TWO MORE CHRISTIAN MUSICIANS “COME OUT” (Friday Church News Notes, October 3, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Clay Aiken, a Southern Baptist who was a runner-up on the American Idol contest in 2003 and has gone on to become a multiplatinum recording artist, has admitted publicly that he is homosexual. In the last week of September he appeared on the cover of People magazine under the headline, “Yes, I’m Gay.” A Baptist Press article about him in May 14, 2003, was entitled, “A Baptist Lauded for Work with Youth,” and the Biblical Recorder, the North Carolina Baptist Association’s paper, reported that Aiken’s church, Leesville Baptist in Raleigh, gathered together to watch the very worldly American Idol after their Wednesday night Bible studies. (We wonder how much attention they gave in those studies to passages such as Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:11; James 4:4, and 1 John 2:15-17?) In People magazine, Aiken, referring to his baby boy that was conceived through in-vitro fertilization, said, “I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things.” What, though, is commendable about rejecting one sin (lying) for another (sodomy)? Earlier in September, popular Contemporary Christian Musician Ray Boltz also revealed that he is homosexual. Both Aiken and Boltz say that they revealed their homosexuality privately to their families about four years ago. Boltz told the homosexual magazine The Washington Blade that he has been a homosexual since he was a kid (though he was married for 33 years before his divorce and has four children). He said: “If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live. It’s not like God made me this way and he’ll send me to hell if I am who he created me to be” (“Ray Boltz Comes Out,” Christianity Today, Sept. 12, 2008). This is a great deception. The only sure word from God is found in the Bible, and the Bible calls the male to male sexual relationship (“men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another”) “vile affections,” “against nature,” “unseemly,” “error,” and “reprobate” (Romans 1:26-28). It is obvious, then, that God did not make Ray Boltz a homosexual and that he could renounce it if he really wanted to. The fact is that every individual is born a sinner, but God is not the author of sin, and He offers redemption through repentance and faith in Jesus’ atonement. Ten years ago, Kirk Franklin, a big name in Contemporary Christian Music, said in his autobiography, “... homosexuality is ... a problem today in Gospel music--a major concern--and everybody knows it” (Church Boy, p. 39). Obviously, then, we have seen only the tip of the iceberg in regard to this matter.

THE ROCK & ROLL PHILOSOPHY (Friday Church News Notes, October 3, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The rock & roll philosophy is all about me and what I want. Pop Machine put it this way: “Rock & roll is about striking out independently, not caring about your parents’ disapproval” (“Metallica? OK, But We Still Don’t Like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” Chicago Tribune, Sept. 23, 2008). The Rolling Stones said: “I’m free to do what I want any old time.” Ted Nugent said, “Rock is the total celebration of the physical” (Rolling Stone, Aug. 25, 1977). Punk rock manager Malcolm McLaren said, “Rock ‘n’ roll is pagan and primitive, and very jungle” (Rock, August 1983, p. 60). Time magazine said, “In a sense all rock is revolutionary. By its very beat and sound it has always implicitly rejected restraints and has celebrated freedom and sexuality” (Jan. 3, 1969). Ellen Willis said, “The basic appeal of rock and roll [is] its irreverent, nose-thumbing quality” (TV Guide, January 1979, p. 15). Michael Moynihan says, “Rock music has always held seeds of the forbidden” (Lord’s of Chaos, p. x). Irwin Silber said, “The great strength of rock ‘n’ roll lies in its beat … it is a music which is basically sexual, un-Puritan … and a threat to established patterns and values” (Sing Out, May 1965, p. 63). Martin Perlich said, “Rock radicalized teenagers, because it estranges them from the traditional virtues which they no longer see as relevant” (The Cleveland Press, July 25, 1969, p. 1N). Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates said, “The main purpose of rock and roll is celebration of the self” (Interview with Timothy White, 1987, Rock Lives, p. 594). David Brinkley said, “Elvis changed our hairstyles, dress styles, our attitudes toward sex” (NBC News, cited by Larry Nager, Memphis Beat, p. 216). Robert Palmer said, “Rock and roll challenged the dominant norms and values with a genuinely Dionysian fervor” (Rock & Roll an Unruly History, p. 150). (Dionysius, or Bacchus, was the ancient god of wine and debauchery.) Johnny Thunders says that “rock and roll is simply an attitude,” and Tina Turner says that “it is naughty” (cited in Rock Facts, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, pp. 12, 14). Oh, I have an idea. Why don’t we take rock music and use it to glorify the thrice holy, only-righteous Lord Jesus Christ?

DIALOGUING WITH EVIL (Friday Church News Notes, October 3, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - When Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a rabid enemy of Israel, came to New York to speak to the United Nations, a group of “Christian” organizations met him for a meal and “dialogue.” These were the World Council of Churches, the Mennonite Central Committee, the American Friends Service Committee, and the Quaker United Nations Office. They described the dialogue as “a bridge-building and reconciliation effort.” Dialogue seems like a reasonable thing from a human perspective, but God’s Word forbids dialogue with heretics and those who are committed to demonic philosophies. “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:16-17). See also Romans 16:17-18; 2 Timothy 3:5; Titus 3:9-11; 2 John 9-11. Ahmadinejad is committed to Islam’s false god and has called repeatedly for the destruction of Israel. Earlier this year Ahmadinejad called Israel a “dirty microbe” and warned that it will be defeated and uprooted (“Israel Will Be ‘Uprooted,’” The Australian, March 2, 2008). Israel is living in rebellion to her God today, but she is still the seed of Abraham, to whom God said, “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee  ... And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee...” (Genesis 12:3). Israel will not be destroyed, because God’s covenants with her are certain (i.e., Jeremiah 31-33), but she will go through the “time of Jacob’s trouble” to bring her to repentance (Jeremiah 30:7). The book of Revelation describes this in great detail, beginning in chapter six. When Israel repents and her Messiah returns, her enemies will be destroyed (Zechariah 12:6-9). “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins” (Romans 11:25-27). At that time, Islamic terrorists will be gone, because the Bible says, “In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee” (Isaiah 54:14).

VIOLENCE CONTINUES AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN INDIA (Friday Church News Notes, October 3, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The violence that was poured out against Christians in the Indian state of Orissa in August has slowed but not ceased and has spread to other states. Falsely blaming Christians for the murder of a Hindu priest and for buying converts, Hindus went on a rampage and destroyed hundreds of homes and dozens of churches. As many as 50 people have been killed. One pastor was burned to death. Thousands were forced to flee for their lives into the jungles. Since then the violence in Orissa has quieted down after a belated government crackdown, but it has spread to other states. Roughly two dozen churches in Karnataka have been attacked, including three on the outskirts of the modern city of Bangalore (“Churches Attacked,” AFP, Sept. 11, 2008).

ANOTHER STUDY FINDS THAT MOVIES AFFECT PEOPLE (Friday Church News Notes, October 3, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Yet another study has demonstrated that the content of movies and television affects the viewers. A new study by professors at Brigham Young University has found that watching meanness in movies affects people as much as watching violence. After watching clips from the movie Mean Girls, the test subjects evidenced the same hostile, aggressive attitude as those that watched a knife fight from the movie Kill Bill (“Meanness Appears to Rub Off on Viewers,” USA Today, Sept. 16, 2008). Sarah Coyne, who led the study, observed that TV shows are loaded with instances of relationship aggression and that it’s “almost always portrayed as justified, almost always portrayed as rewarded.” For a Bible believer there is nothing surprising about this study. God warns that “evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:33). We are dramatically influenced by what we see and hear. That is why it is so important to be exceedingly careful about anything we might watch on television or that is produced by Hollywood. I know many Christians that have thrown away the television, and I have never heard of one that regretted it. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee” (Proverbs 4:23-25).

DEATH OF A MOVIE STAR (Friday Church News Notes, October 3, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is by Brian Snider <bksnider@gmail.com> -- “The news was filled last week with the death of Paul Newman, who was a rarity in the world of Hollywood. Even though he was divorced, his second marriage took and he remained married to the same woman for 50 years. In a lot of people’s minds, he seemed to rise above the muck and the mire of Hollywood Babylon to be a success in every area of his life--business, fame, popularity, and home. According to the world he died a winner, but what does the Scripture say? Paul Newman died rich, with an estate of multiplied millions of dollars. But the Bible says: ‘But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition’ (1 Tim. 6:9). Paul Newman died famous, loved by the world. But the Bible says: ‘that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God’ (Luke 16:15). Paul Newman had abundant good works, having given more than $200 million dollars to charity during his lifetime. But the Bible says: ‘But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away’ (Isaiah 64:6). Paul Newman was politically active in support of causes that are popular with the world, like gay marriage. But the Bible says: ‘Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them’ (Romans 1:32). Paul Newman took his fill of every pleasure that he desired. But the Bible says: ‘Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world’ (1 John 2:15-16). Paul Newman gained, as it were, the whole world. But in all the writing about Paul Newman, there is never a word that he took Jesus Christ as his Saviour. Paul Newman lives on, but it doesn’t matter to him now what the world thinks. There is only one opinion that matters and that is God’s. All who reject the mercy of God through Jesus Christ are lost forever. Don’t be deceived by the world’s success. To gain the world and lose your soul is the worst life you can live.”

OH MAMMON, HEAR US! (Friday Church News Notes, October 3, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is by Pastor Buddy Smith <smiletex@bigpond.net.au> -- “One hundred fifty years ago Jeremiah Lanphier was a missionary supported by the local churches of New York City. His calling was to evangelize the sinners of the city. He became so burdened for his mission field and so concerned over their lack of response that he invited the businessmen of the city to meet weekly for prayer. They met to pray for the lost and for revival to be sent from God. Only half a dozen men came to the first meeting. The prayer meetings soon spread to other cities in the USA and overseas. Some have suggested that the revivals that followed Moody’s preaching and the 1859 Welsh Revival were the outgrowth of the prayer meetings in New York City. We hear that there are businessmen praying again in New York City. The credit crisis has brought it on. I wonder which god they are praying to? And what are they praying about? Are their prayers addressed to the Eternal God whose Son poured out His blood upon the cross to ransom lost men from an eternal Hell? Are they praying that precious souls may be turned from their idols to Christ? Or are they praying to Mammon to restore the fortunes they gambled and lost? Is the prayer meeting led by a broken and contrite sinner who is seeking Life from the Life Giver? Or is it led by bankrupt Midases who are grieving over treasures they laid up on earth, treasures stolen from them by thieves in high places, treasures that are so quickly moth-eaten and cankered? Israel’s worship many times became so diluted by idolatry that they thought they could pray to Baal in the name of Jehovah. So today, men all over the world pray to Mammon in the name of God. If they prayed to the god they really worship they would be praying, ‘Oh Mammon, hear us!!!’ No wonder the heavens are silent.” “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” (James 4:3).