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Politics and Religion don’t mix. At least that’s what I’ve been told by the Liberal Left. I must disagree, though. Politics and Religion can go hand in hand. The very basis for our laws and democratic form of government are based on our Christian faith. The Ten Commandments are the very foundation of what is considered right and wrong in our society. The problem arises when we ignore the wisdom and advice of the Holy Spirit when he warned us in I Corinthians 15:33, “Bad company corrupts good character.” (NIV) How does this Scripture apply to mixing politics with religion? Because it causes Christians to socialize with politicians. The bad company (politicians) corrupts good character (Christians). You don’t usually see Christian politicians stay Christian very long. They go into Congress with pure motives and hearts afire, but they come out tainted with greed, lust and a heart of manipulation. They eventually realize that if they are to stay in office, they must learn to say whatever is necessary to placate their voters... whether it’s true or not. Truth becomes relative, if it exists at all. The old adage states that “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” You don’t have to be the head honcho to develop a taste for power, because any level of secular power can corrupt the human heart. Unfortunately, even the purest heart is not immune to the intoxicating allure of the political siren song. Just as the myth of the ancient Greeks warned of the destructive power of lust, our Scriptures advise us of the dangers of forming friendships with the world. James 4:4 warns, “Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” Unfortunately, this lust for political power seems to have smitten those in positions of influence at Focus on the Family (FOF). The worst part of the whole affair is that FOF used to be a fairly legitimate ministry. Jesus used to sit squarely on the Throne of FOF. The problem was, He was asked to share that Throne with man’s wisdom (Psychology). Later, He was forced to make room on the Throne for Politics, too (in the guise of upholding Biblical morals). But before you could say, “Political Expediency,” Jesus was asked to sit in the closet of the Throne room, while FOF worshipped at the feet of their new trinity: (1) Psychology, (2) Politics, and (3) The Prayer of Jabez (or whatever current religious fad that could raise the most cash). This type of mentality is a pseudo-spiritual form of secular humanism called “religious humanism.” The religious humanist gives lip service to the sovereignty of God, but they live their life as though everything depends upon their own personal efforts and achievements. It is a form of works righteousness that militates against God’s Sovereignty and Grace. The unfortunate end result is elevated levels of pride, hypocrisy, self-righteousness and a general attitude that boastfully wonders, “What would God do without me?” The Scriptures refer to people with this worldview as a "zealot." To the religious humanist, politics are more powerful than prayer. As proof of this political mindset at Focus, one need look no farther than the recent National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) debacle where James Dobson demanded the resignation of the newly elected NRB president, Wayne Pederson. What crime had Pederson committed? He had the audacity to say that the NRB was getting too political and that they needed to get back to their roots of preaching the Gospel. Dobson immediately started calling members of the NRB, to convince them that Pederson had "lost the ability to lead the NRB." Dobson also had his Public Policy Puppet, Tom Minney, fire off letters threatening to take all their marbles and go home, if the NRB didn't get rid of the political infidel, Pederson. This is the type of vicious behavior that we expect from politicians... not Believers. Another example of this type of compromise is the subject of this website: Focus on the Family has formed a political Alliance with the Mormon Church. The Alliance is called the World Congress of Families (WCOF) - www.worldcongress.org. It is a United Nations lobbying group started and funded by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), better known as the Mormon Church. FOF has actually been holding Planning Committee Meetings on their Colorado Springs campus with officials from the WCOF, BYU and other Mormon organizations! This Alliance flies in the face of clear Scriptural mandates to not form Alliances with the enemies of God. II Corinthians 6:14-17 says, “Do not be unequally yoked
together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness
with unrighteousness? And what communion has light with darkness? Further proof of this compromising attitude towards the Mormon Church was also exemplified on 2-27-03 when James Dobson spent the entire FOF radio program chatting with "one of his best friends," Orin Hatch. The program was entitled "Good News/Bad News," and featured Hatch, who is a Senator from Utah (and one of the most powerful and influential members of the Mormon Church). To hear the level of comradery and fellowship between these two men, you would have thought they were members of the same congregation! Talk about sleeping with the enemy! As you read the following documents, many other pertinent Scriptures will be quoted to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that this Alliance is not in accord with God’s Will or His Word. Remember, we are not advocating the abstinence of politics for Christians, just issuing a warning of the dangers of compromising the Gospel in the process. If you are going to do God’s Will, you must do it God’s Way. To attempt to do God’s Will your way is the epitome of pride. The end does not justify the means. The way you carry out your “ministry” is as important as the ministry itself. If I kill a man for his money, so I can give it to the poor, I negate the gift. If I seek to uphold Biblical morals, but disobey Biblical principals in the process I taint any and all achievements. God said, “To obey is better than sacrifice.” He was talking to King Saul, who had just performed a Biblical deed in an unbiblical way. God was trying to teach Saul (and all of Israel) that He is a particular God. He did not give us Ten Suggestions, He gave us Ten Commandments, to keep us on the right path. As our God and Father, He knows what is best for us. He does not give us commandments to rob us of so-called fun, but for our protection. He knows that forming Alliances with His enemies is dangerous and deadly, so He forbids it. Unfortunately, some in the church today feel that they are above the Law. Some ministries have become so rich and powerful, that their budget rivals that of some countries. FOF currently (2003) has an annual budget of almost $130 million! That is some serious money, folks. Sadly, this level of power and influence seems to have corrupted the leadership of Focus into thinking that they can violate God’s Word with reckless abandon. Our desire is that you will read this documentation in its entirety, then if you are moved with a sincere compassion for the continuance and safety of Focus on the Family... CALL THEM (719-531-3400) and politely express whatever God lays on your heart! Our prayer is to reach the leadership at FOF, in the hope that they would repent of this ungodly Alliance. Too many supporters of FOF are becoming more "Dobsonites" than they are Christians. James Dobson is just a man, and as a man, he is capable of error... let's hope that he is also capable of being humble enough to repent. (719-531-3400) Pray hard! I had been an employee at Focus on the Family for five years, when I first heard that Focus had formed an Alliance with the Mormon Church. I had spent the previous twelve years reaching out to those caught in the snare of Mormonism, so the news came as quite a shock. The Lord moved on me to write to Dr. Dobson and warn him of the dangers of this unbiblical Alliance. The following is that letter:
Freedom Quest Ministries 3-7-01 Dear Dr. Dobson, I trust that this letter finds you walking in the fullness of God’s calling on your life, and I wish you nothing but His Grace and Peace, through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is with an extremely heavy heart that I write you this letter, for it is not a letter of praise, but instead, a letter of warning. I say these things as a child of God, not as an employee. I love this ministry, and I look up to you as a Father figure (even though you don’t know me personally). I still believe in what we are doing here at Focus on the Family, but I fear that we have left our first love. To read the beautiful epistle to the Ephesians, one might find it difficult to grasp, that they, too, left their first love (Revelation 2:4). Please do not dismiss this charge, off hand. Jim Bakker and the PTL staff also did not heed the many warnings and thousands of innocent people were wounded… some still bear the scars. Do you think that PTL thought that they would fall from within? Of course not. Doctor Dobson, you even predicted that if we do fall… it will be from within. Let’s hope that is not a self-fulfilling prophecy! Evidence of our compromise (and Judgement) abounds. In the last few weeks, Focus on the Family has had two cultic groups come in and lead worship (Oneness Pentecostal and Seventh Day Adventist). Two key people have fallen into sin (John Paulk {already “restored”} and Mike Trout). And the treatment of your son, Ryan’s divorce has gone to the extreme to where I was told by Andrea (Internal Services) that she was fired in January for simply discussing the issue. Further proof of our faltering perspective was announced in a DMG meeting in February. It was revealed that Focus on the Family will officially be working with the LDS/Mormon Church in the future, on political issues. We are even scheduled to host an event where the LDS/Muslims/Catholics are invited guests! The Muslims are the leading murderers of Christians in Sudan, India, and around the world! This alliance is so blatantly unwise and unscriptural that I scarce can take it in. As you may know, I have dedicated my life to reaching the LDS with the TRUE Jesus Christ and the TRUE Gospel. I know them… I know how they think and how they operate. Their leaders are deceived and are deceivers. Focus is out of its league when it comes to dealing with the deceptive practices of the LDS. They are like the scheming Gibeonites in chapter nine of Joshua. Focus is making an alliance against God’s will. God has warned us, over and over, to not fellowship with darkness! Focus has no clue as to why the LDS church is fighting homosexuality. It is because if homosexuality is ever legalized, then polygamy will follow closely in its footsteps. This would be the biggest PR disaster in LDS history! The official position of the LDS church is that they do not practice polygamy for one reason, and one reason only: IT IS ILLEGAL! If it became legal, they would then have to practice it again (or have another embarrassing “revelation”)! The LDS church will chew you up, and spit you out. They will use you as long as they can get something out of it. Initially, they will use you to not only fight homosexuality, but also to lend them credibility. They want to be seen as “just another Christian denomination.” This will empower them to proselytize weak and ignorant sheep… and knowingly or not, Focus seems willing to help them in their ravenous plot. The LDS teach some of the most bizarre and blasphemous doctrines that one could ever imagine. These are some of their official pillars: A) God is just an exalted man! (“As man is, God once was... As God is, man may become”) B) God had sex with the Virgin Mary to “sire” His one and only Son in the flesh! (Mormon Doctrine, Pg. 546-547) C) There are many Gods! (History of the Church, Vol. 6, Pg. 305-306) D) Jesus killed people by the thousands! (III Nephi 9:1-15) E) Black skin is a curse from God! (II Nephi 5:21) F) Salvation by works! (Article of Faith #3) G) Baptism for the dead! (Doctrine and Covenants, 124:28-36) H) All other churches are of the Devil! (I Nephi 14:10) I) God said: All other churches' beliefs are an abomination
to Him! (Pearl of Great Price / I hope that you understand that these teachings are a stench in the nostrils of our Creator. Focus is acting like politics are more important than Truth. The Campaign for Righteousness says that our #1 mission is to introduce people to Christ. In the past, the ministry has refused to reach out to the cults for “fear of offending them.” Now we are going to endorse them? If we can do a broadcast on Messianic Judaism, we can do a program designed to reach those trapped in the snare of the cults. Jesus said to leave the 99 safe sheep, and go after the one that has fallen into the pit. If the temporal (politics) has become more important that the eternal (Truth) then why not change the name of our mission statement to the “Campaign for Republicans,” it would be more accurate. I understand that we are also working with Catholic groups. As a Protestant, I “protest” some of their doctrines, but the LDS and Catholics are apples and oranges! The LDS have NO ORTHODOX THEOLOGY! NONE! What good is it if we gain the whole world but lose our soul? What good is it if we save a marriage, but the family goes to hell? Are we here to win souls… or win elections? God’s Word is clear: II John 1:8-11, says, "Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. (9) Anyone that goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. (10) If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting. (11) for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds." I Corinthians 15:33, says, “Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals.'' II Corinthians 6:14-17, says, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? (15) Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? (16) Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) "Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,'' says the Lord. "and do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you.” Ephesians 5:11, says, “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them.” The Apostle Paul warned us about the LDS in Galatians 1:6, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; (7) which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. (8) But even if we, or an angel (Moroni?) from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have already preached to you, he is to be accursed!” PLEASE DON’T SKIP THROUGH THESE VERSES. GOD’S WORD IS THE LIGHT UNTO OUR PATH, NOT EARTHLY WISDOM OR POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY. I have heard a lot of people giving their opinion as to why this alliance is OK, but I haven’t heard anyone give any scriptural basis for the alliance. There is a reason for that… there is no scriptural basis! The analogy being used is: If a person was drowning and a Muslim and an atheist were trying to pull him out of the water with a rope, would you help. Well, the answer is no! If the person is drowning is sin, their rope won’t save him! The only rope that will save… is Jesus! I know you do not deny this. The Apostle Paul explicitly stated in I Corinthians 5:11, “But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone that calls himself a brother, if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler, not even to eat with such a one.” Can you imagine Peter, James, and John putting together a conference with the Nicolaitane, or the Gnostics… to fight the social scourge of idol worship? Dr. Dobson, I come not as Jonah, wishing that Focus does not repent. I want Focus to continue it’s good work. Although I don’t know you personally, I care about you as a brother in Christ! I also agree with the old saying that if you don’t stand for something… you will fall for anything, and we all appreciate the fact that Focus is willing to take a stand on political and moral issues. But I also believe the words of our Savior when He warned us not to build on sinking sand. The storm is coming, Dr. Dobson… but I believe that it is not too late to repent, and rebuild this house on The Rock! On today’s broadcast, you and the Focus board kept emphasizing the first half of Jabez’ prayer. “Expand my borders.” What about the second half? “Keep me from evil that I may do no harm.” If Focus forms an alliance with the LDS, that would be like a compulsive gambler praying, “Lord keep me from evil,” as he walks into a casino. That would be like John Paulk praying, “Lord keep me from evil,” as he walked into that gay bar. Many have said, “What a colossal lapse in judgment!” “Look how he hurt our credibility!” But the alliance with the LDS church, will make Paulk’s “mistake” look like the proverbial molehill, compared to Pikes Peak! Dr. Dobson, my brother, read the second half of that verse. Have no fellowship with the ENEMIES OF JESUS CHRIST, and you will “do no harm.” Disregard the second half of that verse, and the spiritual carnage will be as Armageddon. Be not deceived. God will not be mocked… we will reap what we sow. If Focus forms this alliance with the enemies of the Cross, we will reap the whirlwind. Did God tell you to align with the LDS? If He did not… why did you do it? If God is in this political agenda, you don't need to align yourself with His enemies. He doesn't need or want their help. If God is not in this... why are you? The world says there is strength in numbers… Believers say there is strength in GOD. Ask Gideon! We condemn liberal Republicans for welcoming homosexuals into the “Big Tent”… but this is far worse! They are compromising politics, but we are compromising the Gospel! “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: Shall we continue in sin… that Grace may abound? God forbid! You do NOT want to hear, “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.” (Daniel 5:25) In Jesus, Brian V. Cooper P.S. Dr. Dobson, even if you disagree with this letter, please
acknowledge it somehow that I may know that you actually received
it. Thank you. |