It is considered cool and cutting edge now, particularly among emerging church types, to mock those of us who stand in Christian opposition to child-killing and its political defenders. This blog entry mocks us for opposing Hillary Clinton as “evil incarnate”, etc. etc. I would say that anyone who can defend child-killing is inherently evil. Not unlike the cultures of the past that threw their children into the fiery arms of Molech and that offered their children up on altars to pagan deities, American women offer up their children on the altar of convenience. Hip new “Christ-followers” claim that there is some sort of neutral zone where you can not really support abortion, but not really oppose it either. Utter absurdity.

That’s exactly where Christians were in Nazi Germany when the killing of the Jews, the gypsies and the disabled began. “We don’t support it, certainly, but to portray our leaders as evil? How ridiculous!” Just as one German church simply turned up the church organ so the upright members wouldn’t have to hear the cries of the Jews on the trains on the nearby tracks as they headed for death camps, emergent church types crank up their music and look the other way. With the help of Christ-betrayers like Rick Warren, they sooth us that Hillary Clinton and her ilk really aren’t so bad after all. That’s because the emergent fans never faced the knife of an abortionist. That’s because their mothers let them live. I would say that not only are the abortionists and their political protectors evil, but all of those who fail to speak out against the practice of child-killing and the blood that flows from nearly 50 million American babies are also evil. And you can quote me on that.

Jesus warned of those who harm little ones in Matthew, Chapter 18.

“Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.”

P.S. Is abortion the only evil in America? Certainly not. But the right to life is fundamental to everything else. It is so foundational that our nation’s own founders wrote of it when they spoke of the rights granted by the Creator himself: “…that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” So emergents, don’t trot out that tired old canard that conservative Christians only care about abortion. Without the right to life, nothing else means anything. Just ask the nearly 50 million dead children who never saw the light of day, who never smelled a flower, who never hugged their daddies, who never touched their mothers’ faces. Just ask them.

According to one Saddleback AIDS enthusiast, some minds were probably changed about Hillary Clinton after hearing her speak at the church. “I saw a softer side of her that I hadn’t seen before,” Saddleback member Cindy Logan said. WorldnetDaily reports this morning.

I wonder if that’s the same soft side that has virulently defended the slaughter of preborn babies up to the ninth month? I wonder if Cindy Logan and Rick Warren’s disciples saw the same soft side of Hillary that defends a doctor’s right to crush the skulls of these babies, suck their brains out, and hurl their remains into a bucket? I wonder how soft Cindy would think Hillary is if her life was at the mercy of Planned Parenthood, America’s great killing machine—the same machine that endorsed Hillary in her run for Senate and Hillary’s husband twice? (The husband that repeatedly vetoed a ban on partial birth abortion.)

It is uniquely fitting that the people who have been discipled and trained by Rick Warren have embraced Jezebel. That’s because Rick Warren has proved, again and again, that he is no friend of God.

“Those that forsake the law, praise the wicked. But such as keep my law contend with them.”

–Proverbs 28:4

Don’t miss today’s column by Joseph Farah on Rick Warren’s less than gentle advice for those who oppose his Purpose Driven tyranny in churches. As Farah points out, it’s amazing how open to dialog Rick is with Muslims, but when Christians are involved in a disagreement, it’s an entirely different matter.

For those who have emailed asking about the inability to listen to archived Crosstalk shows, we are working on the problem and it should be resolved soon. Check back next week. We apologize for the delay.

Rev. Ken Silva at Apprising Ministries reports that Rick Warren has endorsed Dr. Ron Wolfson’s book, God’s To-Do List: 103 Ways to be an Angel and Do God’s Work on Earth.

“This book is built on a great premise: Figure out what God does and then do that with other people! Simple but profound. I loved this book!”

—Rick Warren, author, The Purpose-Driven Life

But wait a minute, wait a minute. This is the introduction to the book Rick Warren so gushingly endorses.

“What on earth are you here for? To do the tasks that God has for you…. You can call someone who is lonely. You can visit a friend who is sick. You can read a book to a child. You can comfort a mourner. You can volunteer your time. You can make a difference. You can give of your self—a self that is infused with godliness.”

—from the Introduction

But Rick, I thought we could not have self infused with godliness outside of Jesus Christ, because the Scriptures say that none seek after God, none are righteous, no not one? I thought you believed in Romans 3:23, and all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, that we humans could never be righteous without the righteous covering of our Savior’s atoning blood. Why would you allow these Jewish people to believe that they can be righteous outside of Christ by endorsing this book? I think one can authoritatively say that Rick Warren no longer believes that righteousness is through Christ alone. If he did, he wouldn’t love this book.

McLaren: This is, one of the huge problems is the traditional understanding of hell. Because if the cross is in line with Jesus’ teaching then—I won’t say, the only, and I certainly won’t say even the primary—but a primary meaning of the cross is that the kingdom of God doesn’t come like the kingdoms of the this world, by inflicting violence and coercing people. But that the kingdom of God comes through suffering and willing, voluntary sacrifice. But in an ironic way, the doctrine of hell basically says, no, that that’s not really true. That in the end, God gets His way through coercion and violence and intimidation and domination, just like every other kingdom does. The cross isn’t the center then. The cross is almost a distraction and false advertising for God.

Hansen: Oh, Brian, that was just so beautifully said. I was tempted to get on my soap box there and you know—Because as you and I know there are so many illustrations and examples that you could give that show why the tradition view of hell completely falls in the face of—It’s just antithetical to the cross. But the way you put it there, I love that. It’s false advertising. And here, Jesus is saying, turn the other cheek. Love your enemy. Forgive seven times seventy. Return violence with self-sacrificial love. But if we believe the traditional view of hell, it’s like, well, do that for a short amount of time. Because eventually, God’s going to get them.

McLaren: Yeah. And I heard one well-known Christian leader, who—I won’t mention his name, just to protect his reputation. Cause some people would use this against him. But I heard him say it like this: The traditional understanding says that God asks of us something that God is incapable of Himself. God asks us to forgive people. But God is incapable of forgiving. God can’t forgive unless He punishes somebody in place of the person He was going to forgive. God doesn’t say things to you—Forgive your wife, and then go kick the dog to vent your anger. God asks you to actually forgive

And there’s a certain sense that, a common understanding of the atonement presents a God who is incapable of forgiving. Unless He kicks somebody else.

Here’s the full interview. Hear the hiss.

I called Willow Creek today and spoke with someone named Lori. She refused to answer my questions regarding how Willow Creek could bring in a keynote speaker at the Shift Conference who doesn’t even believe there is a literal hell. As always, these churches have “statements” they want to email. It saves having to come up with a Scriptural response. Here’s Willow Creek’s justification for bringing in a heretic to speak to youth leaders, sent to me this morning. My responses are in bold.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS

The Shift conference is about innovation. (And we find the call to “innovation” where in the Bible?) This unique event is designed to stretch the minds and hearts of innovative thinkers and leaders in student ministries. (So stretching minds beyond the bounds of biblical orthodoxy is OK, because you’re at least stretching minds, right?)

To achieve this goal, we invite speakers who’ve made significant contributions in a particular arena related to youth ministry and culture. Most of these speakers are well-known individuals whose views on any number of subjects are widely available. (That’s exactly why we’re protesting, Mr. Hybels. We know McLaren’s heretical views are widely available. So why do you need a conference at your evangelical church to spread them further?) While we may not agree with all of their ideas, we strongly believe that their (sic) is much to learn from their expertise and experiences. Inviting experts in key fields has proved to provide powerful opportunities for growth and life change at our events. (That change is taking place at your church, Mr. Hybels, nobody will dispute. The question is always, “What kind of change?”)

For this year’s Shift Conference, we have invited Brian McLaren as our opening keynote speaker. Brian is a highly-acclaimed author (acclaimed by unrepentant homosexuals, theological liberals and and those who also deny the substitutionary atonement and the doctrine of hell…), pastor, and speaker, and has been called a “paradigm shifter” by TIME Magazine in their list of “25 Most Influential Evangelicals”. (Yes, but wasn’t Lucifer something of a “paradigm shifter” when he sponsored a rebellion in the heavens? The question is, Mr. Hybels, to what sort of paradigm are you wanting to shift? One where the doctrine of hell no longer matters?) McLaren has recently spoken at Willow Creek conferences and has always been thought provoking (Yes, but, Mr. Hybels, what thoughts does a heretic provoke in the mind of his hearers?) and well received. (What does it say that a man who denies that Jesus took the wrath of God the Father for our sins is “well-received” at Willow Creek?)

We are confident that Brian McLaren’s session—as well as those of Mark Yaconelli, Shane Claiborne, Dan Kimball, and Kara Powell—will stretch and challenge those of us who serve in student ministries and across the world to reach a shifting culture of students with the love of Jesus Christ. (Note to Hybels staff: McLaren’s heretical doctrines are not diluted by the inclusion of the above names. They have their own problems. Second note: How can you reach students with the love of Jesus Christ when your keynote speaker blasphemously says there is no such thing as a literal hell from which He saved us?)

I challenge Bill Hybels to come out from behind the pancake make-up for television, out from behind his scores of media and public relations specialists, away from his handlers and hair-dressers and circus acrobats and answer this like a man. There is no biblical justification for what you are doing, Mr. Hybels. None. By bringing someone like Brian McLaren to your church who denies the basic doctrines of God’s Word, including the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross, you are spitting in the face of Christ and making mockery of the deaths of the martyrs throughout history who died for those precious truths. Your statement does not contain even one attempt to use Scripture to justify what you are doing. That’s because there is no justification from God’s Word. That, friends, says it all.

I have been sent numerous links to the various stories regarding the supposed “repentance” of Willow Creek over its seeker methods. I will make this short and to the point. No pastor, truly repentant for his spiritual malpractice over the course of the last 30 years, would be bringing emerging heretic Brian McLaren to speak to his youth and youth leaders from around the country. Hybels claims that he wants to go forward, “rooted in Scripture” is fascinating, in that he’s bringing someone to address the young people of his church who accepts homosexuality, denies the doctrine of the penal substitutionary atonement of Christ, denies a literal hell, and calls hell and the cross “false advertising for God.” Willow Creek is bringing this fountainhead of theological and spiritual poison to teach the most vulnerable in the flock, the young people, at the April, 2008, “Everything Must Change” Conference. That’s some repentance, Mr. Hybels. Meanwhile, Hybels’ Circque de Soleil-style Christmas show is going great guns in South Barrington.

Jim Bublitz over at OldTruth.com is taking a live blogging break for a while, but his site has plenty to read. The top archived post on his site has something important to say about the new/old emerging social gospel of works, minus the Gospel. Jim writes,

I’ve been seeing ever-increasing numbers of postmodernists parroting the leaders of the Emerging Church Movement by calling for Christians to do more ‘good works’. Good works are of course, good, but when you hunt around on the blogs of these folks, you rarely find them talking about the importance of truth. They call for AIDS awareness, but mock ‘manmade’ systematic theology (as if it doesn’t derive from scripture). They are willing to join Habitat for Humanity, but not a verse-by-verse bible study. They sometimes seem to want the environment saved, more than the souls of their fellow man. You’ll hear them mention “loving God by serving man”, but there’s little talk about knowing the scriptures better, which by the way, would help them know how to serve God in ways that truly please Him. Today it’s common to hear the call to ’service’, but that being somehow independent of truth. And in fact, there is widespread skepticism that biblical truth can even be known. But in this quote, 19th century Princeton theologian BB Warfield reminds us that true religion (and subsequent good works) is born from the knowledge of truth. Like so many in his era and unlike the doubters of our day, Warfield understood that truth has been clearly communicated by God in ways that could be understood by mankind in all generations. …

Jim Bublitz then posts this excellent quote from Dr. Warfield. Amen and amen. For those who don’t know who B.B. Warfield was, he was a Princeton theologian who stood against the onslaught of higher criticism and theological liberalism that ravaged the seminaries and churches in the late 19th Century. His important book, The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible, was a stalwart defense of the Word of God when the “emerging” heretics of his day were on the offensive.

Forget the fragrance of Christ. Now there’s Virtue Perfume available. It, unlike your average department store brand, will lead you to a closer walk with God. “All fragrance elements” they promise, “are drawn from Biblical text.” Blasphemously, these people suggest that the perfume will remind you of the “Eternal…I AM”.  Frankly, I smell brimstone.

The power of the nanny government in the United States is getting stronger. The latest comes from the People’s Republic of Massachusetts where someone has proposed banning spanking. Here’s the story from ABC News.

I feel truly sorry for the young moms and dads today. Many of them are, in a word, clueless. Whether it’s a church service where the father of the family sits helplessly and passively by while his four-year-old disrupts the sermon for the entire church, or the doctor’s waiting room where a 2-year-old kicks and hits at his mother, or whether it’s a restaurant where an entire meal is ruined by the out-of-control savages at the next table, the results of lack of discipline of children is everywhere today. It goes a long way in explaining a culture where children are increasingly looked upon as a heavy burden that ought to be avoided altogether, if possible. When children are not disciplined and trained properly, they are heavy burdens that anyone would want to avoid.

It is sad that these mothers and fathers believe the lie that barbarian toddler behavior should be the expected norm. Toddlers are barbarians, but it has been given to parents to train them into civilized human beings. That’s what loving discipline is for. My husband and I used to get questions about how in the world we got our 18-month-old to sit through church (and I might add that this was without huge bags of toys, snacks, juice, etc.) Years ago, when I was a single parent with two preschoolers, I was also church organist. My little boys had nobody with whom they could sit in church on the front row, so I trained them to watch my face for cues. The sweet little fellows would sit there with minimal wiggling, and I would give them a smile as I sat at the organ. It didn’t take more than a slight frown to get them to stop any high jinks they might be considering. I would always give them lavish compliments on their good behavior.

Why did they obey me? Children have to know that disobedience is going to cost them, and that’s why I spanked. When little ones learn the parameters, they are happier themselves. They have boundaries that are clearly established. Further, they are not under the false notion that the world revolves around them and their whims and emotions. Moms and dads, fully in charge, are a relief to children. There is a calm about children raised in homes where there is discipline and child training that comes from knowing what is what. This old-fashioned philosophy, however, is nearly completely abandoned today. That’s why our culture looks like it does, and that’s one reason we have over a million people incarcerated in the United States. I would add that this is why our churches look like they do today, as well. Kids triumphant, kids in charge, kids as idols for their poor hapless parents who then are victimized by the monsters they have created.

Massachusetts will probably pass this idiotic legislation, and we will see the outrageous spectacle of Christian families being dragged into court as criminals. These brilliant legislators will then penalize the taxpayers for an even larger prison system to control a population that never ever learned in childhood the critical life lesson that disobedience costs. Massachusetts will have exactly the kind of state it deserves.

Joseph Farah, editor of WorldnetDaily, has responded to the open letter from evangelical big wigs like Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Leith Anderson, etc. to Mulims on finding common ground. I would like to publicly thank Joseph Farah for having the courage to respond. I have not heard of any response to the open letter that appeared in the New York Times by any of the conservative evangelical leaders like Alliance for Confessing Evangelicals, Al Mohler, etc. Are these organizations more than a website? Why does Al Mohler address political issues but refuse to address Rick Warren’s ongoing spiritual whoredom? When some of the biggest leaders in evangelicalism sign a document where the foundational belief is that Muslims and Christians worship the same God, shouldn’t that merit a response from somebody with a Bible in hand?

Berit Kjos has a sobering look at the the spiritual changes taking place in the world. We often look at the false teachers in the church without realizing the role such teachers play in a larger global shift in thinking. This important article gives some background to what is happening and shows where it is all heading.

On Monday I will be doing a somewhat unusual Crosstalk program. It is no secret that we’re living in a time of rank apostasy and false teaching. Things seem to be getting worse by the day all around us. But through all of this, God has His true Church, His bride who truly loves Him and looks for His appearing. I can’t think of anything more important right now than to encourage fellow believers to draw close to the Savior. Just as a child draws close to a parent when danger is close by, we need to walk as near our Lord as possible in these incredible times. There are spiritual attacks from the enemy on every hand, and the old evil foe rests not, day or not, to try to take our faith from us. But through this dark world, we have the hand of our Savior holding us tightly, leading us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

I will be reviewing a new biography tomorrow of Frances Ridley Havergal entitled, Ever, Always, All For Thee. This beautiful biography, written by Pamela D. Bugden, details the life of a woman whose love for Jesus had a vast impact on the world of her day. 128 years after her death, she being dead, yet speaks through her rich devotional writings and her hymns. Frances Ridley Havergal saw the compromise and complacency in her day. She also saw lack of commitment among those who professed to know Christ, and she exhorted believers to draw near to the Lord, to take time in His presence to get the strength needed to face the spiritual battles in their lives.

I believe the message of this dear sister in the Lord is extremely important today. We are not equal to the task of standing for Jesus in this dark hour if we haven’t spent time with Jesus Himself. Discernment websites will give you information, but they will not give you spiritual power in your life to live for the Lord in the midst of deception. Books against the emerging heresy, the growing New Spirituality, and all the other lies of the enemy are useful and needed tools, but they cannot apply spiritual armor to readers. Only time alone with the Lord and His Word can supply the strength we need for the battle.

Much prayer has gone into this program, and, amidst all the rebellion, it is my hope that it will result in a renewed seeking of the Lord for listeners, Then, when we are properly girded for the fight, we need to go out and contend for the faith, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (II Corinthians 10:5)

Join me for the Crosstalk program, Monday, November 26, at 2pm Central Time at our website or listen to the archive later. You can read a brief excerpt of Havergal’s here, on the incredible power of a moment, consecrated to Jesus Christ. I hope to post more of her writings on the All for Thee site in order to get some of her writings on the web. Her writings are nearly all out of print now, sadly, but I am engaged in a project that, Lord willing, will bring some of them back to the Christian public. You can pray for the Havergal Project.

Frances Ridley Havergal is author of numerous hymns including her famous consecration hymn, “Take My Life and Let It Be”, “Like a River Glorious”, “I am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus”, and this one!

Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King?
Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go?
By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!

Not for weight of glory, nor for crown and palm,
Enter we the army, raise the warrior psalm;
But for love that claimeth lives for whom He died:
He whom Jesus nameth must be on His side.
By Thy love constraining, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!

Jesus, Thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem,
But with Thine own life blood, for Thy diadem;
With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee,
Thou hast made us willing, Thou hast made us free.
By Thy grand redemption, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!

Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe,
But the King’s own army none can overthrow;
’Round His standard ranging, victory is secure,
For His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure.
Joyfully enlisting, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!

Chosen to be soldiers, in an alien land,
Chosen, called, and faithful, for our Captain’s band,
In the service royal, let us not grow cold;
Let us be right loyal, noble, true and bold.
Master, Thou wilt keep us, by Thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord’s side—Savior, always Thine!

Here is Joel Osteen on the cross and its significance. After you are done watching this man lie through his teeth about what the cross really means, please listen to Rev. David Wilkerson preach on the true meaning of the cross of Jesus Christ. We have two gospels being preached today—two crosses being held up before the American people. Take the old, blood-stained, rugged cross of our precious Savior, the cross on which the Lamb of God, in agony, paid for our filthy sins. Reject the velvet cross of Joel Osteen and all his false teacher friends, a cross they claim will lead to more money in your pocket and a more fulfilling life.

Throned upon the awful tree,
Lamb of God, Your grief I see.
Darkness veils Your anguished face;
None its lines of woe can trace.
None can tell what pangs unknown
Hold You silent and alone.

Silent through those three dread hours,
Wrestling with the evil powers,
Left alone with human sin,
Gloom around You and within,
Till the appointed time is nigh,
Til the Lamb of God may die.

Hark, that cry that peals aloud
Upward through the whelming cloud!
You, the Father’s only Son,
You, His own anointed One,
You are asking “can it be”
“Why have You forsaken Me?”

Lord, should fear and anguish roll,
Darkly o’er my sinful soul,
You, who once were thus bereft
That Your own might ne’er be left,
Teach me by that bitter cry
In the gloom to know You nigh.

Here is the full text of the letter published in the NewYork Times to Muslim leaders. Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Leith Anderson and company are leading the evangelical churches right the arms of the cosmic christ of the New Age.

A Slice alert today as the Christian Post reports this morning that Rick Warren, Leith Anderson, the head of the National Association of Evangelicals, Bill Hybels and other evangelicals have signed a document urging Muslims to “love God” together with them and to find peace between the two religions. This is where it has all been heading, folks. You’ve been warned for a long time now that this new spirituality is coming. Here’s a quote from the article:

Christian leaders urged for an interfaith dialogue that moves beyond “polite” ecumenical talks between selected leaders. Instead, leaders of both faiths should hold dialogues to build relations that will “reshape” the two communities to “genuinely reflect our common love for God and for one another,” the Christian letter stated.“Given the deep fissures in the relations between Christians and Muslims today, the task before us is daunting. And the stakes are great. The future of the world depends on our ability as Christians and Muslims to live together in peace,” the letter added. “If we fail to make every effort to make peace and come together in harmony you correctly remind us that ‘our eternal souls’ are at stake as well.

The letter’s main emphasis is the “absolutely central” commonality between both religions: love of God and love of neighbor.

Other signers of the letter include Miroslav Volf, founder and director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture; Dr. Martin Accad, academic dean of the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (Lebanon); Robert E. Cooley, president emeritus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; Harvey Cox, Hollis professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School; and Bill Hybels, founder and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church.

The letter includes an “apology” to the Muslims for various wrongs that Christians have done them.

In the Christian response, Muslims have been asked to forgive Christians for their past sins – such as the Crusades and excesses of the “war on terrors” – as taught by Jesus Christ who said to “First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out your neighbor’s eye” (Matthew 7:5).

This news story from the Christian Post underscores my post below on entertainment media in Christian homes. Most Christian parents today are more concerned about their children’s happiness than their holiness. When we make gods out of our children and slave away so they can have everything the world has, we destroy their souls. This article is timely as the orgy of holiday spending has begun afresh.

Over 12,000 fans screamed in ecstasy this last week as rocker Miley Cyrus, aka Hannah Montana, strutted her stuff on stage at the CenturyTel Center outside Shreveport, Louisiana. Most of the fans were little girls between the ages of 6-12. Outside the arena before the concert, thousands of little girls gathered in anticipation as speakers blared their favorite star’s biggest hits. Swinging their hips and mouthing the words to the hit, these girls could easily have been years older in their behavior and dress. One anxious fan, still missing her front teeth, lisped to a reporter how she was preparing to “go nuts” when she saw her beloved rock star. Huge earrings and eye shadow were the norm among these small girls. Their entire world had obviously been shaped and molded by the media-created sensation of Hannah Montana. As I watched the news video of the event, I was struck with sadness at what has become of the world of young girls today. The word “tragedy” comes to mind.

Faye Weldon wrote a column in London’s Times Online this week that describes the impact of the female rock group, the Spice Girls. Even mainstream media columnists are observing that something has gone terribly wrong with girlhood. Ten years ago, the Spice Girl hit, Wannabe, became the best-selling song recorded by females in recording history. Girls were finally unleashed to prove that they could be as vulgar, sexually predatory, and immoral as any of the guys. “Girl power” apparently meant you could toss newborn babies in dumpsters or give birth in toilets and walk away. Abortion on demand (particularly in the UK) is now viewed as a form of birth control. There has been a huge increase in sexually transmitted diseases as girls prove that guys aren’t the only ones who can initiate a “hook up.” Binge drinking and alcoholism is at an all time high among girls in the West, proving that females can drink themselves under the table, too. Looking at the countless ruined lives of young women today, it it should be evident that “girl power”, as expressed by the five vulgarian Spice Girls, was a bad idea. Actually, ten years after their peak stardom, the fast-aging five are hitting their Botox vials and preparing to leave their children behind for yet another world tour. There’s more money to be made off young girls.

The era when little girls were allowed a latency phase in which to grow up emotionally and physically is gone. Sexuality and its accompanying responsibility did not used to be a part of childhood. Those who sexualized children used to be called criminals. Now they are called pop stars. Today we have stupid mothers and fathers who push their little girls onto the latest consumer bandwagon designed by marketers to make money. Who cares what little girls are learning? Who cares what messages they are receiving about their worth? Not Mom and Dad who are online buying tickets for the latest kiddie rock concert.

There was once a world in which little girls played with tea sets and baby dolls. Barbie and her skanky entourage had not been invented yet. Baby buggies, doll clothes, jump ropes, roller skates, bicycles and good books were the stuff of girlhood. Being allowed to put some cake batter in one of my battered play cake pans and bake it was so exciting to me that I still remember it. That kind of girlhood was centered around my mother who spent her days at home raising her children. Eye shadow and face glitter and rock stars would have been the stuff of another planet to me. Why would I have wanted or needed that? I had Anne of Green Gables, A Little Princess, and Little House on the Prairie. I had my dolls and their clothes mom made on her sewing machine, and best of all, a sister who was more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Who needed more?

I grieve for the painted little girls of Sodom today. Their mothers and fathers have not protected them but have thrown them into the dangerous stream of popular culture. They will be destroyed by that stream—pulled under by the powerful currents of lust and greed and hedonism that wait beneath the glittering surface.

As Christian parents we must not allow the cultural icons of this world and its system into our homes. How many evangelical parents are completely unconcerned that their little daughters are feasting at the trough of the Disney Channel? For those who don’t know, Disney long ago ceased to be about Mickey Mouse. Hannah Montana and High School Musical and the like present a world without God. They are humanistic to the core, and they present a girlhood that is in direct opposition to God’s instructions for womanhood. As Christian women we are called to be modest, sober faced, unselfish, and to have a meek and quiet spirit. Our daughters need to seek to please Jesus alone and to turn their backs on the world’s value system. They cannot do that if what they learn about girlhood comes from the entertainment media. Parents will be held responsible by the Lord for the influences they allow and the examples they set in their homes. It is a very serious matter.

The world’s version of girlhood will only grow worse as Western culture slips farther and farther into corruption and decay. Christian girls must be cherished, protected and prepared for a world that is increasingly hostile to holiness. But in the darkness, a girlhood and womanhood, consecrated fully to Jesus Christ, will shine all the brighter.

This story regarding the Atlanta cult of the Paulk family demonstrates just how evil these personality driven megachurches can be behind the scenes. And while membership is down from 10,000, there are still 1500 who are willing to show up on Sunday to “worship.”