Atheist Penn Jillette Does Not Want Christians to Shut Up

The following quote from atheist Penn Jillette was featured as an audio clip on Wretched Radio last Monday:

The only people I don't understand are people that say they don't care about the whole issue. I love evangelicals. One of the things I learned doing Penn and Teller: Bull----! on Showtime for all those years is that Christians are really good. They're really good people. You notice there wasn't an anti-Muslim show that we ever did. We did a bunch of anti-Christian shows. That is the biggest compliment I can give. The fact that Christians will really believe...American Christians...will really, really believe in the marketplace of ideas. And I love the fact that there are people that talk to me after the show and pray for me and give me Bibles. I never understand the atheists that say it's OK as long as they shut up. They believe that there is eternal life. They believe you can be saved. What could be more hateful than shutting up?

This Week in Calvinism - March 23, 2012

• Credo Magazine interviews David VanDrunen on the historic Reformed doctrine of the two kingdoms.
  
  
• "What's the point of Calvinism? The very nature of Calvinism makes it unnecessary as a theology or doctrine. If every thing Calvin claims is true, what need is there to teach it or even argue over it? It matters not, one way or another, it is nullified." So...having a God-centered theology is pointless?
  
  
• Roger Olson begins a series of posts critiquing the book The Gospel as Center: Renewing Our Faith and Reforming Our Ministry Practices. His main complaint (as usual) seems to be that it's too Calvinistic.
  
  
• Terry Tiessen has completed a 12-part series reviewing Roger Olson's book Against Calvinism.
  
  
• Calvinism's "dangerous ideas" aren't unique to Calvinism.
  
  
• Like it or not, total depravity is a biblical doctrine.

Religious freedom in...Pakistan?

It is strange to read something like this, especially with "free" nations like Canada trying to make it illegal for homeschoolers to be taught that homosexuality is a sin, and authorities cracking down on home Bible studies right here in America. Gary North shares an email he received from a missionary in Turkey. In it the missionary describes the religious freedom he saw while visiting the Islamic country of Pakistan:

There is another side of Pakistan that you never hear about. I truly believe that the churches and believers in Pakistan are the most spiritually blessed that I have ever seen. In fact, they have more freedoms than any other Christians in any other country that I have visited. The believers do know that they could suffer persecution at any moment but they never back down for a second.

There are around 20 million Christians in Pakistan, whole neighborhoods and villages are Christian, with some neighborhoods having up to 60 churches in them. There are mixed Muslim/Christian villages and neighborhoods and they generally have decent relationships with one another. Many churches broadcast their services on loud-speakers so that the whole community can listen in, especially for those that are not able to attend. The Muslim neighbors listen to the sermons and service whether they like it or not every day!

The Christians hold outdoor meetings weekly (like tent services) over loud-speakers. One that I spoke at over 350 attended and it was right across from the mosque! Many churches meet for prayer, worship and a sermon every night. And they are always packed! The last night I was there I preached at one such service. During the church services the women sit at one side, (cover their heads for prayer), the men sit on the other side and they sing, worship and pray for hours.

Christians can openly state that they are Christian, wear crosses, put religious symbols on their taxis, rick-shaws and are open about their faith, unlike here in Turkey. There are many Christian private schools for one to be educated in, however the majority are poor and sending their kids to school is not an option.

Pastors work hard doing up to 20-30 home visits daily. They visit the members of their church, pray for their needs and encourage them. I went on many home-visits with the local pastors and prayed for these wonderful brothers and sisters. I was shocked to hear that the churches hold evangelistic crusades in open air stadiums where up to 3,000 people or more attend. In fact, I was asked to be the speaker at a 3 day crusade that will be held in a city south of Lahore next year.

The Christians that live in the villages live in a close community, and in the neighborhoods in the city the doors (curtains) to every home are always wide open (even at night, and street cats wander into your room!), there is a feeling of security and trust among each other and in the areas they live in.

Read more here.

This Week in Calvinism - March 16, 2012

• Michael Horton and Roger Olson join Ed Stetzer to discuss their respective books, For Calvinism and Against Calvinism.
  
  
• According to one "Bible teacher," Calvinism teaches that "God knowingly created most of His children to be lost." And here I always thought Calvinists believed that none of God's children would be lost.
  
  
• Spurgeon on total depravity.
  
  
• Do we Calvinists believe in salvation by faith alone? No, not really.
  
  
• Does Calvinism threaten the spread of the gospel? "No, Calvinism shouldn't hinder evangelism. If anything, it should give our witnessing great boldness with pure motives."
  
  
• John Piper asks, "Will we arrive blameless on the day of Christ?"

This Week in Calvinism - March 9, 2012

• Where TULIP goes wrong.
  
  
• The conservative force of Calvinism.
  
  
• What about those who have never heard of Jesus?
  
  
• John Piper on God's sovereignty in the recent tornado tragedies.
  
  
• Surprise, surprise. Roger Olson weighs in on Piper's article.
  
  
• Olson is at least civil. Writer Vox Day, on the other hand, accuses John Piper of worshiping Satan. Of course, Day has admitted that his own "theological stance is more accurately described as Pelagian," so his hatred of Calvinists really isn't all that surprising.
  
  
• James White responds (mp3) to Vox Day's ignorant attack. (The response begins about 30 minutes into the podcast.)
  
  
• Les Puryear discusses how to avoid hiring a Calvinist pastor.
  
  
• Arminian William Birch on the requirement for unity among Southern Baptists.

Luther Insult Generator

Looking for a great comeback? Check out the Luther Insult Generator.

This Week in Calvinism - March 2, 2012

• Atheist Daniel Fincke describes his brief foray into Calvinism while in college.
  
  
• A commenter on Fincke's blog post notes that while Calvinism is morally repugnant, it does answer a lot of the hard questions in Christianity, especially those surrounding God's sovereignty: "It makes God into a monster, but there are fewer gaping holes in the fabric of their logic." I can think of one prominent Arminian who would agree with the first part of that statement.
  
  
• A review of John Samson's new book Twelve What Abouts: Answering Common Objections Concerning God's Sovereignty in Election.
  
  
• Pastor Bob Hadley addresses monergistic Lordship salvation:

  How does the presence of sin in the life of the new born Christian challenge the Lordship aspect of the monergistic role of God in the salvific process? If God and God alone does save and cannot fail in His decretive work, it would seem that God's salvific work would also make God sovereign in the Lordship aspect of the new born Christian's existence and that would by necessity lead to a life of sinlessness for the new born Christian.

  Well, Pastor Hadley, why doesn't God simply glorify us immediately upon regeneration?
  
  
• The Masked Arminian Pastor answers your questions.

This Week in Calvinism - February 24, 2012

• Sioux County is an economic leader in Iowa. Is it really due in large part to Calvinism?
  
  
• Justified by faith or works?
  
  
• Turns out we Calvinists have misinterpreted Romans 9. When we read "not because of works," what the text is really saying is that God's "mercy isn't based upon adherence to the works of the Mosaic law." So, we were right in that salvation isn't based on works; we were only wrong on which works Paul was referring to? I always thought works were works.
  
  
• Justin Taylor interviews Greg Forster, author of The Joy of Calvinism.
  
  
• How would you identify a God not worthy of worship?

Exodus 20:13

Contemporary "Christian" Music

Are most contemporary Christian radio stations trying to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ? Sadly, no. They are trying to keep their average listener, the 38 year old soccer-mom with 3 kids, from changing the station. Recording artist Matt Papa writes:

Christian radio plays songs for Becky. The labels know that in order to sell music, they have to get songs on radio. Radio = Becky. So the labels coerce their artists and bands to all write and record songs for Becky….songs that will make her feel good. Songs that tell her she is good. Songs that are “safe for the whole family”. Songs that remind her of her snow-flake-ness and tell her to turn that frown upside-down. Songs that focus on love and hope. Songs that aren’t confrontational. Songs that aren’t theological because man, that stuff is up in the clouds. Songs that don’t talk about blood and crosses and depressing stuff like that. Songs that focus on Becky and her busy life. And if the artists or bands want to write songs for another demographic or another purpose, that’s fine, they can just make music somewhere else. There is money to be made.

So, here we are. Bands/Artists who want to be heard write songs for Becky. Christian radio, therefore, is for the most part an altar where chipper, inauthentic, boring, unscriptural, untruthful, gospel-absent, ear-tickling, man-centered songs are offered to an idol named Becky.

I’ve been on a couple labels in my short musical career, and I testify that this is (sadly) how things work.

I love Becky. I really do. That’s part of the reason I’m writing this. Becky needs to be ministered to just like I do and just like everyone else does. But Christian radio/industry people: please MINISTER TO HER!! Stop giving her what she WANTS….GIVE HER WHAT SHE NEEDS and that is the GOSPEL….or stop calling yourself “christian”. There is NOTHING “christian” about telling someone who has cancer that they are ok. Stop tickling her ears. Becky is a human being who needs to hear the truth of Christ, not an object to use for your financial gain. Woe to you. And here’s a novel idea: Why not target other people besides Becky?!?! The gospel has no demographics! Christ shed His blood for all people everywhere and you have mis-represented Him. I pray with all my heart that the money tables in your temple would soon be overturned.

Over the next few months, Papa will be writing a series of posts on the current state of the Christian music industry. The article featured here is part two. You can read part one here.

(via A Twisted Crown of Thorns)

This Week in Calvinism - February 17, 2012

• Beware the dangers of encroaching Calvinism!
  
  
• Maybe Southern Baptists are afraid of Calvinism because they just don't understand it.
  
  
• It seems closet Calvinists sneaking into pastoral positions in non-Calvinist churches is a huge problem. Roger Olson hears about that kind of thing happening "all the time."
  
  
• I've always been amazed how people are able to work their fiery hatred of Calvinism into completely unrelated topics. Jef Otte managed to do it in a column comparing Johnny Cash to Paul McCartney. And he does it with a little NSFW language, of course.
  
  
• Sure. I guess you could say Calvinism really is all about God.
  
  
• Tim Challies invites you to join him on his journey through The Pilgrim's Progress.

This Week in Calvinism - February 10, 2012

• A few weeks ago, Daniel Ausbun promised a biblical critique of Calvinism. This week, he delivers...well, if you consider throwing out arguments like "Four key texts in the New Testament affirm an unlimited atonement, referring to the 'world'", an actual critique.
  
  
• Sorry, Dan Corner. How exactly does that refute Calvinism?
  
  
• Peter Lumpkins worries that sneaky Calvinists are destroying local churches.
  
  
• Tim Challies on John Piper's unexpected career in hip-hop.
  
  
• Phil Johnson addresses faithfulness, fruitfulness, and the twisted notion of evangelical celebrity.

"Poster Couple" for Gay Marriage Divorce

NBC reports:

When gay couples first sought the right to legally wed in California, they argued that they were entitled to all of the benefits of marital bliss.

It was only a matter of time before that benefit extended to the right to split up.

Even as the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found California's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional Tuesday, one of the state's first gay couples to tie the knot was calling it quits.

Robin Tyler filed for divorce from Diane Olson on January 25. The pair were among 14 same-sex couples who originally challenged the ban in 2008.

Is nothing sacred anymore?

Psalm 19:1

(via St. Eutychus)

This Week in Calvinism - February 3, 2012

• New Calvinism finds Southern Baptist fans in Owensboro, Kentucky.
  
  
• Roger Olson reflects on his discussions with Michael Horton on Calvinism and Arminianism.
  
  
• Remembering the Prince of Preachers.
  
  
• The gospel shouldn't be performance art.
  
  
• The Mugging: A Parable.
  
  
• Tim Challies is interviewed in Bible Study Magazine, and a discounted subscription is available to readers of his site.