NC needs a Memorial for the Unborn

As some of you may know there is a National Memorial for the Unborn in Chattanooga Tennessee http://www.memorialfortheunborn.org .   And there are other memorial “gardens” or parks in other states. In fact there is a memorial garden in Boone, NC.  And some of our local churches create “seasonal” memorials, such as the grave-yard(s) to the unborn with the little white crosses. These are all wonderful…But we need something more permanent and something that will show the reality of what has been done-the murder of innocent babies. It could be a form of both repentence and healing for many people in our state.

I and others want there to be a Memorial to the Unborn in our state’s capital in Raleigh.  Most recent statistics (2005 data) shows that NC makes up approximately 2.5 percent of the national yearly average of 1.3 million —http://www.ncrtl.org/nc_reported_abortion_statistics_2005.pdf  In 2005 there were 32,335 abortions performed in NC. And abortion is the most commonly performed surgical procedure in the U.S.  Since 1973 when Roe v. Wade nationally legalized abortion on demand, there have been approximately 50 million abortions performed in the U.S. And it continues today to the tune of between 3,500-3,800 abortions performed daily in the U.S.

We are living in the midst of a National Holocaust and we, as North Carolinians, I believe should do something to remember these lost innocent lives and perhaps to prevent more deaths via abortion from happening.

I hope to write to our Governor, Congress-people, and Senators to petition them to create a Memorial to the Unborn in Raleigh. If you feel as I do, please write to me and give perhaps we can work together on this project. Just leave a comment on my blog. And I will get back to you asap.

If we can conceive it we can achieve it!

R U “Born-Again” or “Porn-Again”?

SAD!

The category of Life is one of the main categories on my blog. And Christian Life, specifically, is my focus as I am a Christian and am concerned about my walking uprightly with Christ.  The topic of pornography, specifically online pornography has become of great concern to me.

The statistics that I have found reveal that porn addiction is not just something that non-believers are dealing with . Here are some disturbing statistics from a good site called lightedcandle.org

A 1996 Promise Keepers survey at one of their stadium events revealed that over 50% of the men in attendance were involved with pornography within one week of attending the event.

51% of pastors say cyber-porn is a possible temptation. 37% say it is a current struggle (Christianity Today, Leadership Survey, 12/2001).

Over half of evangelical pastors admits viewing pornography last year.

Roger Charman of Focus on the Family’s Pastoral Ministries reports that approximately 20 percent of the calls received on their Pastoral Care Line are for help with issues such as pornography and compulsive sexual behavior.

In a 2000 Christianity Today survey, 33% of clergy admitted to having visited a sexually explicit Web site. Of those who had visited a porn site, 53% had visited such sites “a few times” in the past year, and 18% visit sexually explicit sites between a couple of times a month and more than once a week.

57% of pastors say that addiction to pornography is the most sexually damaging issue to their congregation
(Christians and Sex Leadership Journal Survey, March 2005).

So you can see just from these limited cited stats., Christians,we are clearly letting the flesh rule over our spirit. This is spiritual adultery and it is very grievous to God. This is gross sin.  I am not immune, I have, out of morbid curiosity viewed porn sites. It is horrible and the images are indeed difficult to erase from one’s mind. I do not view it habitually, I hate porn, it is ruining my marriage and the marriages of many others. The porn takes away all dignity from both men and women and reduces them to body parts or fantasy fetishes. It’s a LIE it is NOT REAL.

I understand that porn addiction is just like drug addiction. Once a person becomes ensnared by it, it becomes compulsive for them and they feel as if the MUST do it to get a release. Do they get a release? Yes they do, but only for a moment. Its like crack, it hits the neural receptors for dopamine in the brain and releases “feel good” chemicals called endorphins. But after the momentary bliss comes the weight of guilt and condemnation comes. That is unless one has become so hardened of heart through this sin that he or she no longer feels convicted, which is truly TRAGIC.

I wonder, Where is Christians FEAR OF GOD? I understand that many justify sin in their mind, hey we are all human and are sinful by nature. But if we claim to know Jesus, then we know He sees and knows all that we do. Will the porn addiction or other sin cause us to lose our salvation? Only God can judge that and I certainly hope not. However it makes us as Christians of no earthly good.  The sin robs us of our closeness with God and our worth. It causes people to lose their identity of who they are in Christ. It limits our ability to witness to a lost and dying world, and if we do, we will feel like hypocrites.  How sad! And how much to pay for sin’s temporary pleasure.

Because our God is long-suffering and merciful He does not always allow us to immediately reap the consequences of our sins. But remember That whatsoever a man soweth, that also shall he reap. In our little minds of living in the now and the moment we cannot see that down the road we are in for some severe reaping for what we do.  God does not hold sin unaccounted for. And even if we make it to Heaven, those deeds done in the flesh will be burned up like hay and stubble and the Bible says we shall suffer loss. I thank God too that it says Jesus will wipe away all of our tears.  But, personally, I want to bear fruit for God, not hay and trash and stubble.

But what about living a VICTORIOUS life now? Why are we going to let the world, the flesh, and the enemy of our souls, satan; have victory???  Christians need to talk about this stuff like I am doing here. Because these things, though now done in secret, are going to be exposed. God tells us we can be sure of that. So if men can confront men and women can confront women and we can hold one another accountable, I feel it would help tremendously.  Plus married couples need to get real with eachother also. There is only one life to live and if one is a Christ-follower, he or she knows that God hates divorce. But, this type of infidelity certainly has lead to many a Christian divorce!

Internet pornography is like spiritual AIDS. It is a killer, but unlike AIDS there is no pill to fix it. The only way is through confession and repentence and fear of God. God’s goodness leads us to repentence. Let us not take the goodness of God and step all over it. Can you imagine what we are doing to God? It is like spitting in His face. And we are not to tempt God, people.

Some simplistic suggestions: If you are too weak, put some protective software on your computer. Or don’t compute in private; only in front of your family or those who can hold you accountable. And if you have such a problem that you would go to any length to get your fix. Go for serious counseling and deliverance before satan destroys your life and soul completely. I know God wants all of His people to walk in the freedom that His son Jesus provided to us by dying a horrible and violent death on the cross at Calvary.

Let us not make the Blood of Jesus of no effect!

Let’s remember Calvary. Please!!!!!!