Posted on 12/23/2009 5:57:35 AM PST by markomalley
At a crucial time in Portugal’s history the men and women of the Christian Motorcyclist’s Association of Portugal are resisting the spirit of the age by being heralds of the Good News and defenders of ancient values. Most would rule bikers out as unlikely candidates to be prophetic voices but it seems as if the Scriptures are being fulfilled as it is written: “ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (I Corinthians 1:27).
In a desperate attempt to remain among the forerunners of EU States in the implementation of liberal, secular and antichristian laws, policies and values the government of Portugal wants to become the 9th nation in the world to legalize homosexual marriages by January 2010,” says Eddie Fernandes, president of CMA Portugal. He goes on to argue, “this follows other monumental societal changes such as the liberalization of abortion, compulsory sexual education of all school aged children with accompanying condom distribution and teachings about safe sex (as opposed to teaching abstinence), and the introduction of new laws related to euthanasia, to name but a few.”
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Portugal is changing rapidly. No longer the bastion of conservative Roman Catholic traditions the nation is being catapulted into something that is completely different from, and even completely opposite to, her former religious nature. The biker pastor goes on to say, “everything once considered good, holy, righteous, pure and Godly is under attack. To describe contemporary Portugal as religious or Catholic is a huge misnomer. And there is more to come. I believe other laws such as homosexual adoption, the removal of all Christian symbols from public space and the persecution of the Church for her defiant stand, both in Portugal and in the European Union, are all in the pipeline.”
The members of CMA Portugal believe that “the country of Portugal, indeed all of Europe, is on the verge of collapse. A moral, ethical and spiritual recession has begun. The implosion of European society is imminent. History has proven time and again that people without God, without the values and principles taught in His Word, are doomed!”
Yet, at such a dark time in the nation’s history it seems as if God has seen fit to raise up prophetic voices in the most unlikely places. The members of CMA Portugal have taken to the streets. In September and October of 2009 they became politically active as they joined a new Prolife Party even occupying National Board positions. Their bikes led processions through the city during the Legislative Elections. In the same month of November their motorcycles occupied the main avenue of the capital as they led thousands in the World March for Peace and non-Violence. In fact this avenue of Lisbon is familiar to these bikers who also led 7,500 people in the March for Life prior to the Abortion law being passed. They have led at least 50,000 people in five major marches down this avenue through the heart of their capital city always with a view to call their government to reason on a number of key issues.
December was a big month for CMA. They took the Good News of Christmas to a Foundation for abused, neglected and abandoned children in Lisbon. The children were treated to lunch, a game of football, rides on the motorcycles and presents were distributed as each biker adopted a child. Following that event on Sunday 13 December the bikers were invited to speak about their faith to a gathering of 160 non-Christian bikers! Secular bikers don’t normally ask Christian bikers to tell them about Jesus! Prior to that event in September the bikers went to Benfica do Ribatejo to share the Gospel with 300 young people at a music concert.
Divided between two chapters, one in the south and one in the center of the nation, these radical bikers who are followers of Christ crisscross their country to bring a message of love, peace, salvation and joy to the world. Whether “Riding for the Son” through the streets of their capital or visiting a small local school their goal is simply one: to share their faith. They live according to a Higher Code. Their purpose is to take the message of Jesus of Nazareth to their nation. Indeed God must have a sense of humour to use a group of bikers to be apologists of an ancient message in our modern and turbulent times when all believe that Christianity is on the verge of extinction in Europe.
"...and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:"
Mark 3:17b KJV
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