually put way too little expectation on the Church and its pastors for societal woes. When it comes to the institution of marriage, the vast majority of ministers have dropped the proverbial ball and by so doing have led the nation to the brink of disaster.

Too few of us (pastors, and I am one of them) take seriously the words "holy matrimony." By failing to recognize the importance of this expression, we assume that anybody who wants to should be able to enter into it and with our blessing. After all, not to perform such ceremonies could cause congregational discord; so as people who make a living by the offerings of that congregation, we allow almost anything.

But is it possible for "holy matrimony" to exist when one or both potential spouses have no love relationship with the Lord? Do pastors query their young lovers about such matters? Or have we assumed that the pastoral office has no business barging into people's lives on these all-important issues?

I recently heard a program on American Family Radio in which a number of family counselors were asked, "Would you marry a young couple that was determined not to have kids?" Having never considered that question, I listened intently on my side of the radio. To my astonishment, every counselor interviewed said they would not marry such a couple. After all, biblically, procreation is a God-ordained purpose of marriage.

Comments:   Personally, I believe that pastors/ministers/priests can be blamed for marrying a believer to an unbeliever, for hitching up two divorced people, and for marrying a gay/lesbian couple.  Other than that, couples should take a serious look at the reason(s) for their separation and breakup of the sacred marriage union.  The Lord Jesus told us that the last days prior to His return to Earth would be like the days of Noe (Noah).  Matthew 24:[37] But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [38] For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark.  In light of the national divorce rate of 50% and rising, people are continuing to get married like never before.  Some are marrying a second or third time.  No-fault divorce is as easy as making Kool-Aid these days.  If you are no longer in love with your spouse or now have different interests, you can apply for a divorce.  Married couples are having ‘affairs’ at work.  There’s a growing dissatisfaction with spending an entire lifetime with one mate.  More and more are choosing a shallower, less emotionally demanding relationship.  If it doesn’t work out, one can simply leave.  We’re abetting the Devil’s plan to destroy the family concept.

Marriage breakup comes about due to one’s own selfishness, plain and simple.  In this ‘I, Me and Myself’ society, our own wants and desires override those of our Significant Other.  We need to ‘do our own thing’ and nobody gets in our way.  In the good old days, it was more about caring for our spouses and less about us.  Now, it’s a complete reversal. We are indeed living in the end times.  2 Timothy 3:[1] This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.

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In the sky over Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport! A bird? A plane? A ... UFO?

Source: Chicago Tribune

January 2, 2007 -- It sounds like a tired joke--but a group of airline employees insist they are in earnest, and they are upset that neither their bosses nor the government will take them seriously.

A flying saucerlike object hovered low over O'Hare International Airport for several minutes before bolting through thick clouds with such intense energy that it left an eerie hole in overcast skies, said some United Airlines employees who observed the phenomenon.

Was it an alien spaceship? A weather balloon lost in the airspace over the world's second-busiest airport? A top-secret military craft? Or simply a reflection from lights that played a trick on the eyes?

Officials at United professed no knowledge of the Nov. 7 event--which was reported to the airline by as many as a dozen of its own workers--when the Tribune started asking questions recently. But the Federal Aviation Administration said its air traffic control tower at O'Hare did receive a call from a United supervisor asking if controllers had spotted a mysterious elliptical-shaped craft sitting motionless over Concourse C of the United terminal.

No controllers saw the object, and a preliminary check of radar found nothing out of the ordinary, FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said.

The FAA is not conducting a further investigation, Cory said. The theory is the sighting was caused by a "weather phenomenon," she said.

Comments:  Luke 21:[11] And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.  UFOs are believed to be of demonic origin.  Demons piloting flying saucers that are able to make a 90 degree turn at a whim would startle ordinary citizens for sure.  The U.S. Government has repeatedly denied that extraterrestrials exist, but demonic beings aren’t from other planets, but are fallen angels who joined Lucifer in his rebellion against God (refer to Isaiah 14).  In fact, 1/3 of God’s created angels are demons.  Their mission is to serve Satan by blinding the minds of people from receiving the light and truth that are in Jesus.

1948, the year of Israel’s rebirth, saw an increase in UFO activity and some Bible prophecy scholars think that there will be increased sightings just prior to the Rapture event.  This O’Hare incident may be one of an avalanche of encounters to transpire worldwide.  Satan wants to prepare the unbelieving populace to accept the man of sin’s (the Antichrist’s) explanation for the disappearance of millions of people at the Rapture.  What happened to them?  Where did they go?  Why them and not us?  The response from the elected world leader might be: “Citizens of Earth, Please remain calm.  I have everything in control.  We have been in contact with aliens who have shown us that they’re our brothers and sisters.  They’re from another galaxy.  They have friendly intentions.  They have transported millions of Bible thumping Christians to their home world for reprogramming (for which we’re eternally thankful) because they were intolerant of our interfaith dialogue and thus had to be removed.  Let us rejoice for now we can all love our fellow man and woman as our inner god has intended us to be.  We are not alone. Our cosmic brothers and sisters are in tune with us and they’ve shown us a better world, a world of love, harmony and peace.”  2 Thessalonians 2:[9] Even him (the future Antichrist), whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, [10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. [11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.

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German EU presidency lumbered with massive to-do list

Source: EUObserver.com

January 2, 2007 -- When large countries take over the six-month presidency of the European Union they generate a huge level of expectation, although past experience shows that they are not always the most effective presidencies.

It is no different this time round with Germany, due to take over the political running of the bloc on 1 January.

If it manages to check off all the issues on its to-do list, Berlin will, among other things, salvage the EU constitution, get an EU energy package agreed and oversee a new EU policy towards the ex-Soviet east.

This will be on top of the all the other thorny issues that will continue to linger over the first half of next year including the EU's deteriorating relations with Russia and how to proceed with membership talks with Turkey.

Comments:  In many democracies such as the U.S. and Canada, it’s difficult enough to set political agenda and get most of the items on your wish list approved and implemented in the four short years allotted to you by your voting constituents, but the 6 months that an EU rotating president has make it a ‘mission impossible’.  Tom Cruise might be able to perform miracles, but Germany’s turn at the EU presidency helm will be about the usual optimism that eventually end up in the predictable “you did your best, mein herr. Next!!”.

The obvious solution (an elected full‑time EU president to serve a 7‑year term matching the timeframe of the EU’s new 7‑year budget) is staring every European politician in the face, but that big zit on their noses is blocking their peripheral vision.  How come an emerging superstate such as the EU doesn’t have a constitution and a full‑time president in place?  Simply ludicrous, if you ask me!!  What other major power in this world doesn’t have either?  None that I can think of?  Even tiny Israel has a constitution, a prime minister and a ceremonial president.