Posted on 08/06/2009 10:56:57 PM PDT by TaraP
What if America's greatest enemy is not al Qaeda or Iran, but America itself?
The United States is hailed as a melting pot of ethnic and religious diversity. But could this trait actually stand in the way of a common vision that once made our nation so great?
Researcher George Barna has spent 25 years analyzing faith and culture in America. In his new book "The Seven Faith Tribes," he breaks the nation down into seven belief groups:
1.Casual Christians 2.Captive Christians 3.Skeptics 4.Jews 5.Mormons 6.Pantheists 7.Muslims To renew America, each tribe must seek common ground, open dialog, and shared moral values with the other tribes, Barna writes.
And he has a firm -- and somewhat controversial -- message for Christians from his own tribe: It's time for Christians to accept the realities of multi-culturalism and religious pluralism.
We can accept “pluralism” when Islam accepts such, kkthx.
1.Casual Christians 2.Captive Christians 3.Skeptics 4.Jews 5.Mormons 6.Pantheists 7.Muslims To renew America, each tribe must seek common ground, open dialog, and shared moral values with the other tribes, Barna writes.
And he has a firm -- and somewhat controversial -- message for Christians from his own tribe: It's time for Christians to accept the realities of multi-culturalism and religious pluralism.
Or America could just return to it's Calvinistic roots upon which it was founded, which it prospered under, and can prosper again.
See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.
Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'
For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?
-- Deuteronomy 4:5-7
The author of this article only obfuscates the facts. America was founded on the basis of religious freedoms. Ours is the only country where these freedoms are guaranteed. As such, we recognize the right of others to believe as they believe, but we are permitted free open discussions on the differences too.
What this want to do is force all to CONDONE other beliefs rather than tolerate. Big difference.
It is one thing to acknowledge our religious divisions, another to celebrate them. Tribalism of any sort tends toward conflict and toward a law that subordinates the truth to expedience.
What does the Bible say about pluralism? First, pluralism is a theory that states there is more than one reality, or that at least two or more kinds of reality can exist at the same time. One has said this regarding pluralism: “pluralism is a situation…that embraces a diversity of contrasting cultures, values, ideas, religions, or other independent elements seen as valid.” Pluralism implies that Christianity is just another religion and not the only religion wherein salvation is promised. This philosophy claims that Judaism, Mohammedanism, Mormonism, Catholicism, Protestant Denominationalism, Arianism—formerly the Jehovah’s Witness of today, and any eastern religion that fits the category of an ism would all be okay, just different ways to different places. In other words, if a true pluralist is honest with himself he would have to say that one’s choice determines the only truth. To claim this is to deny the Christ or make His words a lie (c.f., John 14:6), thus making the pluralist his own sovereign without need of an eternal absolute God. Pluralism is a widely accepted philosophy of this day, but one with countless terrible conclusions if not considered and corrected. The philosophy of pluralism is the antithesis of Christianity and the Bible!
Pluralism is the politically correct giant of the day. Politicians love to appeal to its proponents for their votes. However it is simply a self impregnated arrogance that regards everyone as okay while at the same time regarding non-pluralists as not okay. Pluralism tries to establish that man’s desires, whether they be good or bad are all okay because, “after all we’re all sinners.” And, if we are all sinners, we are all the same—pluralism would demand. But, the facts are, Jesus’ way is the only way, and anyone not found washed by His blood cannot be saved (Romans 3:24-25; 6:23; I John 2:2-3; John 14:6; Acts 22:16; Revelation 1:5). Further, if all religions are okay and one church is as good as another, then why be anything at all? These ideas are all associated with pluralism and undermine the only church Jesus promised to build and buy with His own blood (Matthew 16:18; 26:28; Acts 2:41-47; Romans 16:16)!
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