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-   -   HUMANISM {Pernicious Satanic Influence In The World Today} [PART #1] (https://av1611.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178)

George 04-08-2008 03:42 AM

HUMANISM {Pernicious Satanic Influence In The World Today} [PART #1]
 
HUMANISM {PERNICIOUS SATANIC INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD TODAY}

[PART #1]

We live in evil times and our culture is, without a doubt, one of the most corrupt and deceptive in the recorded history of mankind. The Bible describes the times we now live in by comparing them with two other particularly evil times:

Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of NOE, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise also as it was in the days of LOT; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.


An examination of the verses in the Bible regarding the spiritual, moral, and physical condition of the people living in those past times reveals an amazing and startling similarity to conditions in the world at this present time and the deplorable state of the vast majority of the people living on the earth today!

Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.


Genesis 13:13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Genesis 18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;


Wickedness, evil, and violence are nothing new in the world; they have been in existence on this earth since the fall of Adam and Eve. However, the Bible records two [2] specific times in man’s history when wickedness was exceedingly great; when evil abounded continually in the hearts of men and women; and when violence so filled the earth that God brought forth terrible judgment upon the earth and upon the people who committed all of the above sins.

In Noah’s time God flooded the whole earth with water and destroyed every living thing [with the exception of Noah and his family] that breathed upon the earth because of man’s terrible sinful state.

In the case of Sodom and Gomorrah God rained down fire and brimstone from heaven upon those wicked cities and the surrounding areas and killed every man, woman, and child in them [with the exception of Lot and his two daughters] because of the wicked and grievous sins of the people.

As for today - a comparison of just three (3) of the many popular areas of endeavor: (ENTERTAINMENT -TV, Movies, Radio, Magazines, etc. – The sad lack of character in the majority of the participants and perverse and corrupt content; SPORTS - The obnoxious character of many of the participants and the mean spirited manner in which the games are played; and SCHOOLS - The content of the curriculum and the lack of morals and character of the teachers and administrators) with the same institutions of the 1940’s and 1950’s will demonstrate an obvious and alarming decline in the spiritual and moral character in the people of these United States, to say nothing of the rest of the world.

The popular approval today of the common practice of fornication and the nearly unanimous opinion of adultery as being just an unimportant and harmless offense, is indicative of our spiritual and moral state. The general acceptance by more and more people of Sodomy and Lesbianism as an “acceptable alternative lifestyle” and the fact that anyone who objects to these sins or speaks out against them is now subject to ridicule, censure, and in many western nations – possible prosecution, punishment, or jail, clearly demonstrates that we are living in a very corrupt world.

The catalog of personal sins and offenses are too numerous to list here but the following roster is a representative sample of just a few: The rise in crime in general (murder, rape, assault, robbery, extortion, theft, fraud, embezzlement, etc., etc., etc.); the general acceptance of almost all forms of pornography; the dramatic increase in sex crimes against children; the increase in the use of drugs and alcohol; the increase in divorce; the perverting, corruption and abandonment of traditional marriage and the corresponding destruction of the family. All these sins clearly demonstrate that our present world abounds in wickedness and is only evil continually.

As to the earth being “filled with violence”, we live in one of the most violent countries in the world and in one of the most violent times in recorded history. Murder is commonplace and is being committed for petty reasons; violence in the government schools has risen dramatically; rape is often treated lightly in the so-called “criminal justice system”; the rape of minors and young children is on the increase; and people are assaulted daily for little or no reason. The list of offences could go on and on. However, the offenses listed above are only those which are being committed by individuals. The offenses committed by governments [states] in the last century have exceeded individual offenses by far.

The following quote demonstrates just how violent our present world really is:

“In practice, communism is nothing less than sheer barbarism that makes even the horrors of Naziism pale in comparison. Professor Rudolph J. Rummel of the University of Hawaii outlines that barbarism in his book "Death by Government," a comprehensive detailing of the roughly 170 million people murdered by their own governments during the 20th century. From 1917 to its collapse in 1991, the Soviet Union murdered about 62 million of its own people. During Mao Zedong's reign, 35,236,000, possibly more, Chinese citizens were murdered. By comparison, Hitler's Nazis managed to murder 21 million of its citizens and citizens in nations they conquered. Adding these numbers to the 60 million lives lost in war MAKES THE 20TH CENTURY MANKIND'S MOST BRUTAL ERA."
(Are academic elites communists? By Walter E. Williams - August 16, 2006)

Please keep in mind that the above quote is limited to just the Communist, Fascist, and Nazi atrocities. If we were to include the number of murders, rapes, tortures, and persecutions committed by Dictatorships (on the right & left) and Democracies (of all stripes) in Africa, Asia, and the Americas; and then add the atrocities committed by Muslim Nations throughout the continent of Africa, the Mid East, Asia Minor, Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines; and if we were to add to the list of offenses - the cruel enslavement of millions upon millions of people by all of the governments listed above; we can easily say that in the last century the true scope and volume of violence perpetrated by individuals and by governments upon the people of this earth is incalculable, and in regards to numbers – far exceeds any known time in the recorded history of mankind.

While many American women and abortionists are “free” to exterminate millions of unborn babies, it takes decades to execute a serial killer. While the foulest, most disgusting, dirty, filthy, obscene and truly offensive language is commonly in use throughout the public square, the Ten Commandments are prohibited from being displayed. While teachers are “free” to espouse practically any perverse idea or concept that may come into the heart and mind of degenerate individuals in the so-called “public” (i.e. government) schools, we are prohibited from quoting even one verse from the Bible or freely expressing our faith. While Christian parents overwhelmingly have a deep concern about the genuine welfare of their children, the so-called “family” courts, government social service agencies, and government schools are continually intruding into legitimate family issues and concerns and interfering with parents exercising their lawful (God-given) Constitutional rights.

But why go on with the litany of the obvious moral and spiritual corruption sweeping our country and the world? (And even more tragically – God’s churches) We have reached the point in the history of the world where conditions are such that it is “easy” to practice evil; as a matter of fact we are encouraged (by: the schools, the media, entertainment, etc.) to do so. At the same time it is getting much more difficult with each passing day to walk after the Lord God and to serve Him according to the truth; as a matter of fact we are either being discouraged (by: churches, schools, media, entertainment, etc.) from doing so, or are even being forbidden (by: churches, courts, schools, government agencies, etc.) to do so!

I have at least two more posts on the subject of Humanism. If you want to know what it's all about - look up the Humanist Manifestos I, II, & III on line and get it straight from the horses mouth. Humanists have never been "shy" about their "BELIEFS" and their "GOALS" - On the other hand, (sad to say), most people are completely ignorant of just how successful they have been in implementing them (primarily through "education" & "schooling").

Connie 04-08-2008 10:43 AM

Good post, George. We live in no doubt the most evil of all times and getting more evil as time goes on.

The following, The Origins of Political Correctness, by William Lind, is a political, not a Christian, analysis of how the world became so evil so fast since the 60s. http://www.academia.org/lectures/lind1.html

When I first found this essay it was a great relief to me to finally have a coherent explanation for the evils engulfing us, "political correctness" being the "liberation" of sin into the world like a flood, along with the strident anti-Americanism, starting on the university campuses. Some Christian studies of Postmodernism have also been of some help but Lind's essay explained a lot more for me. Of course there are many other trends of evil, but this one hits close to home for me because I was in Berkeley California in the sixties surrounded by this stuff. It made me worried and gloomy even then although I wasn't yet a Christian, because I didn't know its source or that it was all part of a particular worldview. Of course its true author is the devil himself, but it's also helpful to know, I think, that there are specific human sources of this stuff.

For these things judgment is coming. 9/11 was just a hint of it, and it should have been taken as a warning. Instead of repenting the nation said "God bless America" which was tantamount to blasphemy in the face of a warning of judgment. Very few preachers even got the message, very few saw the handwriting on the wall. Most were busy trying to assure their flocks that God doesn't do such things or that we can't know why He does if He does.

The current evils George has listed are plenty of reason for judgment, and ought to make us wonder why judgment hasn't fallen harder on us. But it's coming. I think the growing popularity of Islam in the nation and the world even as we learn more and more about its vile nature is God's judgment already. Muslims are wreaking havoc in Europe and getting in a position to do so in the US too. We aren't Israel but I think the blessings and cursings God promised Israel ought to be taken as a model for how God deals with nations in general, and being overrun by one's enemies is one of the curses for failure to obey His law. So is economic disaster. America started out with a strong Christian base. Judgment comes harder to those who have started out honoring God.

Biblically God's judgments await the "fullness of time" and the worst of our collective sins have only been accumulating on a massive national scale for a few decades at this point, even if their roots are farther back. Katrina was also judgment. Rising prices are the result of both those hits, and it's going to get worse, maybe all of a sudden.

Which will probably set the stage for the Antichrist who is surely waiting in the wings to come out and help the world find "peace" though there is no peace to the wicked.

Perhaps you disagree with my analysis. Just take it as one person's opinion then.

George 04-08-2008 07:58 PM

Re: Post #2

Double post - so sorry!

George 04-08-2008 08:00 PM

Re: Post #2

"Political correctness" stems from Humanism - it's just one of many wicked manifestations of it . Humanism is at the heart of all of these pernicious influences - every single one of them. Humanism is the religion; "godless belief system"; philosophy; i.e. the vehicle that that Satan has used, and is using, to control the world through his standard "mode of operation": FEAR - INTIMIDATION - COERCION & FORCE. This has been the way of the world from the beginning and Satan's only way also!

George 04-08-2008 08:53 PM

HUMANISM {Pernicious Satanic Influence In The World Today} [PART #2]
 
HUMANISM {PERNICIOUS SATANIC INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD TODAY}
[PART #2]


Throughout recorded history every State (government) that has ever been in existence has embraced and promulgated an “official” or “approved” Religion. Although [throughout history] some States may have tolerated, to some degree or another, some religions (other than the “official” religion), the fact is that most States, most of the time, have used the power of the State to persecute or destroy any religion other than the State (government) “approved” religion. ( i.e. Mohammedanism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Baalism, etc., etc. )

The disturbing fact is that in most of the world today people’s hearts are so deceived and their minds have become so blind and corrupt that they have surely embraced a religion without even knowing or acknowledging that it is a religion. That religion is called Humanism – from which many other State (government) “official” religions have emanated [Communism, Fascism, Nazism, Socialism, etc.].

Please note: Although these systems and those mentioned above) "seem" to be different from each other, they, along with Humanism all employ that exact same "methods" in order to "control" people: FEAR, INTIMIDATION, COERCION, & FORCE! And they all hate God; God's word; and God's people! (That's just too much of a "coincidence" to be "accidental". Who do you suppose is behind this amazing "cohesiveness" and agreement?)

Just as most of the countries that were in existence at the time of its founding, the United States had an “official” [undeclared] religion at it’s founding also - Judeo–Christian. However, unlike the other States (governments) it wasn’t an organized religion - it had no “official” headquarters or clergy.

In the Western world, as the various State (government) “official” religions (Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, etc.) have been changed, ignored, or abandoned, Humanism, in all its forms (Religious-Secular-Atheistic-Psychological) with one or more of its attendant Ism’s has filled the void left behind.

Through the influence of the schools (K-12 & college); the media (print, radio, & television); government agencies (local, state & federal); and the courts (local, state & federal); our culture [and as a consequence our Country] has been radically changed from one that was based on Judeo-Christian laws, precepts, and principles to one that is based on the subtle religion of Humanism. (Humanism has become the “official” [but undeclared] religion of the United States – Please check out the substitution of unreasonable, untested, and failed “Psychological solutions” in the present day Court systems [especially the so- called “Family” Court] in place of the tried, tested, and proven Laws [based on Judeo-Christian principles] that guided our country from its founding up to the turn of the twentieth century).

The religion of Humanism has succeeded in:

Searing the consciences of most people, in regards to good and evil.
Occupying the minds of most people with superficial things of this world.
Alienating most people’s hearts from God and God’s word.

By the evidence and testimony presented above it is quite evident that the world (people, institutions, & governments) is at war with God’s people, and that war is being waged on two (2) main fronts. In Communist, Fascist, (Dictatorships) and Islamist (Muslim) countries the war against God’s people is being prosecuted mainly in physical terms (murder, torture, physical persecution). In Democracies and Socialist countries the war is much more subtle – to the degree that most of today’s Christians aren’t even aware of it - (Economic, social, political & religious discrimination; intimidation; coercion; ridicule; and government harassment are some of the weapons used i.e. the fear of man). But it is still a war!

Humanism, along with all the other isms listed above (including Psychiatry & Psychology) is diametrically opposed to the Bible, the God of the Bible, God’s people, and everything that God’s people believe. A close examination of just 25 basic beliefs held by all true Bible believers (listed below) will demonstrate that Humanists do not believe or accept even one of these 25 basic Bible precepts and, if given the opportunity, they will not only vehemently deny every single one of them, but try to prevent others from believing in them also!

1. God (The Triune Godhead as presented in the Bible)

2. Satan (As an existing being – The father of evil)

3. Angels (As existing)

4. Devils (Demons & evil spirits as existing)

5. Creation (The Biblical account)

6. Man (As possessing three parts – a Body, a Soul, and a Spirit)

7. The Soul (As existing and being 1 part of the 3 parts of man)

8. The Spirit (As existing and being 1 part of the 3 parts of man)

9. Evil (As Existing - The Biblical concept of)

10. The Heart (As the seat of a person’s thoughts, imaginations, affections, will, etc.)

11. Sin (The Biblical Account of the fall – The sinful nature of all mankind.)

12. Redemption (All of mankind’s need for Salvation)

13. Signs, wonders, miracles (As recorded in the Bible)

14. World wide Flood (The Biblical Account)

15. Division of Mankind (Into three basic races: Shem, Ham, and Japeth)

16. Accountability (That individuals are responsible for their own actions – not society.)

17. Judgment (That a time will come when God is going to judge all of mankind.)

18. Heaven (As a place of Eternal Life with God)

19. Hell (As a place for Eternal Punishment.)

20. Hebrews – Jews – Israel (As being God’s earthly chosen people.)

21. Jesus Christ: (As being the bodily manifestation of the Godhead.)
(As being the fullness of the Godhead bodily.)
(As the Creator of the world and the universe.)
(As to his Incarnation – Miraculous Conception & Birth)
(As the Jews [Hebrew] Messiah.)
(As the one and only Saviour of mankind and the world.)
(As Rising from the dead.)
(As the Head of the Church – which is His body here on earth.)
(As the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.)

22. The Blood Atonement (That Jesus Christ’s Blood paid the price for sin – sins.)

23. Born Again (That a person needs to be born again in order to enter into the Kingdom of God.)

24. The Church (Christ’s Bride – The Pillar and Ground of the Truth.)

25. Marriage (God’s Institution – Between one man and one woman.)

How can nearly the whole world, regardless of their differing beliefs, be of one mind on these matters of belief and faith? There is a world wide conspiracy going on, but it's one that nearly the whole world is unaware of, because Satan is the author of it and he has blinded the minds those who have chosen to reject God and His Holy Scriptures.

Connie 04-09-2008 07:30 AM

I agree that political correctness is just a contemporary expression of the ongoing evil in the world, though it's had such a rapid and drastic effect in such a short time I personally wouldn't have considered "humanism" a sharp enough explanation. I don't even think "political correctness" is sharp enough to explain this complete sea change over just a few decades.

But in general I don't think you need a particular philosophy like "humanism" to explain the evil in the world or the being of one mind on the hatred of Christianity. Yes, certainly the devil directs aspects of it, but the corrupted fallen human nature is enough of an explanation all by itself. The flesh is "enmity to God." If God doesn't draw us to Him we'll just go on being more and more reprobate, and it's plain old human nature that in cahoots with the devil is always trying to overthrow God.

Quote:

Psalm 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

George 04-09-2008 05:29 PM

HUMANISM {Pernicious Satanic Iinfluence In The World Today} [PART #3]
 
HUMANISM {PERNICIOUS SATANIC INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD TODAY}
[PART #3]


Humanism is the main "DEVICE" that Satan has used as a means of influencing and persuading mankind - at least from the beginning of the Reformation. Along with the resurgence of Biblical Christianity and Evangelism came the "Renaissance" ("The humanistic revival of classical art, architecture, literature, and learning that originated in Italy in the 14th century and later spread throughout Europe." American Heritage Dictionary) and the "Enlightenment" ("the Enlightenment, a philosophical movement of the 18th century, characterized by belief in the power of human reason and by innovations in political, religious, and educational doctrine." American Heritage Dictionary) Satan always has a counterfeit "system" and "method" to God's Institution and Order (Plan)!

Humanism is the culmination and end result of six thousand (6,000) years of mankind’s various Religions & Philosophies; Societies, Cultures, & Governments; and “Science” & “Education”. Or to put it another way – Humanism is the Collective Wisdom of mankind (the Wisdom of the World) as opposed to the Wisdom of God (as found in the Scriptures).

Over the past 150 years Humanism has been enthusiastically embraced and is zealously propagated & promulgated by the some of most talented, intelligent, capable, and the very brightest men and women the world has to offer.

Humanism’s proponents are as bigoted and intolerant as today’s Muslim Clerics or the 12th and 13th century Roman Catholic Priests of the infamous Inquisition.

Humanism, like all the other World’s Religions, must use Fear, Intimidation, Coercion, and Force (“THE WAY” of the World!) to maintain power and influence. Humanism’s ultimate goal is to impose its will on all of mankind and make us conform to the World!

In Christian circles (churches, schools, various institutions & missions created to spread the “Gospel”), the pervasive influence of Humanism has created a very curious and specious kind of Christianity (absent The Truth, with an emphasis on Works, lacking True Spiritual Fruit, and without Spiritual Power), which in turn has produced Carnal Hybrid "Christians", many of which may not be genuine Christians at all! Only Almighty God knows for sure.
[Matthew 13:23, Galatians 3:29, 1Peter 1:23, 1John 3:9, 1Timothy 6:3-6]


SOME NOTES ON PSYCHIATRY & PSYCHOLOGY:
PSYCHIATRY & PSYCHOLOGY: In essence can only offer Carnal Solutions to many of mankind’s Spiritual Problems!

PSYCHIATRY & PSYCHOLOGY: Substitutes the Humanistic word - SICK for the Bible word - SIN! [Phobias for Fears, etc.]

PSYCHIATRY & PSYCHOLOGY: Is sophisticated, subtle, and seductive; clever, carnal, and coercive! [Who is like that?]

PSYCHIATRY’S & PSYCHOLOGY’S: Mode of Operation is Worldly – Based on fear, intimidation, coercion, and force! [Who uses these methods?]

PSYCHIATRY & PSYCHOLOGY: Gives the impression that those (clients, patients, victims) who are “treated” - “live happily ever after”.

PSYCHIATRY & PSYCHOLOGY: Is based on fanciful theories, fallacious suppositions, false assumptions, myths & mistaken beliefs. In essence it is artifactual, probabilistic, flawed, fallacious, speculative,, hypothetical, simplistic, fictional Humanist Philosophy.

According to the Bible, our (mankind’s) problems are NOT in our heads, or specifically in our brains (as Psychiatrists & Psychologists "believe"). Mankind needs a change of HEART, which always entails an act of our will – NOT to alter our brain by taking a PILL!

PSYCHIATRY & PSYCHOLOGY: (in whatever Form or Expression) in the church or any other so-called Christian institution amounts to Doctrinal Leaven, i.e. Heresy!

WHAT PSYCHIATRY-PSYCHOLOGY CAN DO:
OBSERVE – Human Behavior - mostly in a Clinical Setting.

PREDICT – Human Behavior -With a great deal of uncertainty [Example: Profiling - which is based on the study and observation of human behavior, and is only partially successful]

CONTROL – Human Behavior - through Lobotomies, Electric Shock Treatment, Drugs, and/or Suggestion (Psycho-Therapy). However again, with a tremendous amount of uncertainty, and only partial success, and depending almost completely on the patient’s (i.e. client’s) willingness to cooperate and not so much on the “Doctors” (psychiatrist’s\ psychologist’s) education, ability, talent, credentials, or choice of treatment”.

WHAT PSYCHIATRY-PSYCHOLOGY CAN NOT DO:
“WHY” – It is unable to tell us WHY! WHY do men do what they do? – The answer to WHY is found only in the Bible. The Bible unequivocally testifies that all men and women are born into this world with a Sinful Nature. According to the Scriptures all of our faculties are spiritually defective - Our Hearts are Deceitful, Wicked, and Mad [Jeremiah 17:9; Ecclesiastes 9:3]; our Minds are Wicked, Reprobate, Carnal, Defiled, and Corrupt [Proverbs 21:27; Romans 1:28; Romans 8:7; Titus 1:15; 2Corinthians 11:3; 1Timothy 6:5; 2Timothy 3:8]; and our Consciences are Seared, Defiled, and Evil [1Timothy 4:2; 1Corinthians 8:7; Titus 1:15; Hebrews 10:22].

No other book on earth testifies to the true nature of man as the Bible does. The Bible holds the only key to a true understanding of men and women, and WHY we do the things that we do – without excusing our behavior or dismissing personal responsibility.
[Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:]

God created only one man and then one woman from that man. We are Adam’s children, born in his image (sinful-imperfect-corrupt) and although mankind has a residue of the original creation, we must be born again in order to become true sons of God, and eventually regain the true image of God as Adam was originally created.

THE “FRUIT” OF PSYCHIATRY-PSYCHOLOGY = ALIENATION & DIVISION:

Psychiatry’s and Psychology’s main objective is to alienate people from relationships that occur “naturally” to create an “unnatural” pseudo-relationship (paid for by the client - of course!) between the patient (client) and “doctor”- resulting in the alienation of: children from their parents; husbands from their wives, or (more often) wives from their husbands; and friends and loved ones from each other - annulling natural affection for a substitute (paid) relationship.

“Coincidentally”, the Educational Institutions (Schools – Public i.e. read - Government, Private, & “Christian”; Colleges & Universities – Government, Private, & “Christian”) have succeeded in doing exactly the same thing!

With the introduction of Psychiatric\Psychological Concepts & Counseling in the church, God’s words are being replaced by “philosophy and vain deceit” ["Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Colossians 2:8], resulting in the alienation of God’s people from God!

Interestingly enough, today’s “Imperial Pastor” operates under the same modus operandi as psychiatrists and psychologists – by claiming to be the one and only “God-called and Spirit-filled head” of the local church (read: “trained expert”) able to “interpret” Scripture for the laity; by making the impudent attempt to replace the guidance of the Holy Spirit in God’s church; and by trying to displace the Lord Jesus Christ as THE ONE AND ONLY HEAD OF HIS CHURCH! Resulting in the alienation of God’s people from God!

If any man or woman (lost or saved) living today doesn’t think that Humanism is all that important; or that it’s not worth while looking into; or that it hasn’t affected them - they are kidding themselves and they will come under it’s pernicious influence (whether they know it, or admit it or not). The Apostle Paul once stated an obvious truth that was at least known by himself and the Corinthian Christians in his day:

[2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.]

This same truth is practically unknown amongst Christians today.

Humanism is Satan’s Grand and final Deception - the pernicious Leaven that has made its way into nearly all the world; which has corrupted every single principle and precept that God Almighty has revealed in His Holy Word. Sad to say this depraved and wicked influence (leaven) is corrupting God’s people and the churches at a faster pace and in a broader context than ever before.

The Humanist Manifesto’s I, II, & III reveal just exactly what the Humanists believe and How they intend to implement their “beliefs” and “impose” them on every single human being on this planet – ignore them at your peril, and at your children’s peril! It’s a “free country” (for a little longer) - you can choose to believe what I have presented here; or you can choose to ignore it – “ignorance is bliss”; but you won’t ever be able to say I haven’t “warned” you.

"Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard." Ecclesiastes 9:16

“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” Proverbs 18:13

"Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom." Psalms 51:6

Connie 04-09-2008 07:07 PM

Actually I agree with your whole overall statement, and it's very thorough and well done, though I never put all that under the one title Humanism before. It may be the most useful category, I have to think about that, but I certainly have no quarrel with your analysis itself. I guess I'm just more aware these days of the swiftness of the takeover of Cultural Marxism with its specific effect of redefining freedom to include outright sin, and even more aware of the New Age religions with their direct demonic influence that are swamping us, such as what Oprah Winfrey is doing this year in promoting three teachings that directly contradict the gospel of Christ, and really, also some directions in some of the churches, in the signs and wonders movement. Evil takes many channels it seems to me, but maybe Humanism is the main one or the best title for the whole collection.

timothy 04-10-2008 04:53 AM

Thanks for the information on this subject. I've checked out some parts of the humanist manifesto and printed out manifesto III (I and II takes some pages and time to read...) but so far it's easy to see that this is the one religion who aims to end all religion seems like, especially anythng to do with God and the Bible... In any case, thank you for inspring me to make humanism my area of study for the time being...

George 04-10-2008 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timothy (Post 3258)
Thanks for the information on this subject. I've checked out some parts of the humanist manifesto and printed out manifesto III (I and II takes some pages and time to read...) but so far it's easy to see that this is the one religion who aims to end all religion seems like, especially anythng to do with God and the Bible... In any case, thank you for inspring me to make humanism my area of study for the time being...

Your most welcome brother.

One of the purposes for God's servants is to edify the brethren:

2 Corinthians 12:19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Romans 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

One of my main purposes for joining this Forum is to edify the brethren and to be edified by them - not to debate or argue.

I praise God if He can use me in some small way to either point to Him or His Holy Word, or to warn of Satan and this corrupt world system.

All praise to Him!

George 04-12-2008 04:23 PM

Re: Influence of Humanism in the World today!

More evidence of Humanism's relentless march for domination (all underlines and bold are mine:)

Quote:

Source: AFTENPOSTEN - "News From Norway"

Church-state compromise wipes out 'official' religion

Many years of political debate have culminated in an agreement to make historic changes to Norway’s constitution (Grunnloven), weakening the relationship of church and state. (Photo: Vålerenga Church in Oslo/Carl Martin Norby)

One of the most controversial issues has been a statement in the constitution (paragraph 2) that names the Evangelical Lutheran faith as the official state religion.

As a part of the compromise announced Thursday, the seven political parties in the national parliament (Stortinget) have agreed to change the religion specification to read: "The basic values of our nation shall be our Christian and humanistic heritage."

However, in another paragraph of the constitution, The Norwegian Lutheran Church will be named as a "folk church".

It will also continue to state that the King confesses to the Evangelical Lutheran faith.

It will also continue to state that the King confesses to the Evangelical Lutheran faith.

In addition, the compromise grants the Church the right to appoint bishops and deans, although they will still be state employees. (In the current selection process, the Church submits candidates to the government, which makes the final decision.)

The compromise also includes provisions for the Church of Norway to carry out a "democratic reform" to give church members more influence in church matters.The constitutional changes require a two-third majority in Parliament and are expected to pass in 2012.
I am not now, nor have I ever been in favor of a "church-state" setup but it still is interesting that "changes" are taking place throughout the Western World - All in favor of "Humanism" and unfavorable towards Christianity! The Christian faith spread from Germany (Martin Luther) to most of western Europe, Scandinavia, and Finland (Late 1500's - 1600's). For close to 300 years Christianity had a strong influence on the peoples of those countries; in the last 100 years Humanism has been replacing the values of those people and ultimately their faith also.

This unfavorable climate towards Christians and Christianity in general is strongest in those countries where Humanism is more deeply entrenched. All of western Europe, Sweden, Norway, and Finland - very strong opposition; Great Britain, Canada, and Australia - not as strong but growing stronger every day; and the U.S.A. beginning to take hold - look to see more opposition as time goes by.

Connie 04-12-2008 08:44 PM

I'd just like to add that as humanism has been progressively wiping out Christianity, the pagan religions that Christianity had originally supplanted have been returning. Secular (materialist) humanism rejects all supernaturalism (see the first paragraph of Humanist Manifesto III), so it rejects any sort of spirit world, but its success in elevating man to his own god now allows for demonic influence in a pernicious form fit for the advent of the Antichrist himself. Just as Norway is embracing humanism more overtly, so it is also no longer "intolerant" of witchcraft as "backward" Christianity always was. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6248470.stm Same thing is happening here too.

George 04-14-2008 09:13 PM

Re: Influence of Humanism in the World today!
 
Re: Influence of Humanism in the World today!

The "Socratic Method": {Humanistic Influence Within the Educational Institutions of the Western World - K-12; Higher Education; Lost & Saved}


The following describes the Pagan Philosophical methods that are employed in "teaching" almost all children in the Western World today:

“Socratic Method” {Humanist Model for Teaching}

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Cite This Source

Elenchus redirects here. For the brachiopod genus, see Elenchus (brachiopod).

Socratic Method (or Method of Elenchus or Socratic Debate) is a dialectic method of inquiry, largely applied to the examination of key moral concepts and first described by Plato in the Socratic Dialogues. For this, Socrates is customarily regarded as the father of Western ethics or moral philosophy.

It is a form of philosophical inquiry. It typically involves two speakers at any one time, with one leading the discussion and the other agreeing to certain assumptions put forward for his acceptance or rejection. The method is credited to Socrates, who began to engage in such discussions with his fellow Athenians after a visit to the Oracle of Delphi. The Oracle of Delphi confirmed Socrates to be the wisest man in Athens. Socrates interpreted this as a paradox, and began utilizing the Socratic method in order to get his conundrum answered. Diogenes Laertius, however, wrote that Protagoras invented the “Socratic” method.

The practice involves asking a series of questions surrounding a central issue, and answering questions of the others involved. Generally, this involves the defense of one point of view against another and is oppositional. The best way to 'win' is to make the opponent contradict themselves in some way that proves the inquirer's own point.

Plato famously formalized the Socratic Elenctic style in prose — presenting Socrates as the curious questioner of some prominent Athenian interlocutor — in some of his early dialogues, such as Euthyphro or Ion, and the method is most commonly found within the so-called "Socratic dialogues", which generally portray Socrates engaging in the method and questioning his fellow citizens about moral and epistemological issues.
The term Socratic Questioning is used to describe a kind of questioning in which an original question is responded to as though it were an answer. This in turn forces the first questioner to reformulate a new question in light of the progress of the discourse.

Method

Elenkhos (Greek: ἔλεγχος, a cross-examination for the purpose of refutation), more usually spelled 'elenchus', is the central technique of the Socratic Method. "If you ask a question or series of questions in which your prospect can readily agree, then ask a concluding question based on those agreements, you will receive a desirable response".

In Plato's early dialogues, the elenchos is the technique Socrates uses to investigate, for example, the nature or definition of ethical concepts such as justice or virtue. According to one general characterization (Vlastos, 1983), it has the following steps:

1. Socrates' interlocutor asserts a thesis, for example 'Courage is endurance of the soul', which Socrates considers false and targets for refutation.
2. Socrates secures his interlocutor's agreement to further premises, for example 'Courage is a fine thing' and 'Ignorant endurance is not a fine thing'.
3. Socrates then argues, and the interlocutor agrees, that these further premises imply the contrary of the original thesis, in this case it leads to: 'courage is not endurance of the soul'.
4. Socrates then claims that he has shown that his interlocutor's thesis is false and that its contrary is true.

One elenctic examination can lead to a new, more refined, examination of the concept being considered; in this case it invites an examination of the claim: 'Courage is wise endurance of the soul'. Most Socratic inquiries consist of a series of elenchai and typically end in aporia.

Frede (1992) insists that step #4 above makes nonsense of the aporetic nature of the early dialogues. If any claim has shown to be true then it can not be the case that the interlocutors are in aporia, a state where they no longer know what to say about the subject under discussion.

The exact nature of the elenchos is subject to a great deal of debate, in particular concerning whether it is a positive method, leading to knowledge, or a negative method used solely to refute false claims to knowledge.

The Socratic Method is a negative method of hypotheses elimination, in that better hypotheses are found by steadily identifying and eliminating those which lead to contradictions. The method of Socrates is a search for the underlying hypotheses, assumptions, or axioms, which may subconsciously shape one's opinion, and to make them the subject of scrutiny, to determine their consistency with other beliefs. The basic form is a series of questions formulated as tests of logic and fact intended to help a person or group discover their beliefs about some topic, exploring the definitions or logoi (singular logos), seeking to characterize the general characteristics shared by various particular instances. To the extent to which this method is designed to bring out definitions implicit in the interlocutors' beliefs, or to help them further their understanding, it was called the method of maieutics. Aristotle attributed to Socrates the discovery of the method of definition and induction, which he regarded as the essence of the scientific method. Perhaps oddly, however, Aristotle also claimed that this method is not suitable for ethics.

Application

Socrates generally applied his method of examination to concepts that seem to lack any concrete definition; e.g., the key moral concepts at the time, the virtues of piety, wisdom, temperance, courage, and justice. Such an examination challenged the implicit moral beliefs of the interlocutors, bringing out inadequacies and inconsistencies in their beliefs, and usually resulting in puzzlement known as aporia. In view of such inadequacies, Socrates himself professed his ignorance, but others still claimed to have knowledge. Socrates believed that his awareness of his ignorance made him wiser than those who, though ignorant, still claimed knowledge. Although this belief seems paradoxical at first glance, it in fact allowed Socrates to discover his own errors where others might assume they were correct. This claim was known by the anecdote of the Delphic oracular pronouncement that Socrates was the wisest of all men. (Or, rather, that no man was wiser than Socrates.)

Socrates used this claim of wisdom as the basis of his moral exhortation. Accordingly, he claimed that the chief goodness consists in the caring of the soul concerned with moral truth and moral understanding, that "wealth does not bring goodness, but goodness brings wealth and every other blessing, both to the individual and to the state", and that "life without examination [dialogue] is not worth living". It is with this in mind that the Socratic Method is employed.

The motive for the modern usage of this method and Socrates' use are not necessarily equivalent. Socrates rarely used the method to actually develop consistent theories, instead using myth to explain them. The Parmenides shows Parmenides using the Socratic Method to point out the flaws in the Platonic theory of the Forms, as presented by Socrates; it is not the only dialogue in which theories normally expounded by Plato/Socrates are broken down through dialectic. Instead of arriving at answers, the method was used to break down the theories we hold, to go "beyond" the axioms and postulates we take for granted. Therefore, myth and the Socratic Method are not meant by Plato to be incompatible; they have different purposes, and are often described as the "left hand" and "right hand" paths to the good and wisdom.

Law school

The Socratic Method is widely used in contemporary legal education by many law schools in the United States. In a typical class setting, the professor asks a question and calls on a student who may or may not have volunteered an answer. The professor either then continues to ask the student questions or moves on to another student.

The employment of the Socratic Method has some uniform features but can also be heavily influenced by the temperament of the teacher. The method begins by calling on a student at random, and asking about a central argument put forth by one of the judges (typically on the side of the majority) in an assigned case. The first step is to ask the student to paraphrase the argument, in order to ensure that the student has read and has a basic understanding of the case. (Students who have not read the case, for whatever reason, must take the opportunity to "pass," which most professors allow as a matter of course a few times per term.) Assuming the student has read the case and can articulate the court's argument, the teacher then asks whether the student agrees with the argument. The teacher then typically plays Devil's advocate, trying to force the student to defend his or her position by rebutting arguments against it.

These subsequent questions can take a few forms. Sometimes they seek to challenge the assumptions upon which the student based the previous answer until it breaks. Further questions can also be designed to move a student toward greater specificity, either in understanding a rule of law or a particular case. The teacher may attempt to propose a hypothetical situation in which the student's assertion would seem to demand an exception. Finally professors use the Socratic method to allow students to come to legal principles on their own through carefully worded questions that spur a particular train of thought.

One hallmark of Socratic questioning is that typically there is more than one "correct" answer, and more often, no clear answer at all. The primary goal of the Socratic method in law schools is not to answer usually unanswerable questions, but to explore the contours of often difficult legal issues and to teach students the critical thinking skills they will need as lawyers. This is often done by altering the facts of a particular case to tease out how the result might be different. This method encourages students to go beyond memorizing the facts of a case and instead focus on application of legal rules to fungible fact patterns. As the assigned texts are typically case law, the Socratic method, if properly used, can display that judges' decisions are usually conscientiously made but are based on certain premises, belief, and conclusions that are the subject of legitimate argument.

Sometimes, the class ends with a quick discussion of doctrinal foundations (legal rules) to anchor the students in contemporary legal understanding of an issue. In other classes the class simply ends and students are forced to figure out for themselves the legal rules or principles that were at issue. For this method to work, the students are expected to be prepared for class in advance by reading the assigned materials (case opinions, notes, law review articles, etc.) and by familiarizing themselves with the general outlines of the subject matter.

Psychotherapy

The Socratic Method has been adapted for psychotherapy, most prominently in Classical Adlerian psychotherapy and Cognitive therapy. It can be used to clarify meaning, feeling, and consequences, as well as to gradually unfold insight, or explore alternative actions.

Training

The method is used by modern management training companies focusing on behaviour change, e.g. Krauthammer, Gustav Käser Training International, Dynargie. In this case the trainer acts as a facilitator who uses open questions to allow the participants to reflect on their way of thinking and behaviour, and then using closed questions to force them to make a decision towards a change in their thinking and/or behaviour. In sales communication training it is often referred to as the funnel concept. The open questions help to discover the needs of the client and the closed questions pin the client down and get to the 'Yes' to close the deal.

Lesson plan elements for teachers in classrooms

A skillful teacher can teach students to think for themselves using this method. This is the only classic method of teaching that was designed to create genuinely autonomous thinkers. There are some crucial lesson plan elements to this form of teaching:
• The teacher and student must agree on the topic of instruction.
• The student must agree to attempt to answer questions from the teacher.
• The teacher and student must be willing to accept any correctly-reasoned answer. That is, the reasoning process must be considered more important than pre-conceived facts or beliefs.
• The teacher's questions must expose errors in the students' reasoning or beliefs. That is, the teacher must reason more quickly and correctly than the student, and discover errors in the students' reasoning, and then formulate a question that the students cannot answer except by a correct reasoning process. To perform this service, the teacher must be very quick-thinking about the classic errors in reasoning.
• If the teacher makes an error of logic or fact, it is acceptable for a student to correct the teacher.

Since a discussion is not a dialogue, it is not a proper medium for the Socratic Method. However, it is helpful — if second best — if the teacher is able to lead a group of students in a discussion. This is not always possible in situations that require the teacher to evaluate students, but it is preferable pedagogically, because it encourages the students to reason rather than appeal to authority.

More loosely, one can label any process of thorough-going questioning in a dialogue as an instance of the Socratic Method.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
Socratic Method – noun
The use of questions, as employed by Socrates, to develop a latent idea, as in the mind of a pupil, or to elicit admissions, as from an opponent, tending to establish a proposition.

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Socratic Method - n.
A pedagogical technique in which a teacher does not give information directly but instead asks a series of questions, with the result that the student comes either to the desired knowledge by answering the questions or to a deeper awareness of the limits of knowledge.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
Socratic Method - noun
A method of teaching by question and answer; used by Socrates to elicit truths from his students.

When this "Method" is used in a "Christian" School; College; or Seminary, it will inevitably lead to the undermining of the "students" faith and a corresponding loss of reverence for God and His Holy Word. Eventually this method leads to APOSTASY! Re: The history of any and all Christian churches and schools in the Western world in the last 200 years.

George 04-18-2008 01:32 AM

Re: Influence of Humanism in the World today!
 
Re: Influence of Humanism in the World today!

CASUISTRY

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

NOUN:Inflected forms: pl. ca•sui•ist•ries

1. Specious or excessively subtle reasoning intended to rationalize or mislead.

2. The determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by
analyzing cases that illustrate general ethical rules.


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Casuistry (pronounced /ˈkæʒuːɨstri/) is an applied ethics term referring to case-based reasoning. Casuistry is used in juridical and ethical discussions of law and ethics, and often is a critique of principle-based reasoning.

For example, while a principle-based approach might claim that lying is always morally wrong, the casuist would argue that, depending upon the details of the case, lying might or might not be illegal or unethical. For instance, the casuist might conclude that a person is wrong to lie in legal testimony under oath, but might argue that lying actually is the best moral choice if the lie saves a life (Thomas Sanchez and others thus theorized a doctrine of mental reservation). For the casuist, the circumstances of a case are essential for evaluating the proper response.

Typically, casuistic reasoning begins with a clear-cut paradigmatic case (from paradigm, the Greek word παράδειγμα, paradeigma, "pattern" and "example", in turn derived from παραδεικνύναι paradeiknunai, "demonstrate"). In legal reasoning, for example, this might be a precedent case, such as pre-meditated murder. From it, the casuist would ask how closely the given case currently under consideration matches the paradigmatic case. Cases like the paradigmatic case ought to be treated like-wise; cases unlike the paradigm ought to be treated differently. Thus, a man is properly charged with pre-meditated murder if the circumstances surrounding his case closely resemble the exemplar pre-meditated murder case. The less a given case is like the paradigm, the weaker the justification is for treating that case like the paradigmatic case.

Western casuistry dates from Aristotle (384–322 B.C.), yet the zenith of casuistry was from A.D. 1550 to A.D. 1650, when the Jesuit religious order extensively used casuistry, particularly in practicing the private, Roman Catholic confessional. The term casuistry quickly became pejorative with Blaise Pascal's attack on the misuse of casuistry. In Provincial Letters (1656–7), he scolded the Jesuits for using casuistic reasoning in confession to placate wealthy Church donors, whilst punishing poor penitents. Pascal charged that aristocratic penitents could confess their sins one day, re-commit the sin the next day, generously donate the following day, then return to re-confess their sins and only receive the lightest punishment; Pascal's criticisms darkened casuistry's reputation. Since the seventeenth century, casuistry has been widely considered a degenerate form of reasoning. Critics of casuistry focus on its specious argumentation as intentionally misleading.

It was not until publication of The Abuse of Casuistry: A History of Moral Reasoning (1988), by Albert Jonsen and Stephen Toulmin, that a revival of casuistry occurred. They argue that the abuse of casuistry is the problem, not casuistry itself. Properly used, casuistry is powerful reasoning. Jonsen and Toulmin offer casuistry in dissolving the contradictory tenets of absolutism and relativism: “the form of reasoning constitutive of classical casuistry is rhetorical reasoning”. Moreover, Utilitarianism and Pragmatism commonly are identified as philosophies employing the rhetorical reasoning of casuistry.

Meanings

Casuistry is a method of case reasoning especially useful in treating cases that involve moral dilemmas. Casuistry is a branch of applied ethics. Casuistry is the basis of case law in common law. It is the standard form of reasoning applied in common law.

The casuist morality

Casuistry takes a relentlessly practical approach to morality. Rather than using theories as starting points, casuistry begins with an examination of cases. By drawing parallels between paradigms, so called "pure cases," and the case at hand, a casuist tries to determine a moral response appropriate to a particular case.

Casuistry has been described as "theory modest" (Arras, see below). One of the strengths of casuistry is that it does not begin with, nor does it overemphasize, theoretical issues. Casuistry does not require practitioners to agree about ethical theories or evaluations before making policy. Instead, they can agree that certain paradigms should be treated in certain ways, and then agree on the similarities, the so-called warrants between a paradigm and the case at hand.

Since most people, and most cultures, substantially agree about most pure ethical situations, casuistry often creates ethical arguments that can persuade people of different ethnic, religious and philosophical beliefs to treat particular cases in the same ways. For this reason, casuistry is widely considered to be the basis for the English common law and its derivatives.
Casuistry is prone to abuses wherever the analogies between cases are false.

Casuistry in early modern times

The casuistic method was popular among Catholic thinkers in the early modern period, and not only among the Jesuits, as it is commonly thought. Famous casuistic authors include Antonio Escobar y Mendoza's Summula casuum conscientiae (1627), which had enjoyed a great success, Thomas Sanchez, Vincenzo Filliucci (Jesuit and penitentiary at St Peter's), Antonino Diana, Paul Laymann (Theologia Moralis, 1625), John Azor (Institutiones Morales, 1600), Etienne Bauny, Louis Cellot, Valerius Reginaldus, Hermann Busembaum (d. 1668), etc.

One of the main theses of casuists was the necessity to adapt the rigorous morals of the Early Fathers of Christianity to modern morals, which led in some extreme cases to justify what Innocent XI later called "laxist moral" (i.e. justification of usury, homicide, regicide, lying through "mental reservation", adultery and loss of virginity before marriage, etc. — all due cases registered by Pascal in the Provincial Letters).

The progress of casuistry was interrupted towards the middle of the 17th century by the controversy which arose concerning the doctrine of probabilism, which stipulated that one could choose to follow a "probable opinion," that is, supported by a theologian or another, even if it contradicted a more probable opinion or a quotation from one of the Fathers of the Church. The controversy divided Catholic theologians into two camps, Rigorists and Laxists.

Casuistry was much mistrusted by early Protestant theologians, because it justified many of the abuses that they sought to reform. It was famously attacked by the Catholic and Jansenist philosopher Pascal, during the formulary controversy against the Jesuits, in his Provincial Letters as the use of rhetorics to justify moral laxity, which became identified by the public with Jesuitism; hence the everyday use of the term to mean complex and sophistic reasoning to justify moral laxity. By the middle of the 18th century, the name of "casuistry" became a synonym of moral laxity.

In 1679 Pope Innocent XI publicly condemned sixty-five of the more radical propositions (stricti mentalis), taken chiefly from the writings of Escobar, Suarez and other casuists as propositiones laxorum moralistarum and forbade anyone to teach them under penalty of excommunication. Despite this papal condemnation, both Catholicism and Protestantism permits the use of ambiguous and equivocal statements in specific circumstances .

Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (d. 1787), founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, then brought some attention back to casuistry by publishing again Hermann Busembaum's Medulla Theologiae Moralis, the last edition of it being published in 1785 and receiving the approbation of the Holy See in 1803. Busembaum's Medulla had been burnt in Toulouse in 1757 because of its justification of regicide, deemed particularly scandalous after Damiens' assassination attempt against Louis XV.

Casuists have often been mistrusted as too self-serving, and their reasoning thought too inaccessible. The reasoning is often inaccessible because successful casuistry requires a large amount of knowledge about paradigms, and how parallels can be drawn from those paradigms to real life situations. In modern times, there is a similar tremendous resentment against lawyers and law. Defenders of casuistry often point out that the problems are not so much with casuistry itself, but with the improper use of casuistry. That these problems manifest themselves so often however may make it appear to some that this form of reasoning is somewhat easier to misuse than it is to apply correctly.


Casuistry in modern times

In modern times, casuistry has successfully been applied to law, bioethics and business ethics, and its reputation is somewhat rehabilitated. G.E. Moore dealt with casuistry in chapter 1.4 of his Principia Ethica; he claimed that "the defects of casuistry are not defects of principle; no objection can be taken to its aim and object. It has failed only because it is far too difficult a subject to be treated adequately in our present state of knowledge." He also asserted, "Casuistry is the goal of ethical investigation. It cannot be safely attempted at the beginning of our studies, but only at the end."

A good reference, analysing the methodological structure of casuistic argument is The Abuse of Casuistry: A History of Moral Reasoning (1990), by Albert Jonsen and Stephen Toulmin (ISBN 0-520-06960-9).


George:
Quote:

Should you begin to wonder WHY you sometimes have such a difficult time dealing with someone (on this Forum or elsewhere); your problem may very well be that the person you are dealing with is steeped in Humanism; has been taught by the "Socratic Method"; and has adopted "Casuistic" thinking!

Due to the all of the above, America has become a nation of "SOPHISTS", who have no more interest in the "Truth"; the whole "Truth"; and nothing but the "Truth", than the most ignorant, bigoted, and racist pagan savage you could meet. :(

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source

soph·ist – noun

1. (often initial capital letter) Greek History.

a. any of a class of professional teachers in ancient Greece who gave instruction in various fields, as in general culture, rhetoric, politics, or disputation.

b. a person belonging to this class at a later period who, while professing to teach skill in reasoning, concerned himself with ingenuity and specious effectiveness rather than soundness of argument.

2. a person who reasons adroitly and speciously rather than soundly.

3. a philosopher.

Quote:

1535–45; < L sophista < Gk sophists sage, deriv. of sophízesthai]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Winman 04-09-2009 01:29 PM

Excellent articles George. I went over them briefly, I am going to have to spend more time on them.

Yes, we are living in a time of humanism. And the great motto of humanism is:

YES WE CAN!

Reminds me of the tower of Babel

Gen 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

Timotheus 04-14-2009 08:55 PM

Greetings, Brother George!

I just wanted to thank you for writing this, as it was very informative and edifying for myself. I also shared it with a few brethren in my fellowship who are also are thankful for the information. I just thought I would add a few highlights of the Humanist Manifesto just so people who might not have the time know exactly what it is they want to do.

This is from Humanist Manifesto I, and speaks of conforming to the world.

FIFTH: Humanism asserts that the nature of the universe depicted by modern science makes unacceptable any supernatural or cosmic guarantees of human values. Obviously humanism does not deny the possibility of realities as yet undiscovered, but it does insist that the way to determine the existence and value of any and all realities is by means of intelligent inquiry and by the assessment of their relations to human needs. Religion must formulate its hopes and plans in the light of the scientific spirit and method.

And this is from Humanist Manifesto II, and is truly saddening to me.

SECOND: Promises of immortal salvation or fear of eternal damnation are both illusory and harmful. They distract humans from present concerns, from self-actualization, and from rectifying social injustices. Modern science discredits such historic concepts as the "ghost in the machine" and the "separable soul." Rather, science affirms that the human species is an emergence from natural evolutionary forces. As far as we know, the total personality is a function of the biological organism transacting in a social and cultural context. There is no credible evidence that life survives the death of the body. We continue to exist in our progeny and in the way that our lives have influenced others in our culture.
Traditional religions are surely not the only obstacles to human progress. Other ideologies also impede human advance. Some forms of political doctrine, for instance, function religiously, reflecting the worst features of orthodoxy and authoritarianism, especially when they sacrifice individuals on the altar of Utopian promises. Purely economic and political viewpoints, whether capitalist or communist, often function as religious and ideological dogma. Although humans undoubtedly need economic and political goals, they also need creative values by which to live.

Here is a link to the website the above information was gotten if you are interested in reading all three of them in full.

http://contenderministries.org/humanism.php

Thank you again for taking the time to write all of this.

-In Christ
Timothy

Forrest 04-15-2009 01:31 PM

It appears to me that Satan introduced the "Self-religion" a long time ago.
Genesis 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
To me the bottom line is the departure from and total disdain for the absolute and final authority of God's perfect, preserved written word of truth...as contained in the King James Bible. Truth...to the "humanist" is subjective. To the lost "humanist," there are no absolutes. That's why the "humanist" labels the true Bible believer as a narrow minded, mean-spirited individual who refuses to show "tolerance" to false religion, false teaching, and false hope. In the meantime, we (who believe, follow, worship, and submit) to God's word through the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit are labeled as stubborn idiots who need to be locked up and never heard from again!!!

Unfortunately, this even reminds me of those who occasionally post on this Forum and debate the preservation of God's word in the King James Bible, asking:"...Yea, hath God said...?" (Genesis 3:1).

Brother George, personally, the one thing that troubles and burdens me the most by people who are rooted in the world system, is the rejection of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. All truth, understanding, wisdom, perception, insight, and life is in Christ.
Colossians 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
I'm willing to be a fool for Christ! :rapture:

peopleoftheway 04-15-2009 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forrest (Post 18207)
It appears to me that Satan introduced the "Self-religion" a long time ago.
Genesis 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
To me the bottom line is the departure from and total disdain for the absolute and final authority of God's perfect, preserved written word of truth...as contained in the King James Bible. Truth...to the "humanist" is subjective. To the lost "humanist," there are no absolutes. That's why the "humanist" labels the true Bible believer as a narrow minded, mean-spirited individual who refuses to show "tolerance" to false religion, false teaching, and false hope. In the meantime, we (who believe, follow, worship, and submit) to God's word through the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit are labeled as stubborn idiots who need to be locked up and never heard from again!!!

Unfortunately, this even reminds me of those who occasionally post on this Forum and debate the preservation of God's word in the King James Bible, asking:"...Yea, hath God said...?" (Genesis 3:1).

Brother George, personally, the one thing that troubles and burdens me the most by people who are rooted in the world system, is the rejection of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. All truth, understanding, wisdom, perception, insight, and life is in Christ.
Colossians 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
I'm willing to be a fool for Christ! :rapture:


Amen to that Brother
Isnt it also sad to see that many "Christians" rather than become humble and meek as Christ was, would rather pose themselves as "one who has authority", self exalting rather than lifting up the Lord Of Lords and The King Of Kings, the name above all names The LORD Jesus Christ.
Like you Brother I am willing to defend Gods Word, to shun Christian Rock and worldy apostate Christians and Churches, to be scorned at and hated for Christs sake because I seek and walk in the Truth. I too am willing to be a fool for Christ!

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
How powerful Brothers and Sisters do those WORDS ring in your ears!!
:amen:

Great studies by Brother George, edifying to the Body Of Christ, I have these printed out from his site, great stuff.

Forrest 04-15-2009 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peopleoftheway (Post 18209)
John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

How powerful Brothers and Sisters do those WORDS ring in your ears!!
:amen:

Greetings, brother Steve. Pretty plain, isn't it? Being identified as the friend of Jesus Christ will brand you as an enemy of the world.
John 15:18-19 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Although Jesus is specifically speaking to the eleven remaining Disciples, we too are grafted into the True Vine by faith. We should keep in mind that in this verse He is not addressing every person who professes to have some form of religion...like humanists; He is specifically speaking to those who have received and proclaim Him as Lord and Saviour. Persecution, whether verbal or physical, is one of the clearest marks of our true discipleship. It’s no mystery that the world hates Jesus. And it is no surprise that if we specifically proclaim Jesus, we too will be hated.

Perhaps, if we avoid persecution, it's because we are not proclaiming Jesus Christ.


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