This was printed in the ELCA's Metro D.C. Synod's EVENTS DIGEST
May 17, 2018
May 17, 2018
See here.
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If you had any doubt if the ELCA has taken a side on the homosexuality debate look what the official twitter page of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America retweeted. A tweet about a LGBT organization, the pushes for acceptance and approval of the homosexuality, etc., http://www.opendoorelca.org/2018/01/18/reconciling-in-christ-sunday-is-on-january-28th-2018/  Today I received this comment from an ELCA pastor:  Here was my reply:
Hi (....), Thanks for the concern. It concerns me deeply that a person would be part of an apostate denomination that encourages sin, teaches contrary to Scripture, advocates hatefully against the Jewish State, supports abortions and pays for them in their health care plan, pushes universalism, does not preach personal repentance, doesn't evangelize or make disciples of Christ, pushes liberal politics and views many accounts in scripture as myth. It is a faith destroying denomination. A Christian should not be part of the ELCA. Dan Skogen What kind of pastor talks about drawing "upon the Holy Spirit and the Spirits" or writes about "Revolution" and uses the hashtag "#BurnItDown?" An Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pastor, of course. ELCA Rev. Kwame Pitts posted this on her Facebook page:  And just a few days ago ELCA pastor Pitts attended "The Mystic Soul Conference." Just another normal day in the life of a normal ELCA pastor.  ELCA pastor Lura Groen shared this vile post by Wil Gafney, former associate professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at the ELCA's Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP):  Exposing the ELCA, our sister website, is very familiar with both Lura Groen (see here) and Wil Gafney (see here). They are an embarrassment even by ELCA standards. UPDATE: I posted this on an ELCA clergy page and here are some responses:    A poster on an ELCA Clergy Facebook page asked for prayers regarding the attack on parishioners at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Here is a disturbing response by ELCA pastor Richard Rentner:  I imagine supporters of the 2nd amendment and NRA members who are also part of the ELCA will not look very favorably on this. If that is you please click here and then scroll to the bottom of the page to read more about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's view on guns and the 2nd amendment.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is bringing in Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber to speak at the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering.
Yes, Nadia Bolz-Weber is the famous ELCA pastor who:
- admits to being a universalist. - says the Wiccan goddess "never felt to me like a substitute for God but simply another aspect of the divine, like God's aunt or something." - called the 12 disciples "real f**k-ups." - said "nobody believes every line of the creed.” - doesn't believe in the substitutionary atonement of Christ. - said some of what Paul wrote in the Bible was "not necessarily the Word of God" but just his "snotty opinions." (see here for all the above points) - swears constantly. - supports Planned Parenthood. (see here) - presided over a re-naming liturgical rite for one of her transgender church members. (see here) - was the main writer of a document that said “WE DENY that sexual attraction for the same sex is outside the natural goodness of God’s original creation…” and “WE DENY that it is sinful to approve of queer identities and that such approval constitutes an essential departure from Christian faithfulness and witness.” (see here) - said "One of the more interesting things folks will say to me is: ‘I’m not religious or anything, I just hope that being a good person is enough.’ To which I always want to say… ‘enough for what?’ … avoiding the punishment of burning in the eternal fires of some kind of imaginary hell?” (see here) - signed the Naked and Unashamed statement, part of which said “We are ELCA Lutherans…The plethora of stories we hear in our conversations demonstrate that life and liberty are being oppressed in the pressure for church leaders to be in marital relationships, or otherwise abstain from all sexual intimacy. The common good of both parishioners and church leaders would benefit from the freedom to be in a variety of healthy relationships…” (see here) - had a drag queen MC Nadia's church Christmas pageant.
Here is how things went when Nadia Bolz-Weber spoke at the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering. Teenagers going to the ELCA Youth Gathering will be influenced not just by Nadia Bolz-Weber but by so many ELCA leaders who agree with Nadia. Do not send your children to the ELCA Youth Gathering. Doing so is putting your young people's Earthly and eternal lives in danger. (by way of their false teachings, world view and theology)
The 2nd Amendment, "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms" is a hot topic of debate, especially when a gun toting wacko or terrorists strike within our country. So it is today in the aftermath of the Las Vegas killing spree.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America advocates for laws that restrict gun ownership. (see here and scroll down toward the bottom of the page) For those ELCA members who hold the 2nd Amendment close, I'd like to share with you what the ELCA leadership has been saying the past week. Many have been on social media sharing a 2013 letter from the ELCA Conference of Bishops. It is very carefully worded but you can see though their intentions with this statement, “To focus only on guns is to miss the depth of our vocation. Yet, guns and access are keys to the challenges we face.” (see here) In contrast to the carefully worded and cloaked intentions of the 2013 letter some bishops are very clear on their feelings, making blatant statements about having new gun laws. For example:
Sierra Pacific Synod bishop, Mark W. Holmerud writes, “I hope we will use our voices to advocate for legislative initiatives which will finally stem access to weapons such as those used in this Massacre…” And,
“Let a last word be our voices calling for a change in gun and ammunition laws which makes these acts possible.” (see here) Then there is this from ELCA Southwest California Synod Bishop R. Guy Erwin: The Southwestern Washington Synod of the ELCA writes "Violence is in our nature and unregulated armament has become our national idolatry." See below: 
Last week Elizabeth Eaton, the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) took part in Augsburg University’s annual Christensen Symposium. The first half of the symposium was an "Address by Bishop Eaton" and the second half was "#DecolonizeLutheranism Community Panel with Bishop Eaton."
Giving credence to #DecolonizeLutheranism is a disappointing choice by the ELCA but even more ridiculous and shocking is whom Elizabeth Eaton is cavorting with on stage. They are some of the most extreme and radical ELCA leaders around.
Three of the five people on the panel with Presiding Bishop Eaton were:
Let me tell you more about them. * ELCA Rev. Lura Groen is someone Exposing the ELCA knows well. Pastor Groen is seeking to start a new worship community named “St. Jezebel's Church.” (see here) She is the pastor who wrote, "May the Mighty One dance Her fierce dance on all the walls of injustice. May the Strong, Proud Mama keep all Her babies safe. May the Femme of all Femmes paint us in beauty. May the Seductive One change our hearts. May the Love of the Universe wiggle Her wide hips at you, and wrap Her thighs around you. May the Promiscuous One make love to you, And may She rock your world." (see here) She also wrote "a Liturgical Proclamation of Queer Holiness." (see here) * Jessica Davis is a signer of the "Naked & Unashamed Statement" which said such things as "We are ELCA Lutherans…The plethora of stories we hear in our conversations demonstrate that life and liberty are being oppressed in the pressure for church leaders to be in marital relationships, or otherwise abstain from all sexual intimacy. The common good of both parishioners and church leaders would benefit from the freedom to be in a variety of healthy relationships…” And, "Specific changes we would like to see (with the ELCA) include: - No longer privileging marriage as the only acceptable form of sexual relationality - Updating ELCA policies to reflect marriage equality in the United States - Editing out language that perpetuates heteronormativity and sexual oppression” (see here) In a blog laced with profanity Jessica Davis writes, - “when you’re talking to White people, you keep your shit together. People who don’t die for it.” - “I’m done speaking softly while y’all silently watch our boyfriends, fathers, mothers, daughters, sons slaughtered. I’m going to give voice to the cries of their blood. I know one’y’all will probably murder me for it, but I’m too damn mad to care anymore.” (see here) * Francisco Herrera was also a panelist. He has gain notoriety for saying, - It is the "deepest, darkest dreams of so many" ELCA members to kill black people. (see here) - "...if the God that we serve would condemn such gorgeous souls to eternal torment, let that God stand accursed — and you with him!" (see here) - "God is a woman… who loves us, who desires us, who wants to make love to us, who longs for us in a perfumed garden, eagerly waiting to give herself to us with passion and abandon.” (see here) This is the type of people the top bishop of the ELCA is meeting and speaking, elevating their voice and influence. They have the ear of the Presiding Bishop. This is not good news for anyone in the ELCA but this is the direction the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is going.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, in ever-increasing fashion, is spouting its liberal political beliefs. Let me show examples from this summer:
- Here we have the ELCA and Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton addressing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. (see here)
- A few weeks ago came this ELCA news release titled “ELCA on Gender Identity Discrimination.” (see here) Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton is quoted saying, "Transgender individuals should not be denied the opportunity to participate in our armed forces. We should honor the courage and sacrifice of all members of our military regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation and join those who serve in upholding the respect and dignity of each person." - Last month Bishop Eaton was tweeting her displeasure with new immigration policies (see below).
- In June, the ELCA’s magazine Living Lutheran wrote about Bishop Eaton addressing the topic of anti-Muslim behavior. (see here) Some people applaud the ELCA’s political activism and their liberal views, I do not. Seeing how the ELCA pushes their leftist political positions, it is time Republicans, Libertarians, Conservatives and Blue Dog Democrats stop feeding this Democratic advocacy organization that is wrapped in a faux Christian veneer.
Well here we go again with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America taking part in leftist politics.
Today there is a gathering called "Ministers March For Justice." The event's Facebook page describes what it is about. Here is part of the description: "Clergy will hold the Trump Administration and Attorney General Jeff Sessions accountable in the wake of an increase in hate crimes, mass incarceration, and discrimination just to name a few. We are in grave times that call for vigilance and a mobilized effort to confront the Administration on issues that are taking us backwards." (see here)
As mentioned, the ELCA is heavily involved. The Metro D.C. Synod of the ELCA shared a post of an article titled "Religious leaders plan rally in Washington as a moral rebuke to Trump's presidency."
The Delaware-Maryland Synod of the ELCA is posting about the march:
Bishop Bill Gohl, of the Delaware-Maryland Synod is marching. Here are some of his Facebook posts which shows a lot of ELCA leaders participating:
How Bible-believing Christians, Republicans or Trump supporters can remain in this denomination I will never understand.
Here is another example of ELCA leadership pushing their liberal policies. An article titled "Religious groups join suit against ‘sanctuary cities’ law" reports that,
"Six bishops from the Episcopal Diocese along with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the United Methodist Church and Texas Impact filed a friend of the court brief against SB 4.In total, they represent at least 142,000 parishioners and 461 congregations in Texas, according to the filing." (see here) SB 4 is "a so-called sanctuary cities ban." This isn't the first time the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America leadership has taken up the sanctuary cause. Earlier this summer a number of ELCA synods declared themselves "Sanctuary Synods." (see here)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, as well as ELCA's Augsburg College, Allan Belton - President of Pacific Lutheran University, Christopher Kimball - President of California Lutheran University, Paula Carlson - President of Luther College, Richard Helton - Interim President of Wittenberg University reveal their belief in human-caused climate change by signing a letter that states they will work to reduce climate change and also states their opposition to the United States withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. (see here)
Below is a related Facebook post by the ELCA's Augsburg College: If you listen to the ELCA and their Middle East terrorist-sympathizing friends, you would think Israel is evil and the cause of all problems there. Not so; listen to this Arab woman's support of the Jewish State. (see information on the ELCA and Israel here) The ELCA's South Dakota Synod wrote about and posted a link to an article about an "Anti-hate" focused organization, South Dakota Faith in Public Life. That organization was funded/given a grant by George Soros' Open Society Foundation.  South Dakota Faith in Public Life's board of directors sits three ELCA persons, the chair Rev. Bill Tesch, Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl and Rev. Karen Soli. (see here)
The newspaper article also states "An all-day interfaith meeting on the topic will take place on April 25 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church as part of the anti-hate efforts." (see here) Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD is an ELCA church. Below is a Facebook post by the ELCA's South Dakota Synod stating how they "stood in solidarity today with our brothers and sisters in the Islamic community against Islamophobia perpetrated by South Dakota's legislators..."  This is the South Dakota Resolution: "A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION, Commending President Donald J. Trump in his commitment to keeping the country safe from radical Islamic terrorism. WHEREAS, the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, delivered his first address to Congress; and WHEREAS, the presidential address, according to nearly all press reports, had the effect of bringing the country together; and WHEREAS, the President has indicated his commitment to keeping our nation safe from radical Islamic terrorism: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Senate of the Ninety-Second Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the South Dakota Legislature, would like to commend the President for his unifying words and his commitment to the safety of the American people." (see here) The world is suffering from Islamic terrorism and by those who aid and abet it. Today I posted the article "Minnesota: Terror-linked Muslim group opens offices inside Bethany Lutheran Church" (see here) on an ELCA clergy Facebook page. In the comment section under my post ELCA pastor Paul Christ praises the Muslim false god. See screenshot below: 
Rev. Anna M Madsen describes herself on her Twitter page as "An ELCA Rev Dr...as a Christian I resist Trump." Here is her tweet about abortion and Planned Parenthood.
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Dan Skogen 'See!' he said to all the people. 'This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.'
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