More on I-monkers and their view of abortion

From commenter Justin: #### Seneca, I need to get this off my chest. Since IMonk closed comments on this posting, may I post it here? I have no interest in finding common cause with a society who are clearly, doggedly marching over a cliff. No, I am going to step aside and openly declare, “Cliff ahead! Turn back!” If that alienates some, or alienates me from others, so be it. I’ll show no solidarity with people so dead-set upon oblivion. Yes, that’s all-or-nothing: a flourishing, hopeful society cannot, will not exist where it is legal to kill our children. The common distinctions made regarding “when human life begins” are completely arbitrary. The distinction is made purely as a matter of personal convenience. The “science” simply justifies the preconceived idea. We want what we want, so we find data to back it up. The facts of human reproductive biology do not compel us to define at what developmental stage human life begins and thus is thenceforth sacrosanct, that is except at the point of conception, that point where the genome of the zygote contains all of the genetic information necessary to form a new individual. In other words, the zygote is a new individual. Location of that definition at any other point along the continuum of human development is arbitrary, period. Arbitrarily distinguishing between individuals’ privileges, entitlements, rights, and responsibilities is totalitarian. Legal abortion is a totalitarian policy which undermines the very foundations of a just society and the rule of law, just like legal slavery, legal euthanasia, legal capital punishment. It is collective suicide. There is no slippery slope, there are no degrees, there are no mitigating factors. It is a quantum leap into the abyss. Not everything has gray areas open to debate. Ignore the clear logic at your own peril.

KATHY AND JEFF DUNN

I was thrilled to read that Kathy Dunn has turned the corner and appears to be recovering from a very serious/life threatening case of Covid 19. God is good.

I-monk; a little abortion is o.k., a lot of abortion would be wrong.

As I have noted before, I-monk is now simply a politically progressive blog with a thin patina of religiosity. They have adopted the past Democratic talking point from the campaign of Hillary Clinton about abortion. They will inevitably follow the current Democratic platform; anywhere, anytime including the moments of birth and the moments after birth. ### A lot of abortions is to be criticized,they say, but a few here and there, well that's the reality and God understands. That's the current I-monk position. It will change to be even less restrictions to abortion because I-monk follows secular trends.

They despise Rush Limbaugh - of course

Rush is GUILTY of spending the last 3 decades pointing out the hypocrisy of liberals. That's why he is actually hated. Chaplain Mike and the fellow liberal I-monkers are all in lockstep for their loathing of Limbaugh. He has stepped on their liberal icon hero's toes daily for 30 years.

Commentary on Mark.

I've never been a huge fan of Michael Spencer; never thought he should be deified. HOWEVER, writing a commentary on a Bible book is immense. Kudos to Michael Spencer and Mike Bell.

I-monkers unintentionally acknowledge my position

A couple months back there was a couple of posts assailing Trump for not listening to the experts. I demured about the "experts." I was, of course, assailed for my position. ### Today Geo Mike has a post decrying the scientific studies that cannot be replicated yet are praised. Even the posters have acknowledged the replication problem.### Let me re-iterate, Beware the Experts. There are a number of good reasons to dislike Prez Trump. Mishandling the Covid virus [ if he did ] isn't one of them. Beware the experts; memorize Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? This applies to scientists and experts. BEWARE

What to do about racism

CHAPLAIN MIKE does a post about soft racism. He notes, as does first commenter Robert F., being reared in the white world. I too have been reared in the white world; continue to live in it.### Robert F. said something at the end of his comment that needs to be explained. He said, " The work world is far more racially integrated than the church world, which has closely followed the systemic racial separation involved in American patterns of domestic residency, and that my Christian friends is very wrong and a major besetting sin of the church." Robert F. PLEASE explain the patterns of domestic residency; what you are trying to say. ### BTW, most Evangelical congregation have tried, usually unsuccessfully, to integrate. It hasn't worked. Is it racism? No! Is it tribal? Probably.

I-monk celebrates rejection of the Righteous and Holy God

Thou shalt love thy Lord, thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind", before also referring to a second commandment, "And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." ### I-monk provides a platform for an individual who rejects the very first commandment.### This says more about the I-monk trajectory AWAY from serving the Living God. I-monk is, bottom line, all about being a "none," "done," or agnostic/atheist advocate. They have moved away from the faith delivered to the saints and moved towards the broad road of secular religiosity. ### Imonk's answer to the dilemma? Universalism; all will be saved even those who avow their disdain for their creator. Apparently God's fine with that? In your face rebellion? Apparently God is fine with that.### If you're looking for a website to encourage your faith; I-monk is NOT the place.### There is no logic at I-monk. UPDATE 1: Commenters are effusive in their praise of the post; how well written, how open, what a good heart etc., etc., etc. My question: What do we know about satan? We know this; he is the great deceiver. Is satam going to come across as hostile, angry, in rebellion against God? No; he'll come across as an angel of light. So will his "tools." ### Update2; as I suspected minus Eeyore, all commenters are onboard with the atheistic perspective. Eeyore notes; [ paraphrase ] if there is no God, all of life is pointless.

Bash conservative Evangelicals day at I-monk

Liberal hatred on display.#### There always appears to be a significant disconnect between actual comments and the goal of "Jesus shaped spirituality."

If you believe in Biblical evolution, you have to deny the exist of real life Adam and Eve

Geo Mike does evolution Thursday at I-monk. He discourages readers from belief in the historicity of the first 11 Chapters of Genesis. #### There are not two people, Adam and Eve. Therefore there is no garden, no serpent, no tree of life. It's all myth. #### Pardon me for not believing the liberal narrative.

Dee opines

Wartburgwatch; Andy Savage and Chris Conlee Prove That Any Schmuck Can Start a Non-Denominational Church [ That's quite the headline; defining guys she doesn't like as "smucks."] So is this post a smear or would she like to have a genuine discussion over who should lead an Evangelical, orthodox congreation. Smears draw clicks; complex discussion, not so much.

The MARK of a progressive Christian

Apparently, it's wearing a mask according to the commenters/post. A couple of decades ago, a favorite chorus went, "..and you'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love; and you'll know we are Christians by our love." Know it's by our "masks, by our masks, and you'll know we are Christians by our masks." Doesn't quite have the same ring to it frankly.

LIVING IN FEAR

MIKE BELL has a post this morning focused on people's need to wear a mask during the pandemic. I'm a polite guy so I do wear a mask ONLY while in a store however. While they are not a cure, possibly they slow the spread of "Winnie the Flu." So I went and chatted briefly with my neighbor "Mikey" yesterday; he's 65 and takes auto-immune suppressants. I asked him what he's doing to protect himself. He said he's basically carrying on like normal. He goes to the store [ he's married, has a wife that would gladly go to the store for him] eats out and travels around - he has an R.V. I asked him if he was worried he said no. Either it gets him or it doesn't he's had a good ride and he refused to live in fear.

JERRY FALWELL

I certainly don't know the truth of the situation but the optics are terrible [ implied is a sexual encounter between Jerry and a young lady. ] Kudos to Liberty for acting swiftly.

Is Internetmonk aging out?

I, of course, don't see the stats but I do see the commenters; pretty much the same old same old. I think that is the natural trajectory of blogs. First, they're new and exciting but sooner or later the reasons for their existence, their narrative if you will, grows old. And the commenters become part of a recognisable but aging group. # So, is Internetmonk attracting the millenials? I kinda doubt it; here's why. # The millenials have no memory/experience of the fundamentalists. A lot of the commenters on I-monk are in their 70s and many times, reading their comments, they are confusing the old fundamentalists with modern Evangelicals. There is simply a huge difference. I doubt there are many millenials who have ever experienced a sermon that references the dangers of Hell. I will tell you, as one who continues to be a part of an Evangelical congregation; Hell simply is not a regular topic in Evangelical churches and hasn't been for at least 3 decades. # One of the aging commenters has been obsessed with Hal Lindsay's teaching from the 60's and 70's. He's also obsessed with Chuck Smith, long deceased. Millenials probably have no idea who these men are or what they are known for. He, quite mistakenly, thinks these men are still influential in Evangelical circles. They are not. He has set up a straw man for him to attack. It's been old for a long time. # Chaplain Mike and the boys are all aging also. My guess, all of them are at least 50. In case you haven't noticed, the Millenials have zero interest in the thinking of 50 year old Caucasian males. # My guess, as Imonk ages out and as we age, it becomes even less influential.

MICHAEL SPENCER - CREATED A BLOG THAT LEADS TO DESPAIR

In the early years, Michael Spencer's blog still held to some of the orthodox fundamentals but he was in the process of turning away from the clear teachings and readings of Scripture. Phil Johnson and Dan Phillips would point out the obvious flaws in his increasingly idiosyncratic interpretations of Scripture; contrary to what Scripture actually said. Johnson and Phillips were not mean, they just pointed out, very clearly, where he was going wrong. At one time he got so upset I sent e-mails to Johnson and Phillips telling them I thought he was coming apart emotionally and psychologically and they should be very careful in their pushback against a psychologically fragile man. Then some years ago now, Michael got cancer and died. Commenters became writers and it has evolved with "Chaplain Mike" apparently in charge. My take; Chaplain Mike holds the reins loosely and all the authors have rejected orthodox Biblical interpretions. My guess would be; most of the readership are now "nones," no longer a regular particpant with a local congregation. Anyhow, Chaplain Mike will post and old writing of Michael Spencer's. You know what? They are not inspiring. In a not so funny way, Internetmonk is a depressing blog. Just read the comments; negativity, anger and bitterness tend to be on display as they attack those who do not agree with the politically liberal and progressive religiosity of Internetmonk. Internetmonk is not a happy place.

A PRIORI: God is perfect and unchanging.

Conservative Evangelicalism is of all things the Most Logical.

Creator God knew before He made humanity what humanity would be like.  He knew male and female before he brought Adam and Eve,  real flesh and blood humans, into existence.  There are not a lot of Adams and Eves, there were only the two and out of their relationship, all humanity exists.

They had only one "Thou shalt not"  only one.  They gave into their desire and humanity was broken from then on; would ultimately need a blood sacrifice for sinful man to be in a relationship with a holy and sinless God.  The blood sacrifice was God himself in A.D. 1.

The principles for Godly living have not changed in the millennia of humanity.

God, being most logical and just, over time gave us His Word, both in His Son and in the written Word.  He did not dictate it but His Spirit oversaw the ultimate creation;  from Genesis to the Revelation.

Because God is Perfect,  Scripture does not require an upgrade.  It said EXACTLY what God wanted it to say in the autographs.  We do not have the autographs but people underestimate the millions of hours theologians have put into making sure the very words of the autographs are truly with us.

It is totally illogical to think a perfect God needs to make an upgrade.

Conservative Evangelicals view life thru the prism of Scripture. It is the anchor that never changes; though sometimes our understanding may change.  BUT,  words have meaning.  As logical as it gets.  If Holy Scripture says, "Thou shalt not,"  then thou best not.  It's not going to change to God saying, I've changed my mind; go ahead.

Non conservative religionists view Scripture thru the prism of the current culture; which is the most illogical thing ever.  What is current today will be passé in a very few years; maybe tomorrow.  They are always denying the reality of "Thou shalt not."  For Non conservatives; this is dependent upon changing the obvious meaning of simple words.   That is illogical.

INTERNETMONK'S DOWNWARDS TRAJECTORY; [ of course ]

INTERNETMONK used to pride itself as being "post Evangelical" but they have clearly moved further left.  Now they are post Christian.

How do I know that?  They have added to their stable of writers, "Klaise" who has declared himself to be post Christian.

Current discussions revolve around Universalism; the belief that Manson, Mao, Lenin, Stalin and Beria will all be, ultimately, welcomed to Heaven.

Scratch an I-monker and you find a Universalist.  Like the mainline; the Unitarian church is moribund; been dying for a long time.  I-monkers apparently feel that it's progress to leave Evangelicalism for  either the dying Mainline Churches or for or the beliefs of the Unitarian Church.
____________

FYI

"But I think I hear noises of the death of Unitarian Universalism which others don’t seem to hear. And those noises disturb for me a music of the spheres that I don’t think others hear either. So I will proceed with what you may decide was, after all, too little humility, in trying to describe to you both the noises I hear, and also the music.

The movement which many call "Unitarian Universalism" has been dying for 43 years, continues to die, and the fact of its slow but steady death is the elephant in the room that few in the UUA want to face, let alone talk about.
Between 1970 and 2000, the UUA lost over 12,000 adult members in real numbers. But during those thirty years, while the UUA’s adult membership declined by more than 7%, the population of the U.S. increased by over 37%. In other words, when compared with the population of the U.S., the adult membership of the UUA has declined by more than 44% since 1970. Our numbers are now about what they were at merger in 1961, while the rest of the country has grown by nearly half. If we had simply kept up with the population growth, we would have more than 225,000 adult members now. There is no way to pretend that these facts paint a picture of growth.2"

Hmm, maybe it's time to post once again

The reality; I've become bored of Wartburgwatch.  It's actually the same old same old.  There are apparently sinners at Evangelical churches and these sinners need to be thrown out of the church.

I've become bored with Internetmonk.  It's a politically liberal blog with a faint patina of religiosity.  Their agenda;  labeling Evangelicals as the curse of all that is righteous and good.  They do this by negating the words of Scripture.

Their narrative
If you were truly bright, you'd be a progressive Democrat.
They have one commenter I've come to appreciate:  Robert F.  While he's satisfactorily liberal; he's not always in lock-step with the other liberals.

Well that's enough for now;