These are some uncertain times for Christianity to say the least. Not just in the U.S. but around the world. I started writing this last September but due to my attention being pulled to some of my other blogs for months, I went ahead and pushed this into the new year.
If you haven’t yet, I urge you to read the very lengthy Mail Bag I wrote last summer here before you read this one. Some of the questions I answered there will be revisited here as well.
Here’s a quick reminder of a few things:
- I will use Q&A format.
- Those whose questions were chosen were notified in advance but no names will be mentioned here.
- Similar and repeat questions were merged into one question.
- Some topics featured may be revisited in separate posts in the future.
…Ok, here we go!
Q: You and a few others have talked a lot about Christian Nationalism and Christian Fundamentalism over the last few years in particular. Can you provide a basic definition of what they are, what they look like and what makes them different from a healthly Christian experience?
Note: This was actually a compilation of several questions on this topic that I merged.
A: I figure this is an important topic to open with.
Christian Nationalism is what it sounds like. It promotes the idea America (or another country with deeply Christian roots or values) is or should be a Christian nation. One of the biggest lies that’s been pushed by Christian Nationalist movements and Christian Fundamentalist groups is America was founded as or was intended to be a Christian nation. That’s simply not true but that ideology helps confirm America will eventually become the Second Beast Power. I’ll explain that in a bit.
Did you know it wasn’t until the 1960s the phrase “In God We Trust” was on American currency? In addition, the words “Under God” were only added to the Pledge of Alliegiance in 1954. This is to say nothing of statues and monuments in former Confederate states not being erected until the 1950s. This is why knowing your own country’s history is so important. Details still do matter. Not that those trying to rewrite history care of course but context matters.
All that said. It IS true America was founded with some Christian principles but the Separation of Church and State was hard-baked in to prevent Religious Fundamentalists from weaponizing the government against non-believers. Most Christians don’t know or understand that. They don’t know because they don’t know or understand largely because of willful ignorance. Meanwhile, Christian Nationalist groups are working hard to tear down what’s left of the wall between Church and State.
That brings me back to what I said earlier about America becoming the Second Beast Power. One of the ironies of those who came to North America from Europe for religious freedom is they brought the attitudes around religious intolerance with them. In the Plymouth Colony, you could be jailed and/or fined for not attending church services. Yes, really. Everyone was required to regular attend church or at the very least put on a public facade of piety.
Fast forward to the imfamous Salem Witch Trials in the Massachusetts Colony. You know what started it? Someone lying out of boredom knowing people would believe it. It wasn’t until after almost 40 people were executed on suspicion of witchcraft and half the town (now a city) was jailed that the accuser admitted they lied. Fear of demonic possession was used to turn a whole town against each other. Several decades later, a gradual change of government leaders in Boston pushed out the Puritains who were using the levers of government to enforce their religious doctrines.
Jesus said to Pilate when he was asked if he was a king “My kingdom is not of this world.” If that isn’t the final word on the idea of a “Kingdom of God on Earth”, I don’t know what is. What’s been allowed to happen in America over the last 75 or so years is some have reduced Jesus to a mascot that they pull out at their leisure for their political ends. One thing Jesus himself warned both prophetically and in the final days of his mortal life is the biggest threat to any Christian isn’t athiests but other so-called believers blinded by power, hatred and bloodlust.
During his arrest in Gethsemane, Jesus rebuked Peter for trying to violently defend him. Jesus did not want his followers to use violence to defend him or his teachings. He certainly didn’t want his followers to forcefully convert people either. True transformation and conversion can only happen with informed consent. The Bible makes that clear.
Q: It feels like there is a great shaking within the Christian world lately. Is this a sign we’re close to The Last Days or is this a sign of something else entirely?
A: Based on scripture, it’s definitely something else entirely. The last 20 years in particular have been an especially trying time for Christianity in North America. I don’t think it can be denied any longer that America is now beginning to transform into the Second Beast Power described in Revealation. The rise of prominent Christian Nationalist movements such as the New Apostalic Reformation (NAR), The Family and The Heritage Foundation in recent years makes that obvious. I find it disheartening but unsurprising a growing number of self-professed athiests and agnostics are more aware of this danger in plain sight than most devout Christians in America are. Some are calling the rise of Christian Nationalism an even bigger threat than anything from the Middle East and they are right to say that.
Most Christians are either not paying any attention, are willfully ignorant or are helping Christian Fundamantalist movements seize political power by hook or crook. There is an order to things as outlined in Revealation. These efforts by various Christian-like movements and evangelical leaders to forcefully shift things in their favor largely went unnoticed until the overturning of Roe v. Wade last year. That was a body blow to many who genuinely believed those who campaigned for 49 years to overturn Roe v. Wade could not possibly succeed. Until they did.
Are we in the last days? Of course not. Again, there is an order to things. Don’t let the daily media reports and charismatic faith leaders who think they know what’s going on fool you. Things are not bad enough for specific events in prophecy to happen. That aside, certain other conditions have yet to be met either. As for what this is–and I want to be clear this is 100% speculation on my part–it’s a lesson for everyone to learn from.
Q: What is the biggest or most significant thing that needs to happen for Last Day Events to start happening?
Note: This was actually a compilation of several questions on this topic that I merged.
A: Everyone on earth needs to be given the opportunity to choose to live for Christ. Probation for all mankind ends once that happens. The final reward of everyone who is alive and everyone has ever lived weather its damnation or eternal life will be set in stone. As things stand now, Probation ends the moment you die and this is what keeps most Evangelists up at night. More so given as of the end of 2023, it’s believed 150,000 people die a day globally across all possible causes (That’s about 4.5 Million people a month).
No doubt for most of those people, death came suddenly or unexpectedly. How many of those people had a relationship with Christ before they died? THAT is the question that should keep anyone who considers themselves a follower of Christ up at night. More so with everything going on in the world these days. The Bible is vague about certain end time events and outright omits dates related to The Second Coming because of Human Nature. If people knew the date and time, they would wait until the last possible minute to repent or convert.
Three of the most misinterpreted New Testament verses are 1 Thesselonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10 and Revealation 16:15. All three talk about how Jesus will return. When Christ said he will come as a thief, he means he will come at a time people will not expect. I’ll be blunt: For most people, they’ll find out what their final reward will be after they die. That’s because their next conscious thought will be The Second Coming.
Q: What do you think of the popular saying among most Protestant and Catholic denominations “Once Saved, Always Saved”?
A: It’s elitist thinking and the Bible warns against it. It’s also very dangerous as it lulls mostly well-meaning Christians into a false sense of security. Paul warned about the dangers of having a lukewarm Christian experience in general. The overwhelming majority of people who call themselves Christian are nominal Christians. They are Christian largely in name only. They go to church once a week, selectively quote scripture and use “Christian speak” in front of others but their hearts are still largely unconverted.
The Bible makes it crystal clear what is expected of anyone who considers themselves a follower of Christ. There is a certain lifestyle and a certain mindset you’re expected to emulate and adopt. Being “Saved” is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new journey. One parable Jesus told that resonates especially right now is the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. When the time comes, many who think they’re “Saved” or died thinking they were “Saved” will find out they’re not. The reasons why will largely be for the reasons Jesus gave in the second half of that particular Parable (Matthew 25-41-46).
Is it wrong to be able to do good and not do anything? Jesus is clearly saying yes. Did you know America has had the resources and infrastructure to NOT have Hunger or Homelessness for decades? It still does now yet many Americans suffer from chronic hunger AND we are about to be dealing with a MASSIVE homelessness crisis. The time to address these issues isn’t when things are out of control. It’s when the problem is first noticed. There has been a growing apathy among Christian Americans in particular towards helping people in need and it’s impossible to miss or ignore that mindset now. God himself is taking notes and everyone will be held to account at the appointed time.
Q: I’ve been hearing about the rise of Christian Nationalism and Christian Funamentalism in America online lately but almost all of it is coming from self-professed atheists and agnostics as well as people of other faiths. Why aren’t any prominent Evangelical figures or pastors talking about this even now? Why are Christians in American STILL largely ignorant of these growing threats to not just America but America’s Freedom of Religion?
Note: This was actually a compilation of several questions on this topic that I merged.
A: Both questions largely have the same answers: Most faith leaders tell their congregations largely what they think they should hear. That and most faith leaders are themselves largely uninformed or misinformed on the topic. I’m not saying this is a conspiracy or intentional but for decades, most faith leaders who know about those topics simply decided Christian Nationalism and Christian Fundamentalism are “too distracting” or “too political” to really talk to their congregations about.
There’s also the fact many faith leaders genuinely believe “America is a Christian Nation” or “The Founders wanted America to be a Christian nation”. Neither of those are true but because a faith leader genuinely and sincerely wants to believe that’s why America has freedom of religion right now, that’s what they tell their congregations. It’s also why they genuinely and sincerely believe the biggest threat to Freedom of Religion is Atheism and Secularism, not Christian Fundamentalism and Christian Nationalism. They’d never think a fellow believer with more extreme religious views than theirs could ever possibly be a threat to them. That’s exactly what Christian Nationalists in particular want and need everyone to think.
One of the final warnings Jesus gave to future generations is be careful no one deceives you (Matthew 24:4-6, Mark 13:5 and Colossians 2:8). The most powerful deceptions to watch out for always come from within the fold. The Bible gives near-endless examples of the importance of watching what someone does and how they live their lives more than what they say. All that said, it is an unfortunate fact that for almost 100 years, most Christians in America have been conditioned to base their theology on their feelings or what a faith leader says more than what the Bible actually says. This is to say nothing of those who “speak Christian” or selectively quote scripture when making political statements but I digress.
I will say this though. There are people traveling across the country visiting churches right now working to convince unsuspecting congregations their Freedom of Religion is under attack by “Wokeness”, the “Radical Left” and “Globalists”. They say the only way to counter these “threats” is to overthrow the government and replace it with a Theocracy. What they conveniently leave out is as a result of the government change they’re pushing for through subversion and if necessary violence, everyone in America will naturally loose their Freedom of Religion. Thinking “It could never happen here” is exactly what these anarchists want everyone who isn’t with them–especially those who they know disagree with their views–to keep thinking. They need their target audience–Conservative-leaning Christians–to think the biggest and most immediate domestic threat to American Christians is Secularism when in fact it’s really Christian Nationalism.
This is also why I continue to and will not stop talking about it on this blog. America fits the criteria to one day become the Second Beast Power described in Revealation. Weather that happens in 2024 or sometime later remains to be seen but America–or rather certain factions within America–fits the criteria. America has been in something of a cultural Civil War for almost 16 years. It’s not hard to see the “rationale” of some to want to use Religion to unite American. The problem is Christian Nationalists want to force everyone to follow their extreme theology through legislation under penality of imprisonment and worse.
The irony is in doing so, they will have succeeded in turning America into the Second Beast Power. Two characteristics of the nation that becomes the Second Beast Power is it does not have a king or a church. America was intentionally founded with the power a monarch would normally have split into three branches: Executive (President), Legislative (Congress) and Judicial (Supreme Court). There is also no Church of America like there is a Church of England and a Greek Orthodox Church.
Freedom of Religion is framed the way it is to protect the minority from having the levers of government weaponized against them by the majority. Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamlton debated over the wording but they agreed there needed to be safeguards in place to protect both religious minorities and those who practiced no religion from being persecuted by the majority. They knew about the Salem Witch Trials which happened almost 200 years earlier and horrible details of that incident. Freedom of Religion is as much about protecting those who don’t practice the “majority” religion as it is ensuring those who do practice the “majority” religion from having the levers of government weaponized against them.
Another characteristic of the Second Beast Power–and this is actually true of ANY Democracy–is it speaks to its population through laws and ordinances. Revealation 13:11 describes The Second Beast Power as having two horns like a lamb but speaks as a dragon. I just told you what the two lamb-like horns were which America has long been uniquely known for: Freedom of Religion and the Separation of Church and State. Even among other Democracies, these are two ideals that have long made America the world’s biggest exporter of missionaries.
That aside, America is known to the rest of the world as having the most powerful military in the world since the end of World War II. Not the biggest–China has the biggest with over 3 million people in its military–but America still has the most powerful military in the world. That’s still true now contrary to what you may have been hearing and reading online. The reason is because the U.S. Military can mobilize and go to prettymuch wherever on the planet it wants at the drop of a hat. That’s something China is trying to do now but the U.S. Military has had this capability for over 100 years now.
Revealation 13:11 ends with this nation with lamb-like properties speaking like a dragon. That’s when Church and State become one and America becomes a Theocracy. With the rise of Christian Nationalism in America and the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, the idea of America becoming the Second Beast Power no longer seems like mere conjecture and speculation now, does it? America uniquely fits the criteria because its brand of Democracy is what other world democracies are modeled after first and it has the capability second.
Look up Project 2025. All of it is straight from Revealation 13:12. After they’ve subjugated the American population, they plan to export their ideology to the world: “Adopt our version of Christianity or else”. They’ll first start with America’s allies and then start targeting militarily weaker countries. This Theocratic America would be a persecuting power both domestically and internationally. It will ally itself with and swear fealty to The Vatican largely for credability among Catholic majority nations like The Philippines and Italy. In exchange, The Vatican now has the power of the most powerful military in history in its pocket. Military Power it hasn’t wielded since The Dark Ages.
Who will be aggressively targeted for persecution first? Not Athiests, Muslims, Hindus or Taoists. It will be those Christians who refuse to compromise their beliefs or betray their conscience just to “fall in line”. They’ll be branded as heretics and worse. Contrary to what I know the SDA Church has long held the position on, I no longer believe the original Sabbath will be the only reason for persecution. The reason is because by the time America becomes a Theocracy and a persecuting power, there will only be two kinds of Christians in America: Those who put their obedience to The Christian State first and those who put obedience to God as their conscience dictates first.
The Sabbath is not the only area believers will be tested on and this is something Adventists continue to forget that other deominations are actively aware of and being mindful of. Why? Because of the general fixation Adventists in North America have on The Roman Catholic Church, The Pope and a National Sunday Law in the U.S. after America becomes a Theocracy. The idea of a National Sunday Law is a modern one and it largely stems from Jan Marcusen’s book titled The National Sunday Law. I talked about this in a few posts last year but that book has done its job of distracting most Adventists from things they should be focusing on. If you’re worried about that then you’ll naturally be distrustful and suspicious of authority figures of any kind now. Too much time and energy is being wasted on what the Pope is saying and doing these days.
All that said. One of the most successful redirection tactics the devil has utilized in recent decades has been to convince Evangelical Christians in modernized countries that the biggest threat to their way of life is from non-believers, not fellow Christians. I’ll just leave it at that for now.
Q: There is a growing perception among Conservatives in particular that if their kids go to a secular college, their kids will end up becoming a Liberal or a Democrat. Should Christian parents discourage their kids from going to a secular college?
A: Over the last 10 years there’s been a real push by almost every college in America to offer online-only classes. Meaning you can work towards getting your degree without attending classes in person. Everything would be done remotely but you will need a computer and internet connection to take online classes.
That aside. It’s worth pointing out non-Christians can and do enroll in Christian schools and colleges. This is to say nothing of people of other faiths being hired by Christian schools and colleges. Should Christian parents discourage their kids from going to a secular college? No, absolutely not. They could be a witness at the campus and/or dorm among other things.
Q: I’ve heard that in the past, some used certain biblical passages to justify Slavery, Segregation, Racism and Mysogyny in the U.S. Over the last 100 or so years, certain passages have also been used to promote Christian Nationalism and Theocracy. Which passages were they and why did people use them that way?
Note: This was actually a compilation of several questions on this topic that I merged.
A: I’m actually going to address this in a separate post because of how important it is.
What I will say for now is the verses I go over were or are intentionally being used out of context. Most passages in the Bible will not make sense by themselves because they’re part of a larger dialogue or narrative.
Q: I live in a city and I’ve heard for years about the importance of moving to a rural area. I’m not able to do it due to certain circumstances. What should I do?
A: First off, pray on the matter. More often than not, God likely intends for you to stay right where you are so you can be a blessing to others. For those who might not know, there’s been a noticable and concerted effort by a growing number of faith leaders across all denominations to encourage Christians living in cities or suburban areas to move to rural areas and rural towns over the last 10 years in particular.
People look at how quickly the Corona Virus went through New York City in the early days of the Pandemic. While it’s true New York City was initially the epicenter of the Pandemic in the U.S., by the Fall of 2020 the Pandemic traveled from cities into rural areas of the country where it remains the most concentrated four years later. It’s true a disease will spread quickly in an urban area but it’s also true it will run its course just as quickly in a city. Cities were a lot more willing to adapt and adjust to mitigate or slow down the spread of disease before the vaccines and other things were introduced than rural areas were. That’s a fact and it’s shameful charismatic preachers encouraged people to make dangerous choices.
That aside, the conflict in Ukraine renewed the appeal from faith leaders to move to rural areas. When Russia invaded Ukraine, they targeted cities first. Most of the cities in eastern Ukraine are now ruins. That isn’t to say rural areas were spared or ignored. While Russian snipers used urban streets for target practice, Russian soldiers are now believed to have laid thousands of mines in rural areas in the northrern and eastern parts of the country. It’s not just to terrorize the locals but to discourage Russian soldiers from desserting their military. Nowhere you go is 100% safe from conflict.
A third reason I hear a lot is to get people away from modern conveniences and learn to be self-sufficient. The problem is self-sufficient means different things to different people depending on where and how they live. It is pretty unreasonable and unrealistic to expect someone used to working in an office setting to pick up agriculture. They would first need to learn that other skillset before they could make the transition and that takes far longer than most understand or are willing to accept. I haven’t even gotten to carpentry, stonecutting and alchemy among other things. All these things would probably be very handy to have if you’re going to move out to the middle of nowhere.
On a related note. I’m keenly aware a growing number of Christian families are pushing their kids to pursue jobs, careers or college courses most beneficial for living in the country or “without modern conveniences”. I know some of you know what I’m talking about. If God calls you to be a teacher then go for it. If God calls you to be an attorney then go for it. If God calls you to work in customer sevice then go for it. Those skills will have a use for someone at some point in the future.
Q: The drums of war are being sounded in the U.S. for the second time in four years. Some are calling for Civil War if the upcoming presidential election doesn’t have their desired outcome. How should Christians respond to the unrest? How do you talk to your family–especially children–about what’s going on?
Note: This was actually a compilation of several questions on this topic that I merged.
A: First things first, this should come as no surprise. Like I mentioned when I answered an earlier question, America is a prime candidatee to one day become the Second Beast Power described in Revealation 13:11. Like I also mentioned when I answered an earlier question, there have been efforts by Christian Fundamentalists to turn America into a Theocracy a few times in its history. About 20 years after the Civil War, someone in Congress introduced a bill that if taken up and passed into law would recognize Sunday as the Sabbath nationwide. The proposed bill was defeated by a two-man team of Congressmen who happened to be an Adventist and a Jew–both of whom observe the original Seventh Day Sabbath which is known worldwide as Saturday.
In 1919, The Temperance Movement succeeded in getting Alcoholic Prohibition passed nationwide with the 19th Amendment. It lasted from 1920 to 1933 when it was was repealed with the 21st Amendment, making it the first and currently only time in U.S. History an Amendment was repealed. Why was Prohibition repealed? Because the people who pushed for it didn’t consider the consequences that came during the prohibition era. What kinds of consequences? Just Google Valentine’s Day Massacre for starters. That was the event that turned public opinion against the 19th Amendment. It’s not that people thought America needed Alcohol but the Valentine’s Day Massacre opened the nation’s eyes to the consequences that came with such a sweeping ban. Here’s a bit of irony: 100 years later, the liquor industry is floundering. A growing number of young people have simply decided drinking alcohol is not worth the health, legal and social consequences.
Speaking of nationwide consequences. We are now beginning to see the consequences of Roe v. Wade being overturned two years ago in states that outlawed abortion. There is a certain irony as millions in those states that outlawed abortion and initially opposed it are finding out their doctors’ hands are now tied when it comes to prenatal care and women’s healthcare. Doctors in states where abortion is outlawed are no longer allowed to terminate an unviable pregnancy even if the mother would die otherwise. The other day, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled fertilized eggs created via IVF (InVitro Fertilization) are legally children. The next day, IVF services stopped statewide in Alabama. Now the State Legislature is working to amend that ruling so that IVF services can resume. This is what I meant earlier about unforeseen consequences to “good intentions”.
This is also what happens when Christians take it upon themselves to do God’s work…or rather claim they’re “doing God’s work”. In reality, they’re using God’s name for their own ends to suit certain political or personal goals. That brings me back to the question of what real God-fearing Bible reading Christians should do. First and foremost, speak up and speak out. Now is not the time for REAL Christians to run and hide. The Bible makes it clear we will all have to answer for what we could have done and chose not to. That’s exactly why America is in its current situation. It’s because “good” people chose to stay silent and/or do nothing.
Those who are pushing to turn America into a Theocracy in God’s name have already been exposed for what they really are by various people and movements fighting to prevent the worst-case scenario. The worse-case scenario isn’t the outcome of the election but armed conflict between Americans. At this point, it’s more than fair to say the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee and former president Donald Trump is not going to win the election in November. Ignore all the noise from the media about polls saying this and that about President Biden. Over 60% of American voters–and over half of Republican voters–do not want Trump back in the White House. It’s that simple and my sources are people who’ve been in the political world for decades who know what they’re talking about.
People should expect violence from White Christian Nationalist groups especially in what the media calls “Battleground states” and Democratic counties in Republican-controlled states right after the National Conventions later this year. They’re going to pull out all the stops to try to keep people from voting outright. This is to say nothing of Trump once again saying over a year in advance the election is rigged if he does not win so let that sink in. NOW is the time for people in such areas to start stocking up on supplies and food. Start stocking up from now and avoid the rush to come later.
As for what to tell your family, now is the time to try to have some honest conversations. Now is NOT the time to be silent or sit on the sidelines regardless of your political ideologies. More so if you have young or teenage children.
Q: I’m a lifelong conservative but I can’t stand Donald Trump. I didn’t vote for him before and I don’t plan on voting for him in the upcoming primary election if he makes it thar far. The problem is people I long considered good friends at church are accusing me of heresy for refusing to support him. Some are even saying I’m not a real Christian because I refuse to support the former president. How can I get them to understand we’ll have to agree to disagree on this topic?
Note: A LOT of people have sent me a version of this question/concern since the 2022 Midterm Elections!
A: As of now, we’re in the beginning of March 2024. Trump has locked in the Republican Nomination. While it’s more than fair to say at this point Trump is a cult leader, more dangerous than him are the people behind Trump who no longer care how many people know what they’re up to. I’m talking about the likes of former 3-star General Mike Flynn, Steve Bannon, Vladomir Putin and more recently Elon Musk. From the beginning, Trump’s role was to keep the media and the public distracted so Flynn, Bannon, Putin, Musk and others could work in the background. I won’t digress further here but if you’d like to know more, head over to my blog on Politics and Current Events.
Getting back to Trump specifically, this ad created by The Lincoln Project comes to mind:
I commented on the video shortly after it first dropped but to quote John Calvin, “When God wants to judge a nation, He gives them wicked rulers.” Donald Trump has repeatedly said both during the 2020 election cycle and now he will end the American Democracy. Those are his words, not mine or the media’s words or his critics’ words. This is what has enboldened the cabal of people I mentioned earlier to be more open with their plans in the (at this point unlikely) event Trump is elected president again in November.
What everyone needs to keep in mind is in short, Trump is a useful idiot for a lot of people and he’s also a malignant narcissist. Trump is letting people use his name to promote their causes and ideologies. If things work out, he takes credit. When things don’t work out, it’s not his fault as far as he’s concerned. To all narcissists, it’s never their fault.
It’s no accident mostly White Evangelical Christians and White Nationalists in particular were targeted by Trump and make up the majority of his supporters. Trump gave them permission to be their worst selves and be proud of it. It’s not that they share his beliefs. They just like the idea of being able to say and do whatever they want to whoever they want without consequence. Like the overall theme of that video says, God created despots like Trump to test people. Until you have cast them down and rebuked them, you have failed. There is no third option. Either reject or embrace. Pick one.
As for the final question. Sorry to say this but you’ll probably want to find a new church family at this point. If most of the church has turned on you then you should probably find a new church family at least until after the election cycle is over. More so if the church has been or will be visited by Mike Flynn who is currently traveling across the country recruiting churches to his cause. See my other blog for more about that.
Q: What makes you so sure Christian Nationalism is such a big threat and not athiesm?
A: Simple: Jesus himself said so.
There’s also the fact Daniel and Revealation make it clear tests Christians will be confronted with will be spiritual in nature. If this coalition of Christian Nationalists and White Nationalists succeeds in overthrowing the government, that would be mean God is allowing it to happen and the country is being punished again. While I do believe God allowed Trump to win the 2016 election and become the 45th preident, it was because America needed to be tested.
It can no longer be denied Americans and the world know a lot more about our society than they ever wanted to know before Trump became president. America’s original sins of state-permitted slavery and state-enforced apartheid are making themselves known once again and it’s time for Americans to choose a side. There is no third or neutral option. God steps in when need be but largely allows Man to experience the consequences of their choices bad or good.
I’ve said this quite a bit on this blog as well as my blog on politics but people want to be able to make bad choices and not deal with the consequences. That’s not how it works in reality. As the saying goes, the longest rope has an end. Too often, people end up hanging themselves with that same proverbial rope.
Getting back to the second part of the question, remember Matthew 7:15: “Beware of False Prophets. They come to you in Sheep’s Clothing but inwardly they are as ravenous wolves.” Jesus made it clear the biggest threat to true Christianity is and always will come from within. Christians are typically on guard and wary of threats from the secular world, other faiths, paganism and the occult but not from within Christianity. I don’t just mean from Christianity in general but even your own denomination. It’s never obvious or up front on that note.
Q: I’ve largely removed myself from the political discourse in the United States. I haven’t voted in any of the presidential elections for years and I’m definitely not voting for either of the likely presidential candidates this coming November. How can I convince my church family to take a step back and refocus on God?
Note: This was actually a compilation of several questions on this topic that I merged.
A: Actually, you’re the one who needs to come back to reality. Sorry not sorry but the Bible makes it clear it is a sin to know to do good and do nothing. While it’s true the Bible states God sets up world leaders and removes world leaders, it’s also true God gives Man a lot of space to figure out governing nations. The United States was founded with two core principles that makes it the likely candidate Second Beast Power described in Revealation 13:11. It doesn’t have an official church and it doesn’t have a king. Despite that, it is largely regarded even by foreign adversaries to be the most powerful country in the world. Not just militarily but culturally and economically.
It’s become a bit more clear on how to many now but there will come a time when Church and State become one in America. That could happen as soon as this coming November or even sooner if the Christian Nationalists decide not to wait until then to make their move. Like the 2020 presidential election, the upcoming presidential election is not a question of “R” or “D”. It’s literally a question of Democracy or Theocracy. The Christian Nationalists decided that years ago and they are willing to do whatever it takes to seize political power at this point.
Only 150 Million people–less than half the U.S. population–decided the 2020 presidential election. Honestly, I’m expecting even less than that to vote in November. Voter turnout for the state primaries have been pretty low overall which is also why I just said that. Political Apathy has set in so it’ll be a real question of if enough people wo;; vote to preserve Democracy in November or not. Trump and his allies have already made it clear Democracy will end if he’s reelected. Their words, not mine or the media’s.
Q: You mentioned in your answer to the previous question it’s become more clear on how the U.S. will become the Second Beast Power. Can you explain that a bit more?
A: Charismatic Protestant Evangelical leaders have allied themselves with The Heritage Foundation which created Project 2025. Go to the website for more on that but it’s their plan for turning America into an Autocratic Theocracy should Trump or another Republican who shares their agenda becomes president. The first to go will obviously be Freedom of Religion. Everyone will be forced to worship how…and on what day they say so (Sunday). A National Sunday Law is something Adventists in particular have been watching for and more so since it will effect us directly.
The Roman Catholic Church has long said they consider any Protestant church that observes Sunday as one of their “daughters” and they have been working to infiltrate those churches for centuries. In recent decades, they’ve brokered an alliance of “shared values” with most of the mainline Protestant Churches in not just the U.S. but around the world. In the mid-1800s, the Vatican sent a covert fundamentalist faction called Opus Dei to the U.S. to infiltrate Protestant churches. As soon as they came over, Opus Dei went rogue and declared the Pope a heretic. Even though they severed their direct ties to The Vatican, they didn’t abandon their original mission.
As America’s cultural distrust toward Catholicism lessened in the U.S. going into the 20th Century, it became easier for the Catholic Church to openly have a presence in the U.S. John F. Kennedy made history as the first Catholic President in the U.S. Commenting on the controversy at the time, Kennedy famously stated he would be the President of the United States. Not the Pope. Almost 50 years later, Joe Biden would be the second Catholic to become President of the United States. There’s a bit of irony in knowing if Biden isn’t reelected in November, America will at least be plunged into Civil War almost immediately. Why? Because people won’t take their rights being taken from them kindly and will respond in kind.
Could America become the Second Beast Power if Trump is reelected? No for the reason I just stated. I do think like the last Civil War, God will use another one to punish Americans on both sides for different things. With the last one, the South was punished for profiting from Slavery while the North was punished for largely turning a blind eye to it. This time, the Christian Right will be punished for doing evil in God’s name while the Left will be punished for making and refusing to keep promises they made to people in need. Both sides have blood on their hands already to say the least. It will be far worse and far more widespread if Trump becomes president again though. That’s not hyperbole either.
Q: Based on all this, when should people start heading for the hills? What about those of us who live in cities and can’t move to rural areas for various reasons?
A: That really depends on various factors as freedoms will start getting restricted in stages. I mean if the Christian Nationalists’ hostile takeover of America later this year–and it WILL be hostile, they want it to be–is successful.
For now, people should start working to gradually turn their home into a fortress of sorts. If you rent an apartment or house, obviously you’re far more limited since you’re living in someone else’s property. If the apartment is in housing complex or large apartment building, contact the property manager from now. Have them organize a meeting with the other residents if need be about stockpiling at least 3 to 12 months worth of food and water for everyone somewhere in the building. That way, if it’s not safe to go outside or the stores have been picked clean you’re already stocked up.
If you rent a house or apartment in a rural or suburban area (or your apartment is a house with 2 to 4 units), you’ll have a bit more leeway and more so if the landlord also lives on the property. You can probably get them to agree to build a storage shed or two–you can buy some decent premade ones from a Home Depot or Lowes for $400 to $2000–in the backyard if there’s space for them. They’ll probably be more willing to say yes if you pay for the shed and its assembly.
If you own your own house–urban, suburban or rural–obviously you have the most freedom. Aside from doing the above, it’ll be costly but another option would be to build a sub basement below your basement. Obviously you’ll first need and want to find out where the underground pipes are so you don’t find one by surprise and cause problems. You’ll also want to make sure the sub basement doesn’t create structural issues for the house while excavating. Outside of that, building a sub basement gives you an added layer of privacy and additional storage space. Not just for supplies but to shelter people in need.
These days, most Americans are far less likely to help a complete stranger altruistically compared to the 19th Century. Christians even more so unfortunately. During the Antebellum Period (Slavery era), many God-fearing Christians in Slave states who felt Slavery was immoral risked not just arrest but capital punishment by helping runaway slaves escape to the North and Canada. I look at the so-called “Immigrant “Crisis” as a missed opportunity for those Christians who are sympathetic to their circumstances in particular. Some churches have opened their doors and are sheltering a small number of migrants on a temporary basis but why this isn’t a nationwide effort speaks volumes.
I do consider that situation to be a test for Christians and collectively, we have failed it. I was talking about Civil War being on the horizon. There is going to come a time sooner or later when people who live in states on the Southern boarder will be looking to flee for their lives into Mexico and further south. Latin America is WELL aware of the current political situation. They will remember the disdain from many of the people now coming to them in search of shelter. Despite the overt racism from some in the U.S., they will step up and offer aid because culturally, that’s what you do in most Latin American countries. You offer whatever help you can to people in need. Not as much in America anymore.
As for when to flee for safety. That should always be the last resort.
This is also why the first thing I said was turn your home into as much a fortress as you possibly can. Assuming you own your own home and property, invest in setting up a home security system. Build or reinforce the fencing around your property with either wrought iron bars or concrete and cinder blocks. Replace all the doors for the main entrances of your home (front door, back door and if present the basement door) with solid metal or solid wooden doors. You’ll want doors that can stop commonly available types of bullets if need be. It’ll cost a lot more but you can even buy blast-resistant doors that can withstand explosions. You should also get a reinforced door for whatever room inside your home that you designate as the Safe Room. On that note, you can also buy bulletproof windows and shatter-resistant windows. Instead of shattering, the glass will just splinter where the impact happens. If you’re renting then you’ll have to work with the landlord or property owner on most of these.
Getting back to fleeing for safety. Now’s the time to make those plans. You want to have a primary route and at least two secondary routes mapped out for where you plan to go. If you know someone you can trust who lives on your escape route, ask them if you can leave luggage containing clothes and some other necessities on their property. That way if you need to leave in a hurry and don’t have time to pack, you can just swing by their place on the way out.
As for where to go. Again, hopefully you have that planned out in advance. If not, start making those plans from now. If you’re looking to relocate due to your home being in or near a potential combat zone, travel at least a few U.S. states away. You want to put as much distance as possible between you and a potential war zone as possible. It’s the same if you’re trying to flee persecution. Go to oa state where you will have legal protections depending on the persection you may face in your home state.
If you’re in a state that boarders Canada or Mexico, now might be a good time to get a passport if you don’t have one already. I do know that for the last 20 years, Canada has been willing to take in Americans seeking assylum for political and humanitarian reasons. The Canadian government has been keeping a close eye on the political unrest in the U.S. over the last 8 years as some of it has crossed the boarder. It’ll be a question of how much Canada would be willing to help. Assuming our neighbors to the North would be able and willing to help that is.
Q: One of the unfortunate consequences of the current political discourse in the U.S. has been a growing public anger towards Christianity in general. This comes at a time when churches have been regularly losing members for over 20 years. What if anything can be done to address both of these issues?
A: Even within Christianity, refusing to go against your conscience or rocking the boat can quickly get you negatively labeled. Several years back, I was having a conversation with someone who referred to churches like that as little more than glorified country clubs. A church family’s inability or refusal to look at their own shortcomings as well as cover up legit issues are two of the biggest reasons people have been leaving churches on a regular basis over the last 20 years in particular.
This is to say nothing of the recent prominent rise of both Christian Nationalism and Christian Fundamentalism though if you’ve read this far, you already have a good idea of what they’re up to. Honestly–and I want to be clear this is speculation on my part–at this point, people need to suffer the consequences of their actions. The current generation of Christians in modernized countries deserve to get metaphorically spanked the most for generations of double standards and refusing personal responsability for their actions. I say that collectively and it’s yet another reason why Civil War is inevitable.
These days, most people in modernized countries want to take the easy road. People want to get things, status, wealth and prestige without putting in the time and effort. That mindset’s been exaserbated by social media platforms to say the least. This is also why we now have a generation of people mostly in modernized countries who legit expect most or all signiciant problems to be resolved as close to instantly as possible. This to say nothing of a recent online survey revealing most Americans no longer believe long, hard work will be rewarded. As for why, people who got rich quick in the tech world and on social media are the two driving reasons. This is to say nothing of those who politick and use nepotism to coast their way to promotions and salary increases.
…Something’s gonna give eventually.
Q: In this Information Age it feels like the internet has opened the floodgates for undue influence and no one seems to be safe. How can people safely use the internet without being drawn down a rabbit hole or pulled into quicksand?
A: Easy: Limit how much time you spend online and keep your focus on the real world.
If you’re using the internet for work, education or research keep things as focused as possible. I say this largely from personal experience but Social Media platforms have largely become breeding grounds for conspiracy theories, propaganda and mass manipulation. It wasn’t like this 10 years ago but a lot has changed since 2014.
The Pandemic necessitated attending Worship Services remotely but ever since things have opened up again, most regular attendees still have not returned to church in person four years later. For many, the thought is “Why should I get dressed and travel to church when I can just watch worship services from the comfort of my home from my phone, tablet, computer or TV?” I get churches not wanting people who legit can’t come to church due to either being sick or more often being in a senior living facility feeling isolated.
The problem is the overwhelming majority of those “missing” church members are people who can and should be going to church in person but aren’t largely because they’ve rationalized not going when they can simply watch from home. When people are given choices, it’s human nature to pick the easiest, most convenient and “seemingly least painful” choice. The problem is actions have consequences even if they don’t seem to or don’t seem to have immediate repurcussions. In this case, it’s social disconnect and no longer being one with the rest of the church body. Remote Worship does have its limits after all.
Q: In recent years, I’ve been hearing increased criticism from some about Amazing Facts President and Granite Bay SDA Church Lead Pastor Doug Batchelor over the fact he often paraphrases and ad-libs when talking about stories and events in the Bible. I’ve never really seen anyone else do that anywhere near as much as he does. Do you think it’s ok for him to preach like that or should he just read from the Bible directly?
A: Some people take issue with the fact when I do these Q&As, I reword the questions I get via email or combine similar questions into one so I can relate!
One thing I can say for sure is Pastor Batchelor does make it clear where in the Bible the story he’s talking about comes from. He also doesn’t add or subtract from what the Bible actually says. He largely does it to save time and to keep the live audience engaged. He basically gets to the point and tells you the point in modern American English. There’s no issue there and more so since Pastor Batchelor has the presence of mind to be careful when he does it.
As for ad-libbing, he actually did address this in his weekly Bible Answers live program. Someone called in to ask him about the note papers sticking out of his bible during his sermons. He explained the note papers are actually printed excerpts from Bible passages that he will cover during the sermon. When he cues the audience to turn to the passage he’s going to read from, he already has it printed out and ready to go on his end. There’s nothing wrong with that either. It’s actually a smart time-saving technique especially when sermons are being aired live and in real time. You only have so much time to cover everything you need to cover after all.
I’d say this is a good stopping point.
I actually started writing this in September 2023 but headlines and other things kept forcing me to delay finishing this. Two months back, I revised my answers to a few of the early questions and even added a few new ones to reflect recent events. I also changed the title of this blog post twice because of how long I was taking to write this.
You’ll notice for the first time in a very long time I used the words “I want to be clear I’m speculating here” a few times with my answers to some of the questions. While those parts of my answers were evidence-based, I wanted to be clear they were speculative. The evidence as I saw it points to those parts of those answers but it’s also possible things might not end up as I said too. I’m not interested in being proven right or wrong on that note though for some of the themes I covered–especially around armed conflict in the U.S.–I hope I’m proven wrong. The problem is the evidence points to that being an inevitability.
It’s looking more and more likely regardless of the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, America in particular–at the very least parts of the country–is going to be plunged into an era of Spiritual and Intellectual darkness. That’s what Project 2025 is largely about. Though Trump being back in the White House will make it easier for them to move their plans forward, even if Biden wins a second term they will find ways to move parts of their plans forward in parts of the U.S. At last week’s CPAC event, Christian Nationalists finally publicly said what they largely said behind closed doors for years. The way they see it, the Separation of Church and State should be one way: The Church can tell the State what to do but not the other way around.
There is one other “Christian” organization that has held that view for almost 1,800 years: The Roman Catholic Church. For nearly 1,400 years, the Roman Catholic Church kept Europe plunged in spiritual and intellectual darkness. Superstition ruled most of Europe as while the Vatican demanded everyone convert to their version of Christianity, they also allowed those who practiced other beliefs to continue those other practices as long as they put their version of Christianity (now formally known as Catholicism) first. A core tenet of Catholicism–and the Vatican is open about this–is according to their doctrines, they are the main authority for all Christian and Spiritual matters on Earth. The catch is in the past, people weren’t allowed to own their own Bibles. People had to go to a member of the clergy for all Biblical interpretations. They decreed the scriptures could never be understood by the common man and required the church to interpret scripture for them. The Church often decided who lived and who died in the past. They even leveraged their influence to control governments in Europe.
It wasn’t until Napoleon sacked Rome and imprisoned the Pope at the time who then died in prison that the Roman Catholic Church’s chokehold on Europe was finally broken. It’s easy to forget the Vatican had so much power and influence in Europe, they literally controlled monarchies and even lines of succession–sometimes several generatons in advance–in most of Europe. A lot of reformists and protestants were murdered or executed either to please the Vatican or on their orders during the Dark Ages. No longer was Biblical and Intellectual progress being suppressed and the world became better for that.
When America was formed, splitting the government’s power between three branches of government (Executive, Legislative and Judicial) with each branch able to check the other two was deliberate and intentional. They wanted to make sure that at no time could one branch have too much power. It wasn’t perfect but it worked and it was largely effective. I won’t digress further with the American Civics lesson though.
There was also a deliberate effort by the founders to have a hard separation of Church and State. Not just to protect non-believers and religious minorities but more importantly to ensure no religious group or movement could use the levers of government to persecute people. The various Christian Nationalist movements have made it clear for some time they want the power of the State so they can persecute others. They want to outlaw the practice of other religions and suppress certain Christian denominations as well as silence dissenting voices through imprisonment, deportation/exile or execution in America.
It was only 15 years ago we all still thought everything going on right now was unimaginable or unthinkable. Change can happen just like that as we’re seeing now. Sadly, the overwhelming majority of people will ignore the warning signs until well after it’s too late. That’s human nature and the Bible is full of examples of why that’s a really, really bad idea. Now that I’m seeing it for myself, I now understand why many Adventist pastors use the story of Noah’s Ark as an analogy for what will happen with The Lost. After he built The Ark, Noah preached about the coming flood for 100 years. Finally, God told him to go in the Ark and the door was sealed shut. A week went by before the skies opened up but it was already too late for all but the 8 on the Ark. Many of those who perished may have been God-fearing Men and Women who decided to wait until it started raining before they would believe. By the time the rain started, it was already too late.
…This is also why a metaphorical but well-deserved spanking for Christians in America–across all denominations–is an inevitability. I maintain the position America will not become the Second Beast Power in November but people need to start preparing for what may be coming later this year. It’s true Christian Nationalists are framing their manufactured crisis as a “holy war” but it’s nothing more than that. A manufactured crisis of their making. Everything they accuse the government and Democrats of is actually a confession of what they’re about. Keep that in mind.
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