Obam Hussein giving the deep head and bended-knee bow of submission (Islam) before King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
Posted on 04/04/2009 9:58:44 AM PDT by nickcarraway
A close aide to Ronald Reagan has claimed that the former US president tried to convert the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to Christianity.
A new biography that draws on recently declassified documents discloses a secret exchange between the two leaders that left at least one official present convinced that Reagan had tried to persuade his counterpart of God's existence.
The Rebellion of Ronald Reagan, by the former Los Angeles Times reporter James Mann, provides fresh insight into the former US president's religious convictions and the role they played in foreign policy. Reagan had apparently reached a conviction, which has since become well-documented, that Mr Gorbachev was a "closet Christian" after hearing the Soviet leader use the expression "God bless".
Advisers told Reagan not to read too much into the expression. Colin Powell, the national security adviser, told the president: "Don't see this as an expression of religious faith. It's almost idiomatic. He's not ready to get down on his knees for you."
But during their final summit meeting in Moscow in May, 1988, Reagan opened what appeared to be a pre-planned discussion about God.
Reagan took the opportunity he sought when Mr Gorbachev disclosed that he had been baptised into the Russian Orthodox faith by his mother but now had no religious belief.
He started by telling Mr Gorbachev a tale about a wounded Russian soldier during the Second World War who turned to God just before he died even though he had been raised an atheist.
Reagan later disclosed that his son was also an unbeliever. "The president concluded that there was one thing he had long yearned to do for his atheist son," according to the declassified minutes of the meeting.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
I read somewhere that far more blacks (as a percentage) attend church regularly than whites. Yet, the illegitimacy rate for blacks is about 70%. I don’t know what they’re teaching in black churches, but it doesn’t seem to be having much affect on the attendees.
If, as you say, black liberation theology denies the divinity of Christ, they are simply not Christian. The Bible is quite clear on that.
Now I’m fine with people choosing to believe pretty much whatever they want, but it seriously peeves me when someone claims to be Christian when they’re not.
I could go into the discussion on heredity and IQ among ethnic groups, but that would be dangerous...
Every knee will bow, but if never through faith in Christ prior to the first death, then the second death awaits after the Great White Throne Judgment.
2 problems with the article.
1) It’s a report from a person who was in the meeting who swore an oath of secrecy never to repeat the incident. Accordingly, which is more veritable, the oath or the report?
2) If Reagan was a believer, and I suspect he is, then he might witness to another about Christ, but that is different than trying to ‘convert’ an atheist into becoming a believer.
The conversion process is completely the work of God, not by any other human, other than what what God the Son has performed on the Cross.
From the unbeliever’s perspective, Christianity is simply identified as just another religion and those who witness about Christianity are simply trying to get somebody else to believe their views. From the believer’s viewpoint, such a position is not Christian. The Christian believer isn’t seeking for the unbeliever to be convinced by the believer of anything. He is attempting to communicate the gospel, the good news of what Christ is all about and why the acceptance of what God provides is so incredibly important.
That's an interesting observation.
It's interesting that believer and unbeliever alike perceive unrighteousness and injustice. That is a consequence of man being formed in God's image. He is perfectly holy and His Holiness is formed from Perfect Righteousness and Perfect Justice.
When a human is out of fellowship with God, we attempt to do things independently of Him. When we perceive unrighteousness, there may be a strong desire to demand justice. That might happen by direct retribution, such as in violent crime; or it might happen by legalism, appealing to legitimate authority to control the unrighteousness and administer justice.
Even this can be done through Christ or independent of Him. One can use the government as a panacea for a relationship with God, always seeking another authority as a counterfeit for what God provides, or one can recognize God has provided national governance as an institution of believer and unbeliever alike to justly handle unrighteous behavior with legitimate justice.
It's also interesting to note that a bloodless sacrifice was what Cain offered, but Abel's sacrifice was the more excellent sacrifice. The bloody sacrifice shows the violent damage to God-given life, rendered by sin or any unrighteous thing. Accordingly, lack of violence in administering justice is insufficient to adequately deal with criminal behavior, but the administration of justice must be performed by legitimate authority to be righteous.
“I think we’ll see Ronald Reagan again, someday.”
I heard D.James Kennedy relay an incident he was involved in with Reagan, before he became the Republican nominee in 1979.
He (Kennedy) stated, that he was sitting across from Reagan in the living room of a friend, and he asked Reagan, “If you were to die tonight, and God were to ask you, ‘why should I let you into my Heaven?’ how would you respond?”
Kennedy then said Reagan bowed his head to his chest and closed his eyes. He remained in that position so long that Kennedy thought there was something wrong with him (and wondered if he should get help!). Finally, Ronald Reagan looked Dr. Kennedy square in the eye and, as his answer, quoted:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”
See Ronald Reagan again someday? As Sarah would say, “YOU BETCHA!”
RR is so cool.
Obam Hussein giving the deep head and bended-knee bow of submission (Islam) before King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
This is old news.
Gorby at Reagan's Casket
Reagan was GREAT. God, we need him now.
God bless Ronald Reagan.
Typical.
Here's what self-admitted atheist Penn Jillette says about Christians and proselytizing.
Advisers told Reagan not to read too much into the expression.
It is symptomatic of Reagan's critics that they ascribe his conviction to the dropping of a single expression. What a pity we aren't able to hear Reagan's side of it.
Of course communists have religious awakenings - Reagan's contemporary Whittaker Chambers, for one. Gorbachev was, in fact, baptised in the Orthodox Church as a child. A quick check of his Wikipedia bio brought this up:
On 19 March 2008, during a surprise visit to pray at the tomb of Saint Francis in Assisi, Italy, Gorbachev made an announcement which has been interpreted to the effect that he was a Christian. Gorbachev stated that "St Francis is, for me, the alter Christus, the other Christ. His story fascinates me and has played a fundamental role in my life." He added, "It was through St Francis that I arrived at the Church, so it was important that I came to visit his tomb.
Maybe poor, old senile Ronny wasn't so dumb after all.
Gorby’s reply “Almost, comrade, thou persuadest me to be a Christian”
“Yet, the illegitimacy rate for blacks is about 70%.”
Early in the 20th century the black illegitimacy rate was about the same as for whites. Federal government welfare - the war on poverty, aid to families with dependent children (AFDC), etc. - encouraged illegitimacy. Aid was given to unwed mothers that would not have been given to married mothers. More children - more aid. Financial incentives mean more to poor people than to the middle class. Since poor people are a greater percentage of the black population than the white population, the impact was greater (as a percentage), and more visible, for blacks.
In its effects, the so called war on poverty was actually a war on the black family.
I’m sure that a godless commie like Gorbachev figured if there was a God, he’d surely be on Reagan’s side.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.