The Native American Worship War
The debate over drums in church runs deeper for indigenous Christians.
More than 20 years ago, Mohawk musician Jonathan Maracle says, God told him to use his drum—an instrument used in traditional religious ceremonies—while playing at a con…
ICE Deports Christian Who Fled Persecution Back to Indonesia
Man who sought asylum in New Jersey church caught up in 100-day surge in non-criminal arrests.
Four years ago, eight Indonesian Christians living in New Jersey received some encouraging news: despite overstaying their visas for more than a decade, Immi…
ICE Deports Christian Who Fled Persecution Back to Indonesia
Man who sought asylum in New Jersey church caught up in 100-day surge in non-criminal arrests.
Four years ago, eight Indonesian Christians living in a New Jersey church received some encouraging news: despite overstaying their visas for more than a decade, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents would not be deporting them.
This year, ICE changed its mind.
Four of the men attended an annual check-in meeting with ICE officials in Newark in March, and authorities asked them to return with their passports in May. But when the men returned last week, this time joined by a lawyer, they were arrested and sent to an immigration detention center.
Yesterday, one was deported back to Indonesia.
“His attorney got a call at 10 a.m. that his stay of removal was denied,” stated Seth Kaper-Dale, Arino Massie’s pastor.
Almost two hours later, Kaper-Dale heard from Massie. “Arino called to say, ‘Pastor, I’m already on the plane. I’m headed for Japan. Thanks for all the efforts of the community. Tell the community I love them. Tell my son I love him,’” Kaper-Dale told about three dozen people gathered for a rally Thursday.
Massie and the three other men, who are still being held, are part of a 40-percent surge in ICE arrests in the first 100 days of the Trump administration. This includes 100 arrests a day of undocumented immigrants with no criminal record.
The same day the Indonesian men were arrested, the first Christian governor of Jakarta was jailed for blasphemy, just weeks after losing a gubernatorial reelection bid. The world’s most populous Muslim country was visited last month by Vice President Mike Pence, who praised its “tradition of modern Islam.”
But Indonesia’s reputation as a moderate country is not as accurate as it once was. CT reported in …
Many Practicing Christians Agree with Marxism (and Other Competing Worldviews)
Barna also examines the influence of postmodernism, secularism, and ‘new spirituality’ in the pews.
They identify as Christians, attend church at least once a month, and say their faith is very important in their lives. Barna Group calls them “practicing Christians.”
But according to a new report by Barna and Summit Ministries, in addition to their Christian beliefs, many practicing Christians have embraced beliefs from other ideologies.
Among these practicing Christians, Barna claims:
- 61% agree with ideas rooted in New Spirituality.
- 54% resonate with postmodernist views.
- 36% accept ideas associated with Marxism.
- 29% believe ideas based on secularism.
New Spirituality
Nearly 1 in 3 practicing Christians strongly agree that “if you do good, you will receive good, and if you do bad, you will receive bad.” Barna suggested that these beliefs appealed “to many Christians’ sense of ultimate justice.”
“Another Barna study found that 52 percent of practicing Christians strongly agree that the Bible teaches ‘God helps those who help themselves,’” the report stated.
Secularism
While most “practicing Christians resist scientism and a Darwinian belief … a larger contingent of practicing Christians are more inclined toward materialism,” Barna stated. The report found that 1 in 5 practicing Christians believe that “meaning and purpose comes from working hard to earn as much as possible so you can make the most of life.”
Postmodernism
While most practicing Christians reject postmodernism’s claims about subjective truth, 1 in 5 practicing Christians strongly agree that “no one can know for certain what meaning and purpose there is to life.” A similar number (23%) of practicing Christians strongly agree that “what is morally right …
Many Practicing Christians Agree with Marxism (and Other Competing Worldviews)
Barna also examines the influence of postmodernism, secularism, and ‘new spirituality’ in the pews.
They identify as Christians, attend church at least once a month, and say their faith is very important in their lives. Barna Group calls them “practicing Christians.”
But according to a new report by Barna and Summit Ministries, in addition to their Christian beliefs, many practicing Christians have embraced beliefs from other ideologies.
Among these practicing Christians, Barna claims:
- 61% agree with ideas rooted in New Spirituality.
- 54% resonate with postmodernist views.
- 36% accept ideas associated with Marxism.
- 29% believe ideas based on secularism.
Nearly one third of practicing Christians (32%) strongly agree that “if you do good, you will receive good, and if you do bad, you will receive bad.”
Barna suggested that these beliefs appealed “to many Christians’ sense of ultimate justice.”
“Another Barna study found that 52 percent of practicing Christians strongly agree that the Bible teaches ‘God helps those who help themselves,’” the report stated.
While most “practicing Christians resist scientism and a Darwinian belief…a larger contingent of practicing Christians are more inclined toward materialism,” stated Barna. One in five (20%) practicing Christians believe that “meaning and purpose comes from working hard to earn as much as possible so you can make the most of life,” stated the report.
While most practicing Christians reject postmodernism’s claims about subjective truth, about 1 in 5 (19%) practicing Christians strongly agree that “no one can know for certain what meaning and purpose there is to life.” A similar number (23%) of practicing Christians strongly agree that “what is morally right or wrong depends …
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