Category: Religion

Donald Trump Shall Become the Trumpet: My Entry for Best Article in the "Wait, This Isn't Parody?" Category

If I was of a mind to write a parody of a Charismatic minister writing about Donald Trump, an article like this would have been a good result.
Writing for Charisma Magazine’s Prophetic Insight section, “prophetic minister” Jeremiah Johnson compared Donald Trump to Cyrus in the Bible. Referring to Trump or someone like him, Johnson says:

Could God not use the wicked and ungodly to bring about His plans and purposes thousands of years ago and can He not still do the same thing again, especially in the midst of the crisis that we find America in today?

Then Johnson writes that the Holy Spirit told him Trump would become…. (wait for it)…. His “trumpet to the American people.”  According to Johnson, the Holy Spirit sounds a lot like a Trump spokesman:

Trump shall become My trumpet to the American people, for he possesses qualities that are even hard to find in My people these days. Trump does not fear man nor will he allow deception and lies to go unnoticed. I am going to use him to expose darkness and perversion in America like never before, but you must understand that he is like a bull in a china closet. Many will want to throw him away because he will disturb their sense of peace and tranquility, but you must listen through the bantering to discover the truth that I will speak through him. I will use the wealth that I have given him to expose and launch investigations searching for the truth. Just as I raised up Cyrus to fulfill My purposes and plans, so have I raised up Trump to fulfill my purposes and plans prior to the 2016 election. You must listen to the trumpet very closely for he will sound the alarm and many will be blessed because of his compassion and mercy. Though many see the outward pride and arrogance, I have given him the tender heart of a father that wants to lend a helping hand to the poor and the needy, to the foreigner and the stranger.

PresidentBizIn a strange way, Trump isn’t allowing deception and lies to go unnoticed. Just look at his attack on John McCain. Trump deceived all over the place and didn’t let it go unnoticed.
I think the next prophecy should be about President Business from the LEGO movie. He has all those tough guy qualities too.
Hat tip to Alan Noble.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Faith Christian Church Student Groups Cleared by University of Arizona, Banned by UA Religious Council, Looking for New Home

The Arizona Daily Star is reporting that the Faith Christian Church, accused of being a cult by former members, is now without a building for services. The Star also disclosed that the University of Arizona found no violations of the student conduct code in the operation of FCC’s student groups on campus. The action by UA doesn’t relate to the church nor does it prevent the school’s University Religious Council from keeping the church’s student groups from membership.
In March, Tucson, AZ church Faith Christian Church was rocked by allegations that church leaders encourage spanking of infants and practice coercive cult-like control over member’s personal lives and finances. FCC runs three student groups on the UA campus where many of FCC members begin their relationship with the church. FCC boasted membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability but later dropped membership amid an ECFA investigation. ECFA never released results of that inquiry.  Former members were disillusioned by the lack of transparency.
Now the church will no longer meet in Amphitheater High School following a school district investigation into the church.
As pointed out in the Star article, students might wonder why the UA cleared FCC’s student groups while the URC removed them from membership. I asked URC spokeswoman Michelle Blumenberg about the apparent discrepancy. She told me:

The standards are different for a public university than for our organization. Because we are a member organization we hold our members to a higher standard, and it is one which all organizations agree upon when they are accepted for membership.  Organizations need to go through an application and voting process in order to join the URC.

FCC’s groups were voted out by the religious council last year. This year the organization’s membership directory connects the ban to characteristics of a cult.
 
UArevokesMemberFCC
 
On the back of the directory page are these warnings:
UAIRCWarnings
 

Breaking: Pakistani Supreme Court Stays the Execution of Asia Bibi

FreeAsiaBibiPakistani journalists are tweeting that Asia Bibi’s execution has been stayed. See below:


Ajmal Jami is a correspondent for Dunyan News.
I will add details and additional confirmation as it becomes available. Here is another news report about the stay of execution. And this from Dawn News also confirms the news. It doesn’t appear that Bibi is completely out of the woods but she has a stay on her sentence as of now.


For background, see this link
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Prayers for Asia Bibi; Appeal Set for July 22

FreeAsiaBibiAccording to this Christian Today report, Christian housewife and mother Asia Bibi has one more chance for freedom. See also this report from the British-Pakistani Christian Association which provided the basis for the CT report.
Even if she is released, there are reports of a $5000 bounty for her life.
I recall many efforts to secure her freedom, from a British legislator to the mayor of Paris to the Pope.
Islamabad, Pakistan is nine hours ahead of us so it will be Wednesday very soon. Join me in praying for Bibi’s release and safety.

Tony Anthony: Reframing the Tiger

tamingtigerRemember Kung Fu Kristian Tony Anthony? He’s back with a recycled book. Mark Woods at Christian Today is on the case.
The Guardian called Anthony a “serial fantasist.” I can think of a couple of other folks described by that phrase.
Well, he’s back with an edited book which he says is substantially the same.  Buyer beware.