“The reason we’ve had Obama for 8 years is because our good brothers and sisters in Christ couldn’t vote for McCain and Romney so we got the left…
That means we got Obamacare, we got Benghazi, we got a strained military, and Supreme Court justices we totally disagree with.
And now we’re going to do it again and get more of the same….
How sad!”
~ A Facebook Post of a Christian blaming other Christians for the state of America
The concept of a scapegoat comes from the Bible. It is when a goat was sent into the wilderness after the Jewish chief priest had symbolically laid the sins of the people upon it (Lev. 16). The symbolism of this event was to illustrate to the people how they were no longer culpable for their sins. The goat now carried the weight of their sins. Interestingly, there is an ancient story in the Talmud (how true it may be I do not know) when the “sin-carrying” goat somehow found its way back to the camp. Obviously, no one wants a year’s worth of wickedness to find its way back into town. I can only imagine the consternation that sight must have been as their sins came back to visit them.
Scapegoating is not reserved simply for Jewish religious practice. It has become a word that is synonymous for blame-shifting and attempting to make another responsible for what you yourself have done. Historically we find numerous examples like Hitler who used the Jews as a scapegoat for the depression of the German economy -or- Stalin who used capitalists, Christians, and others as scapegoats for Russia’s economic challenges. Political leaders are quite skilled at finding scapegoats. Perhaps the most closely linked historical example of today was Nero, a Roman Caesar, who blamed the burning of his city on the Christian population. Some modern scholars suggest that Nero actually started the fire himself in hopes of building and expanding his rule. Whether this be true or not, the historical fact is that Christians were targeted to blame for the empire’s demise, when actually they were the solution.
This election cycle I am both hearing or reading of the new scapegoat for our nation’s ills…the Bible-believing Christian. As illustrated with the opening quote from a Facebook friend, apparently those Christians who take their Bible seriously are the ones to whom we can blame for our culture “being on fire” and expanding government. Apparently, our reluctance to empower people to office who have serious compromises in their worldview and character is to be directly connected to our current trajectory of destruction. Yes, my Bible-believing brother and sister, you are now the problem. In fact, it is not just the radical secularists or LGBTers who think that…it is the compartmentalized Christian Church who is beginning to point it’s finger at you as well. As convoluted as it sounds…the tactics of Nero and ancient Rome are once again being revived to make you the scapegoat.
Make sure you understand the logic at this point. Unless you compromise your convictions, disobey clear precept in the Scripture, and violate your conscience…you are the problem. Unless you pick one of two unacceptable people to rule over you…you are the problem. Unless you endorse what the Bible clearly forbids…you are the problem. Yes, your allegiance to honoring God in whatever you do has now become the reason for the collapse of this nation. And those who say they are your brother or sister in Christ are parroting that narrative.
Allow me to be clear…
I love this nation because I believe that from its inception that God had a unique purpose for it. I believe a Christian from any nation could and should say the same thing about their country. Every nation has a plan because every nation was originally marked by God. However, my nation is not my idol. America can be great again, but only if the Lord is at its center, only if it’s rulers administrate and live righteously, and only if the people require it. Conservative principles are only as effective as righteous precept is embraced. I dislike Obamacare, but repealing it doesn’t begin to fix our problems. I want godly Supreme Court Justices, but compromising my faith and conscience and justify it by twisting God’s sovereignty to somehow achieve a righteous outcome is simply not in the Bible.
My obedience to God is not wrecking this nation. My influencing people to honor God with their vote (and yes, you can vote outside the two-party, kitty litter system) is not the problem. Bible-believing Christians have not set fire to this nation. It is the despotic ruling class which is lighting “fires” of legislation and compromise all around us to keep the big government behemoth rolling. It is the refusal of those calling themselves evangelical Christians to quit capitulating their consciences to a system which keeps giving them unacceptable choices. It is not my fault. It is yours. Do not shift the blame to me when you are perpetuating the dysfunction.
But the scapegoat for the ultimate demise of this nation is already being sown as a narrative…
“It’s the Christian’s fault…”
Wake up Christians….
Nero walks among us…
It is a bad rerun…
It is Rome 2.0…
Michael Parnell
March 22, 2016 at 8:30 pmExcellent perception, my brother!
Ted R. Weiland
March 23, 2016 at 6:15 pmWell said!
American Christians wouldn’t be faced this dilemma every two and four years had the the 18th-century founders not hi-jacked the Biblical election system and replaced it with their own man-made surrogate.
Ted R. Weiland
March 23, 2016 at 6:18 pmFor more regarding these two polar opposite elections systems, good blog article “Salvation by Election.”
Gregory Alan of Johnson
March 23, 2016 at 11:03 pmSince I do not find any scripture to support participation in Satan’s system, which includes the one in this article, I unregistered my “NAME IN ALL CAPS” entity from the voter-rolls in 2006.
Folk will tell me I have a “Christian-duty” to vote. When I tell them I do not find support for that in the Bible, they state I’m being deceived by Satan. One thing’s for certain: One of us is. I no longer use the terms “Christian” or “Christianity” to describe my relationship with Yeshua. I stand as a Romans 10:9 Believer in the one true Messiah. I also stand strongly disappointed in my Brethren who seem to have a compartmentalization going on in their brains pertaining to what scripture states and what they think it truly means. It also seems they prefer a watered-down translation of our Creator’s love-letter to us. I prefer the updated Geneva by Tolle Lege Press, as I find it to be the most correct in the English.
There also seems to be a disconnect with the difference between being accountable by His word and so-called “judging” someone. I can’t judge, since that’s not my job, and I know it! If there were no accountability to the Body, then Matthew 18:15-17 would not be in the Bible.
The manure needs to cease in the Body, and that starts with Repentance in accordance with 2nd Chronicles 7:14. This has been necessary for decades. Am I allowed to repent for the sins of my Brethren? I think we’re about to find out.
Chris
March 24, 2016 at 8:15 pmKevin Baird: “This election cycle I am both hearing or reading of the new scapegoat for our nation’s ills…the Bible-believing Christian.”
Are the so called “Christians” really “the new scapegoat” and being blamed because they’re followers of Christ ?
Is it because they stand up for and promote Christ, His Kingdom/Will on earth that ” … people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man.” ?
Or is the scapegoating really more because of what the so called “Christians” have become: ” … but if the salt become tasteless, how will it be made salty again ? It is GOOD FOR NOTHING ANYMORE, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.” (Matthew 5: 13) ????
Maybe what’s really going on is, just like the neighborhood bully goes after the week and easy target, they go after the tasteless salt.
After all, what are the salt-less, so called “Christians” going to do about it ?
And isn’t it the “Fundamentalist Christians”, “New Testament Only Christians” (which are the majority of the so called “Christians”), etc., that teach the lie that God’ Laws, Statutes and Judgments have been done away with, “contrary to us”, etc., etc., (when Christ Himself said the exact opposite: Matthew 5: 17-19), the ones that have lost their saltiness ??
“Unless they speak to the Law and the testimonies, there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8: 20.
This nation has become “twice the sons of hell” as those who have proselytized it. Do you remember who Christ identified as the proselytizers ??
We allowed the process to begin when we decided “We The People” should be god (sovereign) and decide what is to be the supreme law of the land.
The legislative process provided by the various federal and state constitutions was the vehicle used by the enemy to corrupt over time (via gradual increments) and finally take over.
Now, the state is the god of most, knowingly or unknowingly, and the “god” the state is controlled by His and our enemies (like the ones given possible credence to in this article by casual and somewhat supportive reference to, i.e., their vile “Traditions of The Elders” called the Talmud).
The constitution and “voting” under its provision thereof is the problem, not the solution !
Are the salt-less “Christians” going to “vote” for the right people to take office to make the right laws and turn this nation around ??? Oh yeah, that’ll fix things alright. It’s been workin’ pretty good so far, right ?
This nation wanted to determine what was “good and evil” (remember the garden?), instead of enforcing His Perfect Moral Laws.
We The People” were deceived into believing they should be god (sovereign) and decide what is to be the supreme law of the land via representational legislation (law making), e.g.,”A Republic, if you can keep it.” That’s usurpation of a power the belongs EXCLUSIVELY to The Great I Am !!!
Malim in se (evil in and of itself as defined by The Great I Am, the ONLY lawgiver) vs. malim prohibitum (evil because someone determines, or legislates, it to be evil).
The only way to save this nation is to turn back to Him, His Perfect Moral Laws, Statutes and Judgments, i.e., His Kingdom/Will On Earth. Seek Him while He may yet be found.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, And I will give you rest. Take My yoke (i.e., His Law 1 John 5: 2 & 3, as well as His tithe [tax] system) upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and ‘YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.’ (Jer. 6: 16). My yoke is easy, and My load is light.” Matthew 11: 28 – 30.
He told us that if His people ” … shall humble themselves (e.g., quit thinking we’re the sovereign, take our proper place and quit usurping His), and pray, and seek my face (e.g., He’s to be the ONLY law giver), and turn from their wicked ways (e.g., enforce His Laws, Statutes and Judgments); THEN will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”