Donald Hank
Are you guilty of the unpardonable sin? It's blasphemy against the Holy Ghost
By Donald Hank
The author of a Christian newsletter I receive speaks of "Spiritual warfare" against Netanyahu, referring to those who do not want Israel to attack Iran militarily.
Thus, based on the assumption that Netanyahu is a "godly man," the author believes that God wants us to follow Netanyahu and declare war on Iran or at least allow Israel to attack that country. But beware: Calling opposition to Netanyahu "spiritual warfare" suggests very strongly that you believe the Holy Spirit told you Netanyahu is acting on behalf of the Almighty. This is not only GW Bush redux, it also happens to be an unpardonable sin.
How can that author be absolutely certain Israel is a godly nation in the hands of godly leaders who trust in God? Israel holds gay pride parades, against the teachings of the Old Testament, and has reportedly discriminated against Palestinian Christians who are citizens of Israel. In fact, atheism is common in Israel.
If Netanyahu is a "godly" Jew, ie, one adhering to the Tanakh (OT), then why was it precisely the Orthodox Jews who protested his speech before Congress, as reportedhere?
BTW, Netanyahu's Israel has nukes, about 80 of them, and Iran is certainly aware of this.
The author of the above mentioned newsletter article that I received implies that God really wants us to fight Iran based on a warning by a leader of Israel who does not believe in the Christian God (US Christians have been misled by Netanyahu friend PastorJohn Hagee into believing that Netanyahu is a Messianic Jew, ie, a Christian Jew when in fact he is not. The Hagee deception is explained here).
Yet Christians generally ignore the fact that if Iran is weakened, then Bashar al-Assad will lose vital support in his fight against the ISIS invasion, and Assad is the only thing in Syria standing between Christians and death, persecution and banishment.
This story of the legitimate fears of Syrian Christians is almost banned in the Western press (for example, this article was first published in a UK blog which I was unable to access because when I tried to enter, I received a message that accessing my article would "damage your computer." However, rare glimpses of the truth come to light, as in an article from Der Spiegel, which sums up these Christians' plight thusly:
"Now many of Syria's Christians ... are praying for their country ... and that the US military intervention does not come." [my emphasis]
Sens. McCain and Graham, 2 very ungodly men (the former intensely promotes US support for "moderates," who are known to want sharia law, while the latter uses the F word constantly in his private speech), want to topple Assad and bomb Iran. That would mean a blood bath for Christians. Is that really God's will?
Iran, while enforcing sharia in a cruel and barbaric way, is SHIITE, the less violent andmore Christian-tolerant sect of the main two sects of Islam. There are no SHIA among ISIS, al-Qaeda and the other groups that behead people who are not SUNNI. Saudi Arabia, a SUNNI nation, is the real enemy, which funds these terror groups. We are being fed a pack of lies and "Christians" are buying them because Neocons have learned how to use soft-headed Christians to do their dirty work. (I put "Christians" in quotes because a follower of Jesus knows the commandment "be gentle as doves but wise as serpents." Few Christians are following the second part of that commandment. Are they really Christians? Maybe but I can't judge that. Judge not that ye be not judged).
The SUNNIS are causing most of the trouble in the Middle East but this author wants to help them by taking out the only group, ie, the Iranian militias, that is genuinely trying to defeat SUNNI ISIS. Possibly less than 1% of American Christians are aware of the differences between Sunni and Shiite in the Middle East. But if you refuse to learn the facts, God will not pour them into your head. You are responsible for your knowledge and you won't find it in the writings of any ideologically bound reporters (eg, those affiliated with or supported financially by the Democrats, the GOP or the Libertarians) on Middle East issues.
My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. Hosea 4:6
Claiming or insinuating that God wants Christian America to destroy a country that is not challenging the West militarily and is in fact fighting evil ISIS is in fact blasphemy because it constitutes a claim or at least an implication that the Holy Spirit has spoken when He has not. There is simply no way that God is behind the destruction of Middle Eastern Christians and the burning of churches. Godless Neocons are the agitators in this and "Christians" are their willing pawns.
Now recall that Jesus said blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is the unpardonable sin.
And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven (Luke 12:10)
Be careful, Christians. BE VERY careful what you attribute to God and what you suggest to others that the Holy Spirit has revealed to you. Remember: Christians, believing GW Bush was "God's man" supported him in a war that killed and displaced millions ofAssyrian Christians. I visited various churches in Lancaster County, PA, at that time of that war and found Christians who believed implicitly that Bush was a godly man and was receiving the direct commands of God. A pastor whose church I attended during Bush's re-election campaign, told me he could not understand why Christians in particular would not vote for Bush. There were stories told from the pulpit that the first soldiers to enter Baghdad were miraculously protected from bullets. There were stories of groups of Christian soldiers holding hands and praying prior to the fall of Baghdad. Yet while Christians fervently pursued Bush's war in Iraq, Iraq is now a shambles and is being torn apart by ISIS, the creation of Bush's friends the Saudis. Sunni Saudi Arabia bans Bibles and any manifestation of Christian faith. There are no churches in that country. Shiite Iran, by contrast, though imposing barbarian punishments, notably against Muslims who convert to Christianity, allows Bibles to be brought into that country and boasts 600 churches for 250,000 Christians.
Our ignorance is thick enough to cut with a butter knife. And ignorance, as the scriptures explicitly state, is a sin that carries a penalty.
© Donald Hank
March 11, 2015
The author of a Christian newsletter I receive speaks of "Spiritual warfare" against Netanyahu, referring to those who do not want Israel to attack Iran militarily.
Thus, based on the assumption that Netanyahu is a "godly man," the author believes that God wants us to follow Netanyahu and declare war on Iran or at least allow Israel to attack that country. But beware: Calling opposition to Netanyahu "spiritual warfare" suggests very strongly that you believe the Holy Spirit told you Netanyahu is acting on behalf of the Almighty. This is not only GW Bush redux, it also happens to be an unpardonable sin.
How can that author be absolutely certain Israel is a godly nation in the hands of godly leaders who trust in God? Israel holds gay pride parades, against the teachings of the Old Testament, and has reportedly discriminated against Palestinian Christians who are citizens of Israel. In fact, atheism is common in Israel.
If Netanyahu is a "godly" Jew, ie, one adhering to the Tanakh (OT), then why was it precisely the Orthodox Jews who protested his speech before Congress, as reportedhere?
BTW, Netanyahu's Israel has nukes, about 80 of them, and Iran is certainly aware of this.
The author of the above mentioned newsletter article that I received implies that God really wants us to fight Iran based on a warning by a leader of Israel who does not believe in the Christian God (US Christians have been misled by Netanyahu friend PastorJohn Hagee into believing that Netanyahu is a Messianic Jew, ie, a Christian Jew when in fact he is not. The Hagee deception is explained here).
Yet Christians generally ignore the fact that if Iran is weakened, then Bashar al-Assad will lose vital support in his fight against the ISIS invasion, and Assad is the only thing in Syria standing between Christians and death, persecution and banishment.
This story of the legitimate fears of Syrian Christians is almost banned in the Western press (for example, this article was first published in a UK blog which I was unable to access because when I tried to enter, I received a message that accessing my article would "damage your computer." However, rare glimpses of the truth come to light, as in an article from Der Spiegel, which sums up these Christians' plight thusly:
"Now many of Syria's Christians ... are praying for their country ... and that the US military intervention does not come." [my emphasis]
Sens. McCain and Graham, 2 very ungodly men (the former intensely promotes US support for "moderates," who are known to want sharia law, while the latter uses the F word constantly in his private speech), want to topple Assad and bomb Iran. That would mean a blood bath for Christians. Is that really God's will?
Iran, while enforcing sharia in a cruel and barbaric way, is SHIITE, the less violent andmore Christian-tolerant sect of the main two sects of Islam. There are no SHIA among ISIS, al-Qaeda and the other groups that behead people who are not SUNNI. Saudi Arabia, a SUNNI nation, is the real enemy, which funds these terror groups. We are being fed a pack of lies and "Christians" are buying them because Neocons have learned how to use soft-headed Christians to do their dirty work. (I put "Christians" in quotes because a follower of Jesus knows the commandment "be gentle as doves but wise as serpents." Few Christians are following the second part of that commandment. Are they really Christians? Maybe but I can't judge that. Judge not that ye be not judged).
The SUNNIS are causing most of the trouble in the Middle East but this author wants to help them by taking out the only group, ie, the Iranian militias, that is genuinely trying to defeat SUNNI ISIS. Possibly less than 1% of American Christians are aware of the differences between Sunni and Shiite in the Middle East. But if you refuse to learn the facts, God will not pour them into your head. You are responsible for your knowledge and you won't find it in the writings of any ideologically bound reporters (eg, those affiliated with or supported financially by the Democrats, the GOP or the Libertarians) on Middle East issues.
My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. Hosea 4:6
Claiming or insinuating that God wants Christian America to destroy a country that is not challenging the West militarily and is in fact fighting evil ISIS is in fact blasphemy because it constitutes a claim or at least an implication that the Holy Spirit has spoken when He has not. There is simply no way that God is behind the destruction of Middle Eastern Christians and the burning of churches. Godless Neocons are the agitators in this and "Christians" are their willing pawns.
Now recall that Jesus said blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is the unpardonable sin.
And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven (Luke 12:10)
Be careful, Christians. BE VERY careful what you attribute to God and what you suggest to others that the Holy Spirit has revealed to you. Remember: Christians, believing GW Bush was "God's man" supported him in a war that killed and displaced millions ofAssyrian Christians. I visited various churches in Lancaster County, PA, at that time of that war and found Christians who believed implicitly that Bush was a godly man and was receiving the direct commands of God. A pastor whose church I attended during Bush's re-election campaign, told me he could not understand why Christians in particular would not vote for Bush. There were stories told from the pulpit that the first soldiers to enter Baghdad were miraculously protected from bullets. There were stories of groups of Christian soldiers holding hands and praying prior to the fall of Baghdad. Yet while Christians fervently pursued Bush's war in Iraq, Iraq is now a shambles and is being torn apart by ISIS, the creation of Bush's friends the Saudis. Sunni Saudi Arabia bans Bibles and any manifestation of Christian faith. There are no churches in that country. Shiite Iran, by contrast, though imposing barbarian punishments, notably against Muslims who convert to Christianity, allows Bibles to be brought into that country and boasts 600 churches for 250,000 Christians.
Our ignorance is thick enough to cut with a butter knife. And ignorance, as the scriptures explicitly state, is a sin that carries a penalty.
© Donald Hank
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
