After reading two news articles from the United States
recently, this writer feels that the influence of the Anti-Christ - whether
through open or hidden anti-Christian thought - is relentlessly and widely
expanding.
In the City of Las Cruces in New Mexico State, the citizens
have been waiting for a judgment from the Federal Court. That is because in
2003 a retired teacher by the name of Paul Weinbaum filed a lawsuit in the court
accusing the public school board of using an emblem that consists of 3 crosses
(The school board has used this emblem for years). The emblem with the crosses
can be seen everywhere on public schools and city government buildings. The
plaintiff declared that the school board is using public funds to promote a
religion (Christianity), and this contravenes the First Amendment of the
country¡¦s Constitution. Weinbaum feels that he and his school-age daughter
could not tolerate the agitation of this emblem, and argues that his fight is
not against religion, but for the Constitution. According to the research of
History Professor John Hunner of the New Mexico State University though, the
original meaning of the name ¡§Las Cruces¡¨ in Spanish is in fact ¡§the crosses¡¨
(plural). If you were a Federal judge, would you ask Weinbaum if he intends to
sue the city government as well because they shouldn¡¦t have adopted that name
for the city? This fulfills what Jesus Christ said, ¡§If the world hates you,
keep in mind that it hated me first.¡¨ (John 15:18) and, ¡§But this is to fulfill
what is written in their law: ¡¦They hated me without reason.¡¦¡¨ (John 15:25)
The citizens of Minnesota recently voted in Democrat Keith
Ellison as their Congressman. He is the first black Muslim Congressman in
American history. Ellison, who is 43 years old and a lawyer, received much
support from his constituents and the country¡¦s Muslim community. He pronounced
that at his Congressional swearing-in ceremony, he would apply the religious
freedom afforded him by the Constitution and use the Koran instead of the Bible
as the basis for his oath of office. On the one hand, the election of Ellison
as a Congressman by the Americans certainly expresses the freedom and
democratic spirit of their electoral system. On the other, the first Muslim to
enter the Congress makes quite an appropriate propaganda tool for the U.S.
government to proclaim to the Islamic world America¡¦s inclusiveness of
different cultures and religions. Yet some current affairs commentators believe
the U.S. government is facing a more serious confrontation than the 911
terrorist attack, because the status and value of traditional Christianity are
being challenged. We cannot help but ask: will this newly-minted Congressman
who is entering the legislature under his green election banners, use political
correctness as the justification to force his will on the country by
brandishing the public opinion of a minority of Muslims, and continue to
challenge and marginalize the traditional core value of Christianity in
America? It appears that the battle of the Blue camp and the Green camp (as in
Taiwan) could happen on the soil of the U.S. as well!
The above news reports reflect the current trend of the U.S.
to gradually forsake God. The situation in Canada is similar. We are in an age
of extreme individualism that abuses the exercise of freedom, democracy and
human rights. Seeking only political correctness and profit above all, those in
power do not hesitate to bury their morality and conscience and discard the
substance of traditional Christian beliefs. Because of the multicultural
make-up of society and to ensure ethnic harmony, the government becomes hyper
tolerant towards the extravagant demands of minority groups, and considers all
religions as equal and moral standards as relative, that there is not one true
God, and that the Truth is not absolute. On the one hand this trend confuses
the perspective of people towards Christian belief, and on the other
continually weakens the significance of Christianity on the nation¡¦s laws. That
is what worries us.
¡§We know that we are children of
God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know
also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we
may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true¡Xeven in His Son Jesus
Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.¡¨ (1 John 5:19-20)
By: Daniel To