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Monday, February 24, 2020

This Week In NAR Absurdity -- God is a Capitalist - Rev. Anthony Wade proves he's Left

Found here. Our comments in bold.
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Yes, another commentary regarding the incendiary Rev. Wade. We apologize for posting his hyperbolic screeds, but we feel the need to counter the heretical Reverend at every point. He is a false teacher, yet he has gained some traction on the various websites of the Doctrinal Police. It is troubling when these supposed "discernment ministries" have no discernment.

The Reverend is writing about Sam Rohrer, who heads up something called The American Pastors Network. Read its doctrinal statement and the write-ups about its leadership, and with those in mind, consider Rev. Wade's presentation.

Lastly, the Reverend confirms his leftist bonafides, something we have suspected for a long time.
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Christianity is about God. That is right. It is not about us. (Yes, of course. And Rohrer will never claim otherwise.)

Yet man has been seeking to recreate God in his image since time began. Satan wanted to be God. Eve wanted to be like God. So it goes on and on. Perhaps this is no more evident then when man tries to fit God into their politics. I have seen pastors post absurdities such as people could not be saved and vote for a particular candidate or party. As if when we stand before Christ our voting record will be laid bare before Him to judge. While that notion is beyond stupid and biblically ignorant, a great swath of the NAR apostate church wholeheartedly believes that today. The will spend their lives screaming at half the population for not agreeing that their carnal sinner is the one God really wants in control and your carnal sinner is the devil personified. (It's upon these sweeping and undocumented assertions the Reverend bases the rest of his presentation. Let's recap them:
  • The NAR is recreating God in their own image
  • The NAR wants to be God or be like God
  • The NAR is trying to fit God into their politics
  • The NAR believes that someone is not saved based on how they vote
  • The NAR believes their voting record will be judged by God
The Reverend will never bother to demonstrate any of this.) 

This problem becomes more absurd when the Christians are forced to deal with other facets of their chosen political persuasion and apply Christianese logic to them as well. Suddenly, the notion of socialism is deemed as biblical evil, even though one could reasonably construe that was the organization of the early church described in Acts. (No, it is not reasonable to construe such a thing. Socialism is the government ownership of the means of production. There was absolutely nothing in the early church or the Bible which advocates or implements the government ownership of the means of production.

Notice how the Reverend frames this. Previously he labeled the supposed beliefs of the NAR as "absurd," "beyond stupid," and "biblically ignorant." But when he turns to socialism, well, suddenly it's something we can "reasonably construe" about the early church. 

So, he just doesn't disagree with capitalist interpretations of the Bible, those NAR interpretations are beyond the pale. Yet socialist interpretations of the Bible are thoughtful, considered, and acceptable.

And apparently he is allowed to speak glowingly about his own political perspectives regarding the Bible, but his enemies cannot.)

Suddenly the bible is used to defend immigration policies regardless of their lack of Christian fairness or justice. (The Reverend goes Left on immigration, suggesting the Bible agrees with his notions of fairness and justice.)

The NAR has their cute and unbiblical notion of a "biblical worldview." (Rev. Wade will never explain the proper "biblical worldview," though he will repeatedly assent to the political Left's viewpoint.)

What this really is however is a worldview of one party (Nowhere does Rohrer mention any political party.)

and how we can shoehorn God into it. (Apparently the Reverend is unaware of how the Left shoehorns Jesus into their political doctrine.)

With this as the backdrop, I present the latest in this absurd slippery slope -- God is a capitalist! Yes this came as a shock to me as well but let us reason through ("Reason" will be largely absent from the Reverend's presentation.)

the above linked article written by the American Pastor's Network, God help us.

'Many on both sides of the political coin have reservations about the talk of socialism creeping into the 2020 presidential election conversations. As the topic of socialism has become more prevalent in America, the American Pastors Network (APN) has explored the hot-button issue on its popular daily radio program, Stand in the Gap Today, which airs on over 400 radio stations nationwide; many carry the show live from noon to 1 p.m. ET. APN President Sam Rohrer says if he made the bold statement, "God is a capitalist," how would many react? Agree or disagree? Be indifferent? Have to consider the question further? "Or how about these questions: 'Does the Bible teach the tenets of capitalism?' 'Does God hate communism and its younger sister socialism?'" Rohrer added. "These issues are confronting the American people and our entire perspective of freedom--capitalism versus socialism--moral versus evil. Many discuss these questions politically, economically and emotionally. But we should be looking at it biblically--from the pages of Scripture--as well."' -- American Pastors Network (APN)

Yeah, standing in the gap has nothing to do with discussing human societal organizing principles. Let's deal with this NAR nonsense. (The Reverend will "deal with this NAR nonsense" with nothing more than summary denials.)

 Does the bible teach the tenets of capitalism? No. (A one word summary denial. We will quote the Bible, since the Reverend never will.
Pr. 11:1 The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.
Mt. 25:27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
Mk. 12:1-2 He then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. 2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard."
Mt. 20:1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard.
These and many other verses suggest capitalism.)

Does God hate communism or socialism? No. (A one word summary denial.)

How do we know this? Because these are carnal terms made by carnal men to organize carnal societies. God could care less (sic) what system of government man wishes to employ. (A summary denial. In actual fact, He does care:
Ps. 106:3 Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right.
Ps. 112:5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.
Pr. 18:5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the innocent of justice.
Mt. 23:23 Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices — mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law — justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
2Co. 7:11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.)
His concern is for the Gospel. Now the NAR will argue that the cause of the Gospel is better furthered within a capitalist society to which I would respond, really? The primary source for all false gospels today is America, a capitalist society. (Correlation is not causation. 

If we were to concede this assertion is true [which we do not], we would note that because of the Christian underpinnings and foundation of America, it naturally follows that false gospels would only arise out of a nation where Christianity is found, and in a nation which values freedom of religion. False teachers would arise only where Christianity exists and the freedom to practice religion exists. There would be no false gospel or false teachers of Christianity where there is no Christianity or no freedom to choose one's religion.)

Yet churches such as the underground church in China are renowned for their passion and sincerity.  (Non sequitur. And, Rev. Wade does not know there is no false Gospel in China.

Further, China persecutes and murders its Christians. Of course those Christians would be passionate and sincere. Lukewarm people do not risk their lives!)

They covet a single page of a single book of the bible while we complain if there is no close parking on Sundays. Please. Capitalism (Rev. Wade swerves again. For some reason, there is a connection between Sunday parking and capitalism. Remember he was asking us to "reason through" these things, but there has yet to be any process of reason at all.)

might be a better societal organizing principle for carnal reasons but it cannot be any more moral than any other because all such systems are run by immoral men. (Tautology. Immoral men are a component of everything. Capitalism. Socialism. All churches are run by immoral men. All families are run by immoral men. All trips to the beach are done by immoral men. None of this speaks to any organizing principles of economics.)

'Rohrer added that there is a basic case to be made that God and the Bible support capitalism, why it is moral, albeit not the perfect economic system, and why the foundational principles of capitalism are moral and why socialism, communism and all the other forms of collectivism are evil. "The Bernie Sanderses and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezes of the world want to be a part of a 'mass movement,' a movement to embrace socialism and tyrannical big government and a movement to upend capitalism," Rohrer said. "However, the Constitution rests on the foundation of capitalism and free enterprise, so this 'movement' has the aim to jettison all remaining vestiges of the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of our laws and view of life, the environment, the home and marriage as defined by God as Creator and giver of all rights. It is a movement to reject the reality of absolute moral truth accountability to God and to embrace government as God. It's also the elimination of the right to private property, the hinge pin of God's design for capitalism and the bottom-line hatred of socialists and communists. After all, it was Karl Marx himself who said in his Communist Manifesto, 'the theory of the communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property.'"' - APN

Capitalism is not moral. That is an absurd statement. Capitalism is what led to the slave trade. It is what led to sweatshops. It led to the plundering of nations to rob their natural resources. It now convinces American companies to have their products made in third world countries because the workers there cannot unionize. The organizing structure of capitalism is greed! (Several undocumented and puerile assertions. 

Capitalism did none of these things. It was immoral men who did these things. And, immoral men in the Soviet Union [socialist] killed millions of people. Immoral men sent millions of Jews to death camps [Nazi]. Immoral men killed millions of Cambodians [Buddhist]. 

Immoral men enslave 18,354,700 in India [not capitalist], 3,388,400 in China [not capitalist], and 2,134,900 in Pakistan [not capitalist].

Amazingly Rev. Wade has the power to know men's hearts. Wealthy Americans are all greedy, because capitalism. 

So here are some of the insanely richest people, all of whom must be greedy:
  • #2 is Bernard Arnault, French.
  • #5 is Amancio Ortega, Spanish.
  • #8 is Carlos Slim Helu, Mexican.
  • #11 is Mukesh Ambani, Indian.
  • #13 is Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, French.
  • #18 is Jack Ma, Chinese.
  • #19 is Ma Huateng, Chinese.
  • #23 is David Thomson, Canadian.
How in the world is that moral? (Capitalism requires moral people to function. Greed, sweatshops, slavery, and plundering natural resources are violations of capitalism, not features of it.)

Sure, Capitalist societies also provide the most opportunities, cure disease, and a host of other positives but moral? No. Likewise the smear of Sanders and Cortez for disagreement is equally unfair. (The Reverend has been arguing like a leftist, but now overtly makes the move Left. 

Disagreeing with Bernie Sanders and Alexanda Ocasio Cortez is a smear and unfair. Those smears are noteworthy in Rev. Wade's mind, but not the smears of, say, Veritas, or even those perpetrated against Trump. 

Rev. Wade's mind goes to the Left to defend leftists. This is telling.)

Look, you can agree to disagree with their politics (No, Rev. Wade. You just told us that opposing them is a smear and unfair.)

but the belief that no one should die without healthcare is hardly immoral. (Again arguing like a leftist, he defends universal healthcareRoher did not mention it. Indeed, no one has claimed that providing healthcare is immoral. Universal healthcare does not speak to morality at all.)

The reality Rohrer does not want to face is that not all socialist countries are Venezuela. (Venezuela is not mentioned in the quoted article. There is no mention of the word "country." There are no countries named in the article at all, let alone socialist ones.

The fact of the matter is that there are no socialist success stories. Every socialist government has failed, committed atrocities, repressed its people, and destroyed the environment.)

Our country already dabbles in its fair share of socialism with positive results. (The leftist Reverend is ignorant. He doesn't even know what socialism is. He thinks its implementation in America is good. Citing no facts, references, or even examples of what things he thinks is socialistic in this country, he simply proclaims it has "positive results."

Again the Reverend argues like a leftist. Leftists argue to the emotions. They employ rhetoric, not dialectic. They avoid facts and references in favor of manipulation and diversion. They don't speak to the logical arguments presented to them, they assail the character and mock the motives of their interlocutors.

If there is a single thing that characterizes all of Rev. Wade's writings, it is that they all employ these leftist techniques.)

No, this is not a call for a change in America's system just a fact check on the ridiculous points that are being made. (We yet await a single fact to be presented.)

Such as the notion that all Judeo-Christian values, the home and marriage are all divinely given to us by capitalism. (Another typically leftist tactic, misrepresenting what was actually said. We quote:
...the Constitution rests on the foundation of capitalism and free enterprise, so this 'movement' has the aim to jettison all remaining vestiges of the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of our laws and view of life, the environment, the home and marriage as defined by God as Creator and giver of all rights. 
Rev. Wade has it exactly backwards. This is the level of dishonesty that is routine in his "devotionals.")

Well, I guess when you worship capitalism.

'Additionally, Rohrer said, the national rejection of God in the courtroom, classroom and public square is producing consequences beyond our imagination. The rise of the popularity of socialism and tyrannical government is but one indication, with radical environmentalism another. "But as economic systems are concerned, the contrast between socialism/communism and capitalism hinges on the matter of private property," Rohrer said. "Our founders knew this and it is why the debate at the introduction of the Declaration of Independence was so intense, as it stated, 'We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights that among them are life, liberty and the 'ownership of private property,' which was ultimately agreed to as 'the pursuit of happiness.' Understanding what God says about private property should dispel any support for socialism by anyone who fears God and believes the Bible."' -- APN

He is so blinded by his NAR dominionism (This is at least the third time the Reverend has asserted that Rohrer is NAR. He has yet to provide any evidence this is true.)

that he cannot see the hypocritical nature of his presentation. So the courtroom, classroom and public square have all rejected God? But wait a minute? I thought we were a capitalist society and that meant inherent morality? That is my point exactly. All of the dreaded rejections he cites all occurred under capitalism! (The Reverend links capitalism to the institutional rejection of God, but previously he asserted that Our country already dabbles in its fair share of socialism with positive results. So how is capitalism responsible for the rejection of God if a "fair share" of our country is socialistic? This is typical of the muddled thinking of a leftist.)

Who cares what theories are gaining popularity? (If the Reverend doesn't care, why did he write this article? Why is he so over-the-top hysterical about Mr Rohrer? Why is he so virulently anti-capitalist? Because Rev. Wade does in fact care, and he vehemently disagrees. He's offended, hyperbolic, and unable to reason through the issues.)

We are still beyond capitalist (Waaait. Up to now the Reverend has been claiming we are immoral capitalists. Now we are "beyond capitalist? What does that mean?)

and lo and behold, it holds no moral sway whatsoever because men are inherently evil, regardless of how they want to slice the pie. (Waaait. Up to now, capitalism has been inherently evil, with sweatshops and greedy men, remember? Now he takes it all back and concedes that the problem is evil men.)  

Whatever God says about private property He says in relation to a theocracy, not a capitalist society. While there are slivers of capitalist theory there are also slivers of socialist theory. Bottom line is the land is the Lord's, not ours. We are pilgrims and sojourners. The Lord has no place to lay His head. Rohrer needs to actually read his bible instead of using it to prop up his dominionism. (Rev. Wade has yet to quote a single Bible verse.)

'Rohrer added that while God embraces the tenets from which came the economic system called capitalism, thereby making capitalism moral, it also of necessity makes socialism, communism or "-ism" immoral and, therefore, evil. "It is no accident that socialism in any form rejects God as God, God as Creator and God as the ultimate owner of all creation," Rohrer said. "Under communism or socialism, 'profit' is a dirty word when it applies to individuals operating under capitalism and free enterprise. But capitalism is not perfect, because man is sinful, and government is always trying to control the other areas of individual, family, the church and commerce. But we must remain focused on the fact that God has delegated to man--not government--the role of steward or manager over creation and the environment. It is no accident that the profit--the rewards--of proper management of that property will result in prosperity, blessing and the ability for individuals to bless their neighbors, the poor and the needy, and to provide the tithe and offerings to the church to do what the church is to do."' - APN

God embraced no such thing. The bible is filled with warnings about money! (Again the Reverend turns Left. Capitalism is greed you see, and the Bible warns about money. So the Bible is against money, and that means it is against capitalism. 

Yet we still await the first Bible verse.)

It is primarily concerned with taking care of the least in society! (The Reverend previously said that God is primarily concerned with the Gospel.)

This thinking is evil. God also has not embraced socialism. He does not care! He is God! Do you think He is concerned a whit what economic organizing system we use? Does the Christian living under totalitarianism or even Communism have lower standing before God than one who comes from America? (None of which has been asserted by Rohrer.)

This is idol worship, pure and simple. So man has been charged with stewardship over land and Rohrer thinks that this lends itself to capitalist theory? Who owns your house? Miss a payment and you will find out real soon that it ain't you. What about Eminent Domain? (Ah, so Rev. Wade is finally able to identify socialistic things in America. Ironically, both examples are poster children for government abuse.)

Sure capitalism allows the rich to bless the poor (We thought the rich were uniformly greedy?)

but it also causes those disparities! (No, it doesn't. The poor are not caused by capitalism. Capitalism causes nothing. Capitalism in simply a description of human behavior, in particular, the willing exchange of value.)

Not to mention that rich do not always bless the poor! (Oh, wait. They are greedy. The evidence? Well, the Reverend has yet to provide any. 

It must be government's job to force these recalcitrant rich people to pony up their dough?)

I am not going to dignify the citation of the false tithing system here with a response. Just more shill from a shill. Thankfully this mess wraps up:

"APN hopes thousands will join the ministry for its national prayer movement called "52 Tuesdays," in which the faithful from around the country will come together to pray for the moral and spiritual renewal of our nation every Tuesday leading up to Election Day 2020. This dedicated season of prayer not only addresses the important 2020 presidential election but also other topics close to Christians' hearts. Prayer warriors nationwide can add their name to the growing "52 Tuesdays" list here. Rohrer, along with Pennsylvania Pastors Network Executive Director Gary Dull and North Carolina Pastors Network President Dave Kistler, invites cultural experts to discuss a variety of pressing topics and headlines from a biblical and constitutional perspective to Stand in the Gap Today. Archived programs can be viewed here; find a station here. Rohrer also hosts the daily short radio feature Stand in the Gap Minute, and "best of" shows from the week are broadcast on Stand in the Gap Weekend. Likewise, Stand in the Gap TV considers transcending complex and divisive cultural issues, seemingly difficult to navigate, from a biblical worldview perspective while bringing clarity to cultural confusion and making sense of the nonsense around us." -- APN


Let me cut through the code speak. They hope that you will join them in prayer so they can indoctrinate you into voting Republican in November. Listen, if that is your vote -- knock yourself out. Just do not confuse that with some kind of righteous stand or work for the Lord. That is the same NAR dominionist garbage that this entire piece was. Is God a capitalist? Of course not -- He is God! He desires us to stand in the gap for the lost. For the cause of the Gospel. Not for which way of divvying up the goodies of this carnal world seems best to our wicked carnal hearts. Stop objectifying God and recreating Him in our image.

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