(BrightCitizen.com) For years, American’s have put up with a lot of negativity and personal attacks on politicians by other politicians. This is something that is common here in America as well as abroad. Unfortunately, politics are a way of life anywhere that there are a large number of people. Another problem is that personal attacks have not been limited to politics.
America is known as originally being established by Christians fleeing the tyranny of the United Kingdom. Therefore, a huge part of the success of America is it’s freedom of religion. America has grown due to the freedom for American’s to pick a church to attend that suits them, or not to attend church at all. The majority of American’s go to church every Sunday but that number is changing.
Despite that freedom, there are religious witch-hunters in America trying to impose their views of God on others who unfortunately bring politics into the Christian realm. There are those who preclude that they have all the answers and their interpretations on the Bible is God’s truth. Unfortunately, this has brought much anger and resentment in the body of Christ.
Two such examples are Dutch immigrant Hank Hanegraaff and Colorado-based Michael Houdmann. Both men, seem to have self-endowed authority to interpret the Bible as they see fit and impose their views on Christians. Hank is known for his influence in the US through his Christian Research Institute (CRI) and American Bible Answer Man talk show. Michael imposes his views through his GotQuestions.org and family of other related websites he runs. Both men solicit funds through their websites, while critiquing others who do the same.
Instead of fostering unity among the various groups of believers, both men are busy deciding who is a cult and what group is not a cult. What is God, and what is not God. Combined the two men make very divisive and questionable statements such as
The list of debatable topics goes on and on and frustration has hit the wall. Have the religious crucifiers reappeared? Those such as the Pharisees who studied the law so much but didn’t recognize Jesus when He came? Christians have become frustrated with this misinformation and are beginning to see people who criticize Bible-based Christians as being false as a source to be re-evaluated. The tables have turned and the self proclaimed Bible experts are no longer the ones labeling people false teachers. Both Hanegraaf and Houdman have been labeled false teachers themselves. Pastors, teachers and other church leaders have risen up and started calling them out on their divergent and divisive Bible teachings of those who are in ministry and serving.
Rather than fingerpointing and name-calling, it is a good idea for the group to evaluate themselves before calling someone else false or of the devil. America needs that freedom to worship again and people need to recognize just because someone’s beliefs vary from yours, that doesn’t make them false. Especially, when they have Biblical precedent to stand on and your judgment is based on your interpretation. Besides isn’t it the Christians who are supposed to love each other? Well then, one might ask, “Who are the true Christians?”
Michael Houdmann
http://www.thepathoftruth.com/falseteachers/s.michael-houdmann.htm
http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/got-questions.htm
http://www.alankurschner.com/2013/05/22/got-questions-a-quick-reply-to-s-michael-houdmann-on-his-slipshod-misrepresentation-of-the-prewrath-position/
Hank Hanegraaff
http://thewartburgwatch.com/2010/03/03/hank-hanegraaff-and-my-confusion/
https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/379-hank-hanegraaff-and-the-christian-research-institute
http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/hank-hanegraaff.htm
(BrightCitizen.com) CBSnews recently reported on breast cancer. In their article opening they say,
