Frequently Asked Questions
Questions on Abortion
Questions on Homosexual 'Marriage' and Homosexuality
What is the Relationship Between Africa Christian Action, Frontline Fellowship, Christian Liberty Books and Christian Africa Network?
How Does One Become a Member of Africa Christian Action?
Which political party should I vote for?
Objections to Voters' Guide - COPE
Objections to Voters' Guide - DA
"You cursed Racists, How can you call Whites like Robert Moffat and Ian Smith Africans?"
"You should not worship on Sundays - Saturday is the Sabbath."
"Why do you observe the Roman Catholic Sabbath? You should worship on a Saturday."
"What's wrong with Socialism? Isn't Socialism better than Capitalism's privatising profits, by Nationalising Risks and Costs?"
"Why do you Blame Atheism for those killed under Communism? You Christians have a religion that thrives in it's hatreds."
"How can you say that there are no prophecies in the Quran?"
Common Objections to Combatting Pornography
Frequently Asked Questions on Homeschooling
What is the relationship between Africa Christian Action, Frontline Fellowship, Christian Liberty Books and Christian Action Network?
Frontline Fellowship is a founder member of the Christian Action Network (formally United Christian Action). The official publication of CAN is Christian Action. This now combines the previous UCANEWS and ACA’s Salt Shaker. So Christian Action is the official publication of ACA and CAN.
Africa Christian Action is a ministry of Frontline Fellowship. ACA is the social and moral action arm of Frontline Fellowship primarily in South Africa, but ACA does also have work throughout Southern Africa. Dr. Peter Hammond is the Founder and Chairman of Africa Christian Action. Charl van Wyk is the Director of ACA.
Christian Liberty Books is a ministry of Frontline Fellowship. It serves both as a publishing house for FF, ACA and CAN, as well as for importing, exporting, wholesaling and retailing, mostly through mail order and the web, but also through our book shop in Cape Town. CLB is a non-profit ministry, any funds generated above those needed for maintaining the ministry are donated to missions, schools and colleges as far afield as Zambia, Nigeria and Sudan.
Christian Action Network (formally United Christian Action) was founded in 1984. FF is a founder member of UCA. Mrs. Dorothea Scarborough of Gospel Defence League is the Chairman of CAN. Dr. Peter Hammond is the Director of CAN. CAN is an umbrella body which represents it’s 30 member organisations to government and to the media. CAN puts out press statements, makes submissions and representations to Parliament, and presents a co-ordinated voice on mutual concerns shared by the member organisations.
Africa Christian Action is the grassroots mobilisation ministry which organises the pro-life, pro-family and moral actions such as the Sanctity Life Sunday, National Day of Repentance, National Women’s Day outreaches, the International Life Chain, etc.
The Christian Action magazine includes articles and news items dealing with Reformation and Revival issues. The Frontline Fellowship News is primarily a report back on Frontline’s mission activities and research in restricted access countries, dealing primarily with the persecuted Church and ministry in Marxist and Muslim areas. For more information visit www.frontline.org.za.
How does one become a member of Africa Christian Action?
Africa Christian Action is more a grassroots movement of volunteers rather than an organisation. Our strategy involves a network of organisations co-ordinating volunteers in home or church fellowships. You can start or join an ‘Action Group’ or ‘Transformation Team’! Request a Starter Pack and purchase a copy of Make a Difference: A Christian Action Handbook for Southern Africa.
There is no membership to Africa Christian Action as such. If you would like to find out how you can transform your community, we encourage you to join our E-mailing list and subscribe to our Christian Action magazine to keep yourself informed and up-to-date. We send out regular updates and information through our E-list and Christian Action magazine about how you can make a difference and get your church involved: e.g. outreaches, demonstrations, prayer vigils and letter writing campaigns. Also, you can visit Action Items on our website for report-backs and upcoming events.
If, however, your church fellowship or ministry would like to be affiliated to the Christian Action Network, please contact the Christian Action Network Co-ordinator for an application form and constitution: info@christianaction.org.za, Tel: +2721 689 4480 or PO Box 23632, Claremont, 7735, South Africa.
The Christian Action Network is an umbrella body of Christian congregations and organisations that stand together in the socio-political arena to uphold the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all areas of life. CAN represents it’s 30 member organisations to government and to the media. CAN puts out press statements, makes submissions and representations to Parliament, and presents a co-ordinated voice on mutual concerns shared by the member organisations.
Homosexual ‘marriage’ and homosexuality
Acknowledgements to and adapted from Robert H. Knight, Family Research Council, and Focus on the Family. These FAQs are helpful for answering difficult questions or in radio interviews.
Q: Aren’t we denying homosexuals their rights by not instituting same-sex marriage?
Homosexuals enjoy all the rights every citizen has—they can vote, own property, etc. That is not the issue. The issue is about redefining the social institution of marriage, as it has been understood and transmitted down through the centuries throughout civilisation. Homosexuals have precisely the same right to marry as anyone else. Marriage is the bringing together of a man and a woman. To enter marriage, one must meet its qualifications. Society has always defined qualifications about who may enter a marriage, and who may not. For example, there is discrimination on the basis of “family”: a brother and sister may also not marry. Any attempt to get around the rules that apply to everyone else is an attempt to have special rights, not equal rights. When homosexuals are not allowed to marry each other in the eyes of the state, they suffer no more discrimination than do brothers and sisters.
Q: In restricting marriage to one man and one woman, aren’t you imposing your beliefs on others?
Those who are trying to radically redefine marriage for their own purposes are the ones who are imposing their values on the rest of the population. Marriage, of men and woman, has been the foundation of civilisation for thousands of years. Any attempt to alter that definition is an effort to undermine the most fundamental building block of every society: the family unit.
Q: Whom does it affect if a same-sex couple wants to get married?
When homosexual couples seek civil and public approval and all the benefits that the state reserves for married couples, they seek to impose the law on everyone:
- Businesses will be required to extend employee benefits such as pensions etc. to homosexual "spouses." This already starting to happen in South Africa.
- School curricula would be required to treat homosexual “marriage” as morally equal to traditional, heterosexual marriage. In schools, Planned Parenthood is already training teachers to teach children that homosexual behaviour is normal and moral. Homosexual lobby groups have embarked on public education campaigns to ensure the acceptance of homosexuality as a norm in society. They are forcing their values on everyone else.
- Same-sex "marriage" would facilitate the adoption of children by homosexual couples. Single homosexuals can already adopt, although there is no research indicating any positive effects of being raised in a homosexual home. What research does confirm, however, is that the family environment most conducive to the well-being of children has both a mother and a father.
- Law is not a suggestion, but it is force. Official government sanction of same-sex relationships as "marriage" would position the government in opposition to the opinion of the vast majority who believe that marriage should remain as being between a man and a woman. Traditional morality would, in effect, be outlawed. Homosexuals want to make it illegal to speak against any aspect of homosexual behaviour.
Q: But if two people love each other, why not let them marry?
If the definition of marriage is radically altered and based on "feelings" or “love”, then there is no logical reason for not letting several people marry, or for gutting other requirements, such as minimum age and blood relative status. For example, if there were no restrictions on marriage and feelings were all that mattered, fathers could marry their own daughters or brothers could marry their sisters. Any person, of any age, could marry anyone he wished or any number of persons he wished—a close relative, three young children, etc. If there were no restrictions on marriage, the possible arrangements would be endless.
Q: Don’t studies show that homosexuals are born that way?
Absolutely not. The genetic studies that have been publicised have been misrepresented in the media. The studies themselves typically have tiny sample sizes, biased selection, and other major methodological flaws, and are not replicated by reputable scientists. By contrast, 70 years of therapeutic counselling and case studies show a remarkable consistency about the origins of the homosexual impulse as an uncompleted gender identity seeking after its own sex to replace what was not fully developed. Homosexuals can choose their behaviour, and they can change their sexual preference, although this process is always difficult, as researchers Masters & Johnson and Robert L. Spitzer showed in their studies and as numerous testimonies of ex-homosexuals reveal.
Q: For the past, Black and White people were prevented from marrying each other by apartheid laws. Eventually, these laws were overturned. Aren’t same-sex couples being similarly discriminated against?
Skin colour and sexual behaviour are entirely different from each other. Skin colour is a benign, inborn characteristic that has no bearing on conduct or character; sexual behaviour, on the other hand, is based on a person’s actions and has to do with character, morality and society’s basic rules of conduct. If special rights are granted to citizens based on behaviour, new laws would have to be passed almost daily to accommodate the flood of claims based on any activity. Smokers, compulsive gamblers, paedophiles, thieves, etc., could all claim new "rights" to protection against discrimination.
Q: Isn’t the traditional view of marriage religious in nature? And if so, doesn’t the restriction of marriage to a man and a woman violate the religious beliefs of those who disagree?
As regards religion, the five major world religions, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism all recognise the natural, heterosexual understanding of marriage. By contrast, these religions teach that homosexual behaviour is sinful or wrong. But besides religion, every culture, race and custom in South Africa as a norm has historically and traditionally upheld marriage as between men and women. Marriage is also an independently quantifiable good for society, providing stability and protection for the next generation. That is why marriage has always been protected in law. The state has an interest in preserving and protecting the special status of marriage, regardless of religious beliefs.
Q: What about childless couples? If marriage must be protected partly because of its importance in forming families, does this mean that heterosexual couples who don’t want or can’t have children should not be allowed to marry?
Although most people marry with the intention of someday starting families, married couples who do not have children still have the potential for becoming mothers and fathers, either biologically or through adoption. They then have the potential to bring up children offering them ideal conditions for growing and maturing into healthy individuals. An infertile heterosexual couple can offer ideal conditions to an adopted child – a mother and a father. Two men or two lesbians can never offer that. But marriage is a societal good even without children. Sociologists tell us that marriage has a powerful affect on society, deterring individuals from socially harmful behaviour. Marriage also contributes to the health and longevity of both husbands and wives. Additionally, marriage encourages sexual regulation, a characteristic that historically has been the most important factor in creating and preserving healthy and productive cultures. It is the breakdown in society of marriage, commitment and sexual faithfulness that has led to the STD and AIDS epidemic. We therefore need to work harder to preserve marriage. Procreation is an important aspect of society’s high regard for marriage, but it is not the only reason that marriage is protected.
But what’s the big fuss about gays? What about adulterers?
Problems associated with the breakdown of the family, including adultery, are being addressed. The concerns about ‘partnerships’ and marriage benefits to couples who shack up are equally serious. Children are born into relationships where there is no permanent commitment between man and women. The effects of divorce and separation on children are devastating.
Questions on Abortion
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." 1 Peter 3:15
"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction." 2 Timothy 4:2
"Every pro-choice argument requires that we pretend, that we play mind games, that we forget, ignore, or deny the humanity, worth, and dignity of unborn babies. The pro-choice movement thrives on having a silent victim. It thrives on our ability to forget and ignore innocent victims as long as they are out of our sight. Tell a lie often enough and people will eventually believe it and end up reciting it. This is the story of the pro-choice deception." Randy Alcorn
1."Freedom of Choice"
"Don’t Women have a right to choose what they want to do with their own body?"
There are two aspects to this statement:
You can't always do what you want with your body. For example: we have laws of public decency and laws against rape and prostitution. It is against the law to take certain drugs. You may not use your body to assault another person. The key question is whether what is done with one person's body brings significant harm to others. Obviously, abortion does - abortion kills another person!
The baby is not your body! A woman does have rights over her own body, the right to choose what to wear, what to eat, her career...but she does not have rights over someone else's body. When our rights infringe on someone else's rights that's where our rights stop. The baby within her is a separate human being often having its own blood type. The baby has its own heartbeat, brain waves, lungs, hands, feet, eyes, ears, fingerprints and it can, of course, be of a different gender. The baby has an entirely different and unique genetic structure.
"It would be unfair to restrict a woman's choice by prohibiting abortion."
Yes, you do have a right to choose what you do with your body - but that choice is made before the baby is conceived. Men and women are free to choose to obey God's moral laws and abstain from sex outside of marriage; to disobey God's moral laws but use birth control; or to disobey God's moral laws and not use contraceptives. Your choice is made before conception. Once fertilization has occurred, you no longer have a choice - you have a child! Mary O'Brien Drum points out: "After a woman is pregnant, she cannot choose whether or not she wishes to become a mother. She already is, and since the child is already present in her womb, all that is left to her to decide is whether she will deliver her baby dead or alive." 2
Once the baby is born, the woman is again free to choose - she can keep the child or give him up for adoption. The option that pro-lifers oppose is that of murder!
Those Who Hate God Love Death
What does God think about abortion? In Psalm 139:19 we read: "If only You would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! They speak of you with evil intent; Your adversaries misuse Your name." There are so many people in this country who call themselves Christians who are saying that they stand for "the right to choose" whether women should have an abortion or not. Is it "a right" to choose whether to murder? Which of us has the legal right to choose to take someone else's life? They speak about "women's rights" , how about equal rights for unborn women ? Much more than half of aborted babies are girls.
In Communist China, every family is restricted to only one child. They are forcibly given abortions if they conceive any more children after their quota of one. Therefore, China has the largest number of reported stillbirths of baby girls. Often when they see their firstborn child is a girl, they strangle her or drown her in a bucket of water and report a stillbirth so that they can have another child. This is the end result of abortion. No freedom of choice at all - just murder.
"Pro-Choice" in China means that the government is the only one who has the choice. You can only have one child. The rest get killed. In China, demographers calculate that every year they have about 600 000 more boys born than girls. 3 Presently, in China there are millions more males than females.
This imbalance is even greater in India. There they use amniocentesis tests to determine the sex of the baby and many choose to abort their baby girls. They prefer sons to daughters. Consider the effect on society when these sons begin looking for wives.
So those feminists who are marching for women's rights are only marching for a holocaust - a massacre of women. They should be campaigning for equal rights for the unborn women instead. As Psalm 139:21 declares: "Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against You?"
Those who hate God, love death (Proverbs 8:36). There is no other way to describe the motivation of the pro-abortion lobby. Those who hate God love death. Humanists love abortion. They love euthanasia. They produce violent films. Those who hate God love death.
2."But it's internationally accepted."
A couple of hundred years ago racism was widely accepted. Few people doubted that blacks were inferior, that they could be enslaved. But just because it was widely accepted did not make it right.
Equally, just because abortion is widely promoted these days does not make it right. South Africa has just ended a practice of discrimination against people on the basis of race. We now have discrimination based on age.
3. “What about the women who were dying from backstreet abortions? Abortion needed to be legalised to save their lives….”
The statistics of 200 000 – 400 000 backstreet abortions per year in South Africa are not only gross exaggerations, but blatant lies. There is no documented proof for such claims. The official Department of Health estimated that between 42 000 and 167 000 illegal abortions were being performed per year (Natal Mercury 31/01/94). The report however, admitted that estimates varied widely depending on which model was used to determine them, the higher figures being chosen on extrapolations from other countries such as the USA. However, before abortion was legalised in the USA, 100 000 illegal abortions per year were being performed. South Africa’s population is roughly one tenth of the USA so is it unreasonable to estimate an illegal abortion rate of 10 000 per year?
The legalisation of abortion was supposed to lead to fewer deaths from backstreet abortions. But, not expectedly, the explosion in legal abortions has led to an increase in legal abortion maternal deaths. The South African press reported that an estimated 500 women die annually due to the misuse of Misoprostal (Pretoria News, 5 March 2004.) The newspaper surveyed 18 healthcare facilities and each one admitted that women had died from legal abortions. Compare this to the estimated 425 women dying each year from complications from illegal abortions pre-1997 (Medical Research Council, 1994).
‘Backstreet’ abortions have also not decreased because Misoprostal is often used. The same doctors who let woman through the back door and performed abortions pre-1997, are probably the same ones who are more willing to perform abortions that do not meet the criteria allowed in the TOP Act e.g. late abortions.
The author is also aware of two deaths from legal abortions in the Western Cape, neither of which was recorded by the Western Cape Department of Health. Deaths from legal abortions are rarely reported as the state and many doctors are keen to defend such a procedure, as they believe it is helping women. In addition, as for deaths from HIV/AIDS, there is a social stigma attached to deaths from abortions. Death Certificates politely refer to haemorrhages and infections. The family has no incentive to push for the truth, and the abortionist doesn’t want to admit that the abortion, meant to help women, has in fact harmed them.
Furthermore, the number of maternal deaths rose from 425 to over 500 at the expense of thousands of babies’ lives.
This argument also seems ridiculous in the light of the following statement: Because people die or are being harmed while killing other people (i.e. pre-born people), the state should make it safe for them to do so.
Many women will not attempt to have an illegal abortion simply because it is against the law and society frowns upon it. This is evident from the history of legal abortions in the USA. Before abortion on demand was legalised in 1973, approximately 100 000 illegal abortions were performed per year. Now 3 million legal abortions are performed a year!
“No-one doubts that legal abortion is marginally safer than illegal abortion, but neither is there any doubt that decriminalization has encouraged more women to undergo abortions than ever before. Risk goes down, but numbers goes up. This combination means that though the odds of any particular woman suffering ill effects from an abortion have dropped, the total number of women who suffer… from abortion is far greater than ever before.
In 1969 the number of abortion-related complications treated in US hospitals was 9 000. In 1977 it was 17 000.” David C. Reardon.
In the USA in 1967, before the legalisation of abortion, the Federal government reported 160 deaths from abortions. By 1972 abortion was still illegal in 80 percent of the country, but the use of antibiotics had greatly reduced the risk. Hence, the number dropped to 39 maternal deaths from abortion that year ( U.S. Bureau of Vital Statistics). Even with significant under-reporting, the figures are nowhere near 5 000-10 000 deaths a year claimed by pro-abortionists. Consider the words of Dr. Bernard Nathanson, the co-founder of the National Abortion Rights Action League:
“How many deaths were we talking about when abortion was illegal? When we spoke of statistics it was always 5 000-10 000 deaths a year …I confess that I knew the figures were totally false. But in the “morality” of our revolution it was a useful figure, widely accepted, so why go out of our way to correct it with honest statistics?”( Aborting America , Nathanson, 193).
It is not necessarily true that legalisation of abortion prevents criminal abortions. Speaking before the 93 rd Congress of the US, Senator James Buckley stated:
“Data from foreign countries having far longer experience with legalised abortion than we had in the US suggest that legalisation has no effect on the criminal abortion rate. In at least three countries, the criminal abortion rate has actually risen since legalisation. Legalised abortion moves the back alley abortionists into the front office where their trade can be practised without fear of criminal prosecution.”
Less Abortion hospitals/clinics, less abortions
Many pro-abortionists would say that the less hospitals and doctors there are to perform abortions, the more women will seek out backstreet or illegal abortions. While a few might do this, the inaccessibility of abortion services is actually a great deterrence to many women who are looking for any excuse to not go through with the procedure. It’s a question of “what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over.” In other words if there was an abortion clinic on every street corner, thousands more women would be having abortions. The distance women have to travel, the time they have to wait between the decision to abort and the actual procedure itself (in South Africa women are often put on long waiting lists) and the stress of the procedure itself are a great deterrence. In fact, if the waiting lists are very long, by the time they get to the top of the list, they may be past the legal gestational limit. The media tends to focus on the horror stories of backstreet abortions, but very little is said about the thousands of women, who, despite having next-to-nothing, decide to keep their babies.
Regardless of whether abortions are legal or not, some women will have abortions and some will die from complications. Certainly all babies will die. However, legalising abortion greatly increases the number abortions. In various surveys 40 – 85% of the women surveyed said they would not have aborted their babies if it was illegal ( Aborted Women , Reardon, 321-322). We must not legalise procedures that kill the innocent just to make the killing process less dangerous.
4. “But if abortion becomes illegal again, won’t we go back to mothers dieing from back-street abortions?”
We have an example of an entire nation – Poland, which refutes this argument. Under Communist rule there were consistently over 100 000 abortions registered each year. In 1990, with both the Church and doctors discouraging abortion, the numbers fell to 59 400. Then in 1993, abortion was banned except for danger to the life of the mother, fetal handicap or rape. In 1994 there were only 782 abortions and not a single death reported due to illegal abortion (Why Can’t We Love Them Both, Wilke, 222).
5. “Having more unwanted babies produces more child abuse….”
A landmark study of 674 abused children was conducted by University of Southern California professor, Edward Lenoski. He discovered that 91% were from planned pregnancies; they were definitely wanted by their parents. What is startling is that, in society in general, 63 percent of pregnancies are planned. Hence, among abused children, a significantly higher percentage were `wanted children' compared to the percentage of `wanted children' in society at large.
Child abuse has dramatically increased since abortion was legalised in the USA. It has not decreased. In the first 10 years of legalised abortion in America, child abuse increased over 500% ( U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Report; National Study on Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting, The American Humane Association, 1981 & 1991; 1977 Analysis of Child Abuse and Neglect Research, U.S Dept of Health, Education and Welfare, 1978 ).
If children are viewed as expendable before birth, they will be viewed as expendable after birth.
It is illogical to argue that a child is protected from abuse through abortion since abortion is the most horrific form of child abuse.
6. “What about the poor women from the townships and rural areas with lots of children. Don’t they need abortion the most?”
Legalised abortion is often offered as a solution to the problem of the Third World. What makes us think that they want this choice?
In most of Africa, for many years, medical personnel have attempted to introduce and establish family planning especially among the Black population - without much success. In Africa, from the man's perspective, children are a measure of his virility. Children are an insurance policy for his old age. Many children mean that he can work more land and produce more food, or look after more cattle. More daughters mean more dowries when they marry. Rural people tend to have large families. Contraceptives have been viewed negatively. African people do not kill their babies. This is a foreign ideology that has been imported. In rural Africa, larger families are seen as necessary and healthy for their economies.
According to a National Progressive Primary Health Care Network survey, 82% of rural Blacks oppose abortion! ( Sunday Times, 10 April 1994). The "civilised" Europeans are more barbaric than the "primitive" Africans because the Europeans will kill their babies whom they see as an inconvenience. On the other hand Africans generally recognise the sanctity and innocence of pre-born human life.
7. “What about overpopulation?”
The current world population is at 6.5 billion.
Population growth has been slowing rapidly and this trend will continue. In recent decades, according to the US Census Bureau, world population growth as a percentage hit a high in 1962 and 1963 at 2.19% and has been in long-term decline ever since. It was only 1.15% last year and is projected to be 0.46% in 2049. Population growth in absolute numbers is already dropping despite the increase in total world population. That number peaked in 1989, when the world added a net 88 million new souls, declined to 74.4 million last year, and will be only 42.2 million in 2049 despite the increase in total population to over 9 billion. Of course, since the experts believe life expectancy will continue its rise, this drop in population growth will come from an astounding further decline in families and births to extend the one the world has already seen since the '60s.
Historically, population experts have tended to overestimate their numbers, so it is likely that these numbers will be even lower than currently projected. The population controllers have won: The world has long been on the path to population decline and shows no signs of deviating from it. Slowing population growth rates is due largely to the spread of HIV/AIDS but has also been significantly influenced by the “population control” policies of many nations such as China which include the promotion of abortions as a means of birth control. (Population Research Institute – www.pop.org.)
For a list of Pro-life resources and events, click here.
These Pro-life Answers are taken from Fight for Life:
A Pro-life Handbook for Southern Africa.
Africa Christian Action
PO Box 23632
Claremont
7735
South Africa
Tel: (021) 689 4481
Fax: (021) 685 5884
E-mail: info@christianaction.org.za
WHICH POLITICAL PARTY TO VOTE FOR?
Greetings in the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Thank you very much for your email concerning the Biblical Issues Voters Guide.
Christian Action is attempting to provide an objective, Biblical guide to various political parties on the eight chosen Biblical issues.
Yes, there are three Christian political parties identified on the website. We have tried to encourage the various Christian political parties to unite under a single banner, and some have been responsive to this.
Obviously a Bible believing Christian is not going to want to waste his votes on parties which adhere to un-Biblical stands. Therefore our choices are limited to those who are pro-life, pro-family, Christian parties.
You ask how can you choose between the different Christian political parties offered. May I suggest that you decide this in terms of which of the parties you believe are most effective, and which you personally trust. Do you have any personal contact with any of these parties?
Which of these Christian political parties is most active and visible in your constituency?
Do you have any personal relationship with individual candidates?
I'm most encouraged that you are asking the question of which of the Christian political parties to vote for. The trouble is many people are not even considering voting for Christian political parties. I think it is a tragedy that so many Christians waste their votes on pro-abortion, humanist parties.
Of the three Christian political parties highlighted in the Voters Guide, the ACDP has the longest track record, and has the most people in office, including in national parliament, provincial legislatures and municipalities. If you prefer proven track record, higher national visibility, etc. then you are likely to choose the ACDP as the senior Christian political party in South Africa.
However, if you are in Mpumalanga, and you are represented by the Christian Party, then it would be understandable that you would choose the party which is strongest in your constituency. You may know the local Freedom Front candidate and trust them the most for your constituency.
I do know of other people who vote for one party for the provincial legislature, and another for the national. These are your choices.
Christian Action cannot endorse any particular political party, but we are trying to provide objective Biblical criteria by which people can make a better-informed choice. Please visit www.SAVotersguide.com for more relevant articles, resources and links.
May the Lord abundantly bless and guide you.
Yours for Reformation and Revival
Dr. Peter Hammond
OPEN LETTER TO COPE
REGARDING OBJECTIONS TO
THE BIBLICAL ISSUES VOTERS' GUIDE
We recently received an objection to Biblical Issues Voters' Guide from a COPE leader. Our response follows:
Thank you for you email concerning the Biblical Issues Voters' Guide. It is our sincere ministry to provide an accurate and objective Voters' Guide on the chosen Biblical Issues.
I tried numerous times to contact members of the COPE Executive leadership. The Christian Action Network Policy Survey was sent numerous times to COPE Secretary General Charlotte Lobe. Ms Lobe claimed she was too busy to fill in the survey. I then sent the Voters Guide as it is to her and another contact she gave me and asked them to reply to me if they had any objections or corrections. I did not receive any response.
I warned them that thousands of these Voters Guides would be distributed. I also tried to contact them numerous times on their cell phones to get verbal statements from them on these issues but they did not even answer their phones. If you are in contact with members of the executive, please do urge them to fill in the Christian Action Network survey as soon as possible. The Christian Action Network Policy Survey can be downloaded from here.
We do agree that it is difficult to assess a new party with no track record. However, since numerous COPE members were previously members of the ANC, I find it difficult to believe that their position on the Biblical Issues listed on our Voters' Guide would be very much different to that of the ANC. One also cannot take electioneering rhetoric at face value.
We acknowledge that COPE does appear to support more free market policies than the ANC. While COPE is a new party, it is worrying that several COPE leaders were at one time members of the South African Communist Party. COPE also appears to support some socialist policies such as state intervention to stabilize the economy and a social welfare system. We will consider changing the Voters' Guide to read Yes/No under the "For Free Market (Against Socialism)" row/column.
In the April edition of TODAY magazine, COPE's presidential candidate, Dr Mvume Dandala, claimed that "The Congress of the People is founded on godly values on which we will not compromise. These values are enshrined in the Ten Commandments - they are also universal values that are embraced by all civilized societies."
COPE's policy documents, however, which we quote in the references (back page) of our Voters' Guide state that: “We recognize our responsibility to protect and defend our Constitution as the only thing of value that we collectively own as South Africans” (COPE Policy Documents).
Is the Bible, according to COPE, of lesser value than the Constitution?
COPE also supports a “society where discrimination…based upon…sexual orientation…[is] condemned and where government moves aggressively to end such discrimination…” (COPE Policy Documents). Homosexuality is a violation of the 7th Commandment, "Do not commit adultery."
In an interview with News24.com Dandala "reassure(d) homosexual communities". "The priority is the Constitution of the country for any minority and this is what we as Cope would seek to protect."
What about the racial discrimination of Affirmative Action?
It was the Constitution which in fact opened the way for the legalisation of abortion and homosexual "marriages".
Just because someone claims to be a Christian, even a pastor or a minister, it does not necessarily mean that they have a Biblical Worldview. We would be happy to send any COPE leaders a copy of Biblical Principles for Africa, which expounds on the Biblical Worldview.
We urge the COPE leadership to come to a clear position on the abortion issue as soon as possible. The abortion issue is a 'litmus test' issue for whether a party truly supports genuine human rights. If a party is not prepared to make a clear statement on the most basic right - the Right to Life - of the most innocent and vulnerable of all people - pre-born babies, then the party is not truly a party that supports genuine human rights.
On the abortion issue, the Voters' Guide depicts whether the PARTY is AGAINST ABORTION. To be against something means to oppose it. COPE, as a party, has not yet actively opposed abortion. We are not dealing with whether some members of the party are pro-life. The Scripture verse we quote on the Voters' Guide is " Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering towards slaughter.” Proverbs 24:11. As far as we know, current COPE leaders have done nothing significant to rescue the pre-born from the slaughter of abortion in South Africa.
Should COPE come out with a clear pro-life position and a resolve to overturn the current abortion legislation and to uphold the Right to Life of the pre-born, we will change COPE's standpoint on the Voters' Guide.
Life begins at conception and every abortion stops a beating heart. The scientific evidence and philosophical/ethical arguments for the legal personhood of the pre-born are overwhelmingly clear. One cannot be neutral on the abortion issue. If one is not for (or pro) life, then one is by default for (or pro) death. If a party is not prepared to issue a clear statement on this issue, then it should be construed as being pro-choice/pro-abortion.
“See to it that no-one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” Colossians 2:8
For pro-life articles and resources click here.
SAVOTERSGUIDE.COM
The updated 2009 Biblical Issues Voters’ Guide in English (including COPE's standpoints) – detailing the positions of 8 leading political parties on 8 key Biblical issues - is now available from www.SAvotersguide.com or you can click here to download. Distribute quantities to your congregation, community and colleagues.
The Afrikaans and Xhosa Voters' Guides are now available on the www.savotersguide.com website.
You can also download the Voters' Guide as a one page PowerPoint here (excellent for church announcements or sermons).
Quantities can be ordered from Africa Christian Action, call 021 –6894481 or email: info@christianaction.org.za.
The SAvotersguide.com website also features relevant articles, helpful links, a downloadable Voter Education tract and Powerpoint, plus view responses of political parties to the Christian Action Network’s Policy Survey.
Taryn Hodgson
OPEN LETTER TO THE
DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE REGARDING OBJECTIONS TO
THE BIBLICAL ISSUES VOTERS' GUIDE
Democratic Alliance leaders have reportedly received "hundreds" of phone calls querying the DA's position on various Biblical Issues as depicted on the Christian Action Network Voters's Guide. The Christian Action Network has also received several objections from prominent DA leaders saying that we have "misrepresented" the DA on several issues.
A prominent DA leader requested that we change the Voters Guide to read "Yes/No" in the "Against Abortion", "Against Homosexual 'marriages'" and "For Capital Punishment of Murderers" columns, as the DA allows their members a "conscience vote" on these issues. Our response follows:
Thank you for you email concerening the Biblical Issues Voters' Guide. It is our sincere ministry to provide an accurate and objective Voters' Guide on the chosen Biblical Issues.
Members of the Christian Action Network Executive Committee have discussed the objections you raised and have decided, at this stage, not to make any of the changes you requested for the following reasons:
We have not only looked at parties' policy documents but also at the MPs' voting records. Despite the fact that the DP allowed a conscience vote for their MPs on the abortion bill (1996), several DP MPs voted in favour of the legalised murder of pre-born babies (abortion). The DP was the senior partner in the DA alliance. Since the NNP broke away from the DA, the DA has now effectively become the DP again, just under a different name.
In both the public hearings and press statements regarding the Abortion Amendment Bill (2004 and then again in 2007) the DA did not make any clear statements that we are aware of that supported the Right to Life of the pre-born. In the hearings (which I attended in 2007), the DA representative on the Health Committee, Mike Waters, did make commendable statements that supported mandatory counselling (in which all the risks are explained) for women seeking abortion. However, the DA did not object to the fact that the Bill made abortion more accessible by allowing more clinics/hospitals to perform abortions.
On the abortion issue, the Voters Guide depicts whether the PARTY is AGAINST ABORTION. To be against something means to oppose it. The DA, as a party, has never actively opposed abortion. We are not dealing with whether some members of the party are pro-life. The Scripture verse we quote on the Voters' Guide is " Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering towards slaughter.” Proverbs 24:11. As far as we know, the DA has done nothing significant to rescue the pre-born from the slaughter of abortion in South Africa.
The abortion issue is a 'litmus test' issue for whether a party truly supports genuine human rights. If a party is not prepared to make a clear statement on the most basic right - the Right to Life - of the most innocent and vulnerable of all people - pre-born babies, then the party is not truly a party that supports genuine human rights.
Life begins at conception and every abortion stops a beating heart. The scientific evidence and philosophical/ethical arguments for the legal personhood of the pre-born are overwhelmingly clear. The DA has no excuse for not having made a clear policy statement on this crucial human rights issue. One cannot be neutral on the abortion issue. If one is not for (or pro) life, then one is by default for (or pro) death. If a party is not prepared to issue a clear statement on this issue, then it should be construed as being pro-choice/pro-abortion.
Can you send us any press statements where DA MPs have made any clear pro-life statements, or proposed pro-life amendments ?
The same goes for the issues of homosexual "marriages" and the death penalty. The party has not yet forwarded to us any policy documentation, parliamentary materials or press releases dealing with these issues.
Would you be able to tell us how many current DA MPs are consistently pro-life (against abortion in all circumstances)?
The DA did vote against the Firearms Control Bill in 2000, but then called for Firearm Free Zones in the City of Cape Town buildings . This is inconsistent and therefore warranted a Y/N on the Voters' Guide.
In 1999, John Lott and William Landes published a US study of multiple shooting incidents. They showed that mass shootings occur less often in areas where responsible citizens may carry weapons.
Do mass shootings ever occur in police stations, shooting ranges or at gun shows? Mass murderers select soft targets for their acts of violence. Expecting a suicidal individual to honour a law prohibiting firearms in a gun free zone is sheer utopian fantasy.
Regarding the one page Voters Guide that the ACDP Freestate have been distributing - it seems as if they have been using an earlier draft of the Voters Guide (which did not include "in the Constitution" after Acknowledgement of Almighty God) and had added their own "info boxes". This was done without our permission. I have now communicated with them to refrain from editing, amending or adding in their own information on our Voters Guides. They have also promised to stop distributing those particular Voters' Guides. We are not part of the ACDP and our constitution does not allow executive members to be members of political parties. We thus have no control over parties who prepare their own voters’ guides as was done before by the NP.
As a non-partisan ministry we cannot, and do not, tell people who to vote for, nor are we a mouthpiece for any particular political party.
We have been very impressed with the DA on many issues such as opposing and exposing crime and corruption and are thankful for the many stands taken publicly on various issues.
We would appreciate any documentation you can provide concerning the DA's track record in legislation proposed, and voted on, regarding pro-life, moral and family issues.
PRAYER AND PRAISE UPDATE - BIBLICAL ISSUES VOTERS' GUIDE
We praise the Lord for the wide distribution and impact of the Biblical Issues Voters' Guide. We have received emails from people who have received them in the post boxes even in small towns such as Carolina and Newcastle. By God's Grace the Christian Action Network has printed 33 200 Voters Guides in total (including Afrikaans and Xhosa versions). This amount includes quantities that have been printed for various individuals and organisations on request.
We are also aware of several individuals who have downloaded the Voters Guide from the www.SAvotersguide.com website and have distributed it in their churches or to friends and family. Others have forwarded the Voters Guide to their contacts list via email.
Over 500 Voters' Guides were distributed to students at a recent Campus Harvest Conference.
The Voters' Guide has also been published in the Christian Action magazine, JOY! magazine, TODAY Magazine and 104FM (Radio Tygerberg's magazine). This brings the total amount of Voters' Guides distributed to probably over 100 000 copies that we know of.
We have also received many emails quering various aspects of the Voters Guides, including various theological objections to Christians being involved in politics. We praise the Lord for the opportunity to interact with and educate Christians on the Biblical position regarding these issues.
Please continue to pray that the Voters' Guide would encourage Christians to study the Bible on the issues listed and to "vote their values". Most importantly, pray that Christ would be honoured as Lord in the political arena. Please also pray that God would grant us wisdom in answering each objection and query.
SAVOTERSGUIDE.COM
The updated 2009 Biblical Issues Voters’ Guide in English (including COPE's standpoints) – detailing the positions of 8 leading political parties on 8 key Biblical issues - is now available from www.SAvotersguide.com or you can click here to download. Distribute quantities to your congregation, community and colleagues.
The Afrikaans and Xhosa Voters' Guides are now available on the www.savotersguide.com website.
You can also download the Voters' Guide as a one page PowerPoint here (excellent for church announcements or sermons).
Quantities can be ordered from Africa Christian Action, call 021 –6894481 or email: info@christianaction.org.za.
The SAvotersguide.com website also features relevant articles, helpful links, a downloadable Voter Education tract and Powerpoint, plus view responses of political parties to the Christian Action Network’s Policy Survey.
"Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve ... but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15
Taryn Hodgson
HOW CAN YOU CALL WHITES LIKE
ROBERT MOFFAT AND IAN SMITH AFRICANS?
Greetings in the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Thank you for your email concerning our Readers Survey on The Greatest Africans of All Time.
Your argument is with our readers who voted as we reported. Considering that Robert Moffet had the privilege of translating the whole Bible into the Tswana language - the first language in Africa to be so blessed, it seems appropriate to me that he was chosen as one of the greatest Africans.
Actually, Ian Smith was not born in Britain, he was a child of Africa, born in Zimbabwe.
I'm concerned by your response, which seems very racist. Are you suggesting that no white person can be an African?
Can an Arab in North Africa be an African?
Can a black person be an American?
If the Americans can be so colour blind as to select a black president, are Africans not allowed to recognise those white people, who may have been born on our soil, or those from overseas who adopted Africa and served her faithfully, such as David Livingstone, as one of our own?
May the Lord lead you into all truth.
Yours for faith and freedom
Dr. Peter Hammond
YOU SHOULD NOT WORSHIP ON SUNDAYS -
SATURDAY IS THE SABBATH!
Greetings in the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Thank you very much for your encouraging letter. Yes, we are familiar with the Seventh Day Adventist arguments concerning Saturday as the Sabbath.
Of course, the seventh day of the week, was the Sabbath in the Old Testament. However, you will immediately see from the New Testament that the Church moved from observing the seventh day of the week in memory of Creation, to the first day of the week as the Lord's Day, in memory of the Lord's re-creation - rising from the dead on the first day of the week.
Yes, believers in the book of Acts did sometimes go to Synagogues on the Sabbath for evangelism, but that is because that is the day that the Jewish believers gathered. However, the Christians gathered on the Lord's Day, the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Revelation 1:10) for worship.
Please let me know your postal address and I will gladly mail you some more material on this.
We are just completing a new book: The Ten Commandments - God's Perfect Law of Liberty, the 12 Disc Audio Box Set is already available.
The Ten Commandments fully deals with the idolatry and compromise so prevalent in our world today.
May the Lord continue to be your joy and strength.
Yours for Faith and freedom
Dr. Peter Hammond
Director
WHY DO YOU OBSERVE THE ROMAN CATHOLIC SABBATH?
YOU SHOULD WORSHIP ON SATURDAY.
Greetings in the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Yes, we are most certainly agreed that the problems in South Africa are only part of the worldwide problem. Man is in rebellion to Almighty God. We need to use the Law of God as the schoolmaster to lead people to Christ, that they may be justified by faith.
If anyone loves Christ, he will keep His commandments. We are serious about being faithful to the heritage of the Protestant Reformation. Scripture alone is our ultimate authority, we are saved by the grace of God alone on the basis of Christ's sacrifice on the cross of Calvary alone, received by faith alone.
You refer to the fourth commandment as the Creation Sabbath not the Roman Catholic Sabbath. Are you aware that the vast majority of Christians, including the Protestant Reformers, observed the first day of the week as the Lord's Day in remembrance that the Lord Jesus Christ has risen from the dead on the first day of the week, and that the birthday of the church was on the day of Pentecost, the first day of the week.
The practice of believers gathering on the first day of the week long precedes the establishment of the Roman Catholic superstitious system. It isn't fair to condemn dedicated Christians who seek to give God the first fruits of the week, the first day, in honour of the Lord's Resurrection from the dead (the re-creation). (See: Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2 and Revelation 1:10).
In fact, it is a tremendous testimony to the reality of the bodily resurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead that the church has moved from the Jew's seventh day Sabbath to the Christian first day of the week, the Lord's Day.
May the Lord continue to be your joy and strength.
Yours for the fulfillment of the Great Commission
Dr. Peter Hammond
WHAT'S WRONG WITH SOCIALISM?
ISN'T SOCIALISM BETTER THAN
CAPITALISM'S PRIVATISING PROFITS BUT NATIONALISING RISKS AND COSTS?
Greetings in the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Thank you very much for your critical feedback on the Christian Action Biblical Issues Voter's Guide.
You clearly seem to support state intervention in the economy, rather than the free market.
With the catastrophic collapse of Zimbabwe, one would have thought that the dangers of state intervention in the economy were all too obvious. I have traveled widely, including in many socialist countries, behind the Iron Curtain in the 1980s. The contrast between the incredibly productive prosperity of West Germany and the stagnant and backward East Germany was all too acute. Similarly, anyone wanting to see the contrast between the productivity of the free market and the counter productive strangling of initiative in Socialist economies need only compare South Korea with North Korea.
As Margaret Thatcher declared, "Freedom has its problems, but we've never had to build walls to keep our people in."
The collapse of the Soviet Union, and its Eastern Europe satellite states, with the coming down of the Berlin Wall was just one dramatic example of the failure of Socialism.
Socialists might extol the kind of policies, which have been implemented in countries such as Cuba, but it doesn't seem to convince its people not to flee by the millions in the direction of free market countries.
A huge amount of the social upheavals in recent history has been caused by people voting with their feet to escape from the oppression of Socialist governments.
We are convinced that there can be no true political freedom without genuine economical freedom. Freedom of choice is good when it comes to politics, education and economics.
It is a stubborn fact of history that great scientific and medical advances have not been made in Socialist environments, but in free countries enjoying a free enterprise system.
It is no accident that the most prosperous and free countries in the world have a Biblical Reformation heritage, a Christian work ethic. All of these things are inter-related.
The Christian Action Network is, as our name implies, Christian, and our Biblical Issue Voters Guides are just that. Seeking to look at the chosen issues from a Biblical point of view.
Yes, we do believe in a wider form of education, a one-page summary of the issues is of necessity superficial. For a more detailed treatment of the issues please see our Biblical Principles for Africa book, and other articles on the SAvotersguide website. You will also see that the christianaction.org.za website has many further articles and links tackling these issues.
Your point concerning the system, which favourably privatises profits and nationalises risks and costs, as in the case of the American bailouts, is well put. That is not a true free market system. That is a mixture of free market and state Socialism. In fact, it might be more accurate to name it by its historical term: Fascism.
Biblically it is theft to utilise other people's money to bail out our own foolish choices and greed.
Please feel free to communicate with us further on these matters.
May God continue to lead and guide you into all Truth.
Yours for faith and freedom
Dr. Peter Hammond
WHY DO YOU BLAME ATHEISM FOR
THOSE KILLED UNDER COMMUNISM?
YOU CHRISTIANS HAVE A
RELIGION THAT THRIVES IN IT'S HATREDS!
Greetings in the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Thank you for your letter. We do appreciate you critical feedback.
It most certainly is on irrefutable fact that millions of Christians were put to death in the Soviet Union in the name of Atheism. Have you read The Black Book of Communism and Death By Government? I would strongly recommend that you do. These books were not written by Christians. In the case of Death By Government it is written by a Secular university professor in Political Science, based on exhaustive documentation. The Black Book of Communism was written by six high level ex-Communists, including the one-time Editor of the Communisme magazine of the Communist Party of France.
I think you are misinformed if you believe that we adhere to a "religion that thrives in its hatreds."
In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ, Whom we seek to honour and serve, taught in His Sermon on the Mount that we are to love our neighbours as ourselves, and even to love our enemies.
It is a fact of history that Christians have led the world in establishing hospitals, schools, the nursing profession, and the movement to abolish the slave trade and to oppose other evils such as abortion and infanticide.
It is an observable fact that it is in those countries where Biblical Christianity has made the greatest impact, that one finds the greatest progress, prosperity and freedoms.
We are not promoting here a religion, but a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
We certainly must agree with you that much evil has been done in the name of religion, particularly in the name of Islam. However, while many evil things have been done by some people who claim to be Christians, it should be obvious that what they did was contrary to the teaching and example of our Lord Jesus Christ, in violation of His clear commands.
You observe that "Stalin's religion was predominantly self-interest", and again we must agree. For Secular Humanism leaves one with basically nothing but self-interest. "You came from nothing, you're going nowhere, your life is meaningless." Atheism hardly encourages Christian self-sacrifice.
As Joseph Stalin himself said: "Evolution leads to revolution!"
Should you be interested to learn more on this, please let me know your postal address and I will gladly send you a complimentary copy of a presentation I did on this on audio CD: "The Worst Disaster."
May God continue to lead you into all truth.
Yours for faith and freedom
Dr. Peter Hammond
Director
HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT
THERE ARE NO PROPHECIES IN THE QURAN?
Greetings in the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Concerning the "prophecies" referred to in the Quran: There are no real prophesies in the Quran. By that we mean that there are no detailed prophecies far in advance of an event to convince one of the Divine origin of this book.
Surah 30:2-4 which you refer to speaks of the Roman Empire being defeated. This occurred well before the life of Muhammad. The Western Roman Empire had collapsed in the 5th Century, well before the birth of Muhammad, and the Eastern Empire was in serious decline at the time of Muhammad's life. The specific defeat that the Yusuf Ali translation and commentary tries to refer to in the footnotes is listed as 614AD. This is well before the Quran was put to writing which was after the death of Muhammad in 632AD.
At any rate the text of Surah 30:2 "The Roman Empire has been defeated" is very vague.
As to Surah 54:1-2, this states: "The hour of judgment is nigh and the moon is cleft asunder..." In what way can this be regarded as a fulfilled prophecy? It is vague and seems to speak of the last Day of Judgment in which case it is speaking of something still to take place in the future. If it is speaking about a judgment that has already fallen, where? when? to who? There are no specifics.
Naturally, there have been many hours of judgment upon a specific city, country or people. But Surah 54 gives absolutely no specifics, merely that an hour of judgment will come.
These so called prophesies can in no way be compared to the very specific prophesies in the Scripture concerning the destruction of the impregnable fortress of Tyre, and the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. Or of the 300 prophesies which our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled in such detail. The Old Testament, many hundreds of years before Christ, made clear that the Messiah would be an offspring of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, from the tribe of Judah, a descendant of King David, born in Bethlehem, born of a virgin. He would be rejected and betrayed by a friend, sold for thirty pieces of silver, His hands and His feet would be pierced. He would pray for His enemies, His side would be pierced, soldiers would cast lots for His clothes, but not a bone of His would be broken. He would be buried with the rich, but He would rise from the dead.
All of these, over 300 prophesies in total, were fulfilled in detail by our Lord Jesus Christ.
The prophesies in the Bible are numerous and most convincing. The two supposed prophecies referred to in the Quran are no prophecies at all. Therefore, it is quite correct to say the there are no prophesies in the Quran.
Do you have a copy of our book: Slavery, Terrorism & Islam - The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat? This includes a Muslim Evangelism Workshop Manual at the back which deals with many of these issues. The Muslim Evangelism Workshop is also available in a 12 audio CD box set, with PowerPoints. These can be ordered from FF-USA (info@frontlinefellowship.net).
May the Lord continue to be your joy and strength.
Yours for the fulfillment of the Great Commission
Dr. Peter Hammond
COMMON OBJECTIONS TO COMBATING PORNOGRAPHY
When raising the issue of pornography and challenging Christians to positive moral action, one often encounters the following objections or excuses:
- "Pornography is protected by freedom of speech."
Pornography is not speech. In the United States, pornography, called obscenity, is not protected under the first amendment of their Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled, “In our view, to equate the free and robust exchange of ideas and political debate with commercial exploitation of obscene material, demeans the grand conception of the First Amendment and its high purposes in the historic struggle for freedom.” Miller v. California (1973)
All rights are limited. As South Africa’s Dr Angelo Grazioli says, “The freedom of speech and press is designed to protect a free and safe society, but is never an absolute freedom. No one has the right to falsely shout “Fire!” in a crowded theatre. No one has the right to print lies about others. To argue that ‘if we allow them to censor Teen Slut today they’ll be burning the Mona Lisa tomorrow”, is as illogical as arguing “if we allow them to prosecute traffic offenders today, they’ll be taking away cars tomorrow.””
Speech is limited in many ways. Copyright violations, false advertising and libel are just some of the limitations placed on the freedom of speech. The liberals hysterically scream freedom of speech when it comes to porn, but forget all about that freedom when it comes to censorship of racial slurs and so-called hate speech.
Furthermore, there is no right to engage in something that is harmful to others. There is no freedom for rape and child abuse, neither should there be freedom for an industry that fuels and encourages such anti-social behaviour. Drug dealers, for example, cannot claim freedom of movement or workers’ rights. Pornography is as addictive and destructive as drugs.
- “No-one can define pornography therefore you cant legislate against it.”
Is pornography beyond legal definition? With the willful anything can be beyond definition. Definition, while difficult, is not impossible. Legal definitions have a character different from that of dictionary definitions. Dictionary definitions establish meanings, legal definitions establish the jurisdiction of penalties. To establish the jurisdiction of penalties means defining not only the offense but also its degree and extent.
- “Legislation against pornography would cover too much ground and limit the freedom of the press.”
We are often told that in the past “many” worthwhile books have been banned. To be sure, some have been, but their number is not that significant. Man, being a sinner and possessing knowledge often faulty, the laws he passes are quite likely to be faulty also. This has always been the case and will continue to be the case. Should we abolish all laws as a result? Legislation and court action are processes whereby errors in society are corrected and those in the legal process gradually rectified. There is no reason to fear that a law, in and of itself, can remove our liberties.Unless a people have first lost interest in freedom, no state can limit its liberties without thereby endangering itself.
- “Such laws would readily be used by a tyrant to stifle dissent.”
Tyrants do not need that excuse. They find it very easy to manufacture any number of grounds for whatever they do – if indeed they need any ground at all.
- “You can’t legislate morality.”
This smug cliché has been repeated so often that it has taken on an aura of natural law. But what about laws against theft, fraud, libel, rape, incest or murder? Are these laws not legislating morality? Similarly governments can legislate immoral laws, such as the laws entrenching apartheid.
All laws simply codify moral values. The only issue is: whose system of morality will be the source and foundation of our laws? If we do not enforce Biblical law against pornography, abortion, rape and murder, then in all likelihood we will experience the results of enforcing humanist law: legalised child killing and pornography, forbidding of prayer in school, special rights for criminals, especially murderers, and the resultant massive increase in crime, rape and murder.
- “The Internet makes legal restrictions impossible to enforce”
The claim that the Internet cannot be policed is not entirely true. Internet banking fraud and child abuse images are policed internationally and locally and it makes a real difference. Child abuse images are primarily distributed on the Internet and because it is illegal, its circulation is substantially depressed.
Even when porn was illegal in South Africa, some people managed to access it. While we cannot banish porn in any form completely, by making it illegal we can substantially limit its circulation and harm. Images in magazines are more accessible for most and portable than computer images. They are easier to hide away under the bed or show on the playground. As one big player in the porn shops industry claims, the Internet has not affected them at all. “We do not feel any difference in terms of demand. People will always want hard copy in their hands. We do not have people coming in saying, “We are seeing images on computer so we don’t want to buy videos and magazines.” By banning porn magazines and videos we would have a substantial impact on the amount of porn in society.
At the very least making porn illegal stigmatises it, and it is seen by much of society as something wrong and dirty, rather than a “right”.
- “Banning porn will only increase its circulation and appeal.”
The belief that if you make pornography freely available, people will lose interest in it, is naive and ignorant. In countries where pornography has been legalised for years, it has developed into a multi-billion industry. Not only has the porn industry increased in South Africa since its legalisation, one only needs look at the Holland and the Scandinavian countries to realise that porn has not decreased but increased! These countries were historically the most permissive in the legalisation of porn and later became the “pioneers” in the child porn industry. “Between 1969 and 1979 Denmark led the way and legalised all forms of pornography including child pornography. The Danish Theander brothers became the biggest producers of both adult and child porn probably in the world at that time.” Porn made during that period is still available on the net today. The children involved were pre-pubescent, generally between 5 and 10 years old. The titles of the magazines and films they made are revealing: “Sucking daddy”, “Incest Family”, “Fucking Children”, “Schoolboys Orgy” and “Jo and his Uncle”. Incest and child abuse was made to appear normal. Some of the most shocking child porn, which includes babies being raped and horribly abused, is produced and disseminated from Holland (Wêreld Burger, 22 July 1998).
An adult porn producer, formerly based in South Africa, Rudy van Dijk said, “They have a different set of morals as well as a lower age of consent which means they can lure young people into porn movies.” (Cape Argus, 25 Sept 2000) Even pornography producers say they have low morals (albeit hypocritically). So the interest in porn, has not waned there, but has become even more depraved. “Increased exposure does not lead to indifference but to desensitisation, which in turn demands greater stimulation in order to derive the same excitement or pleasure.”
Many of us think these “liberal” countries are fine despite the massive amount of porn they have historically produced and circulated in their own country, but we need to think again. The Netherlands and Scandinavia have very low reporting rates for rape because it is so difficult to get a conviction due to the stress on the rights of the criminals. In Sweden, only the most violent rapes go to trial, and of these there is a one-in-eight chance of conviction. Holland has the highest juvenile suicide rate in the world and is the drug capital of Europe.
- “More porn will result in a decrease in sex crimes.”
A Danish researcher advocated porn as a “safety valve” for potential sex offenders claiming that when the Danish government lifted restrictions on porn in 1969, the number of sex crimes decreased. This has long since been disproved. In fact, the more serious types of sex crimes such as rape actually increased in number and rate following the legalization of pornography in Denmark.
The notion that sex crimes dropped was illusory and due to the fact that a number of sex crimes, including homosexual prostitution, extra-marital incest between close relatives, voyeurism (peeping), and “indecency toward women” or frottage, were decriminalized at the time pornography was legalized, giving the appearance of a decrease in the overall rate of sex crimes. Because they were no longer counting any of those sex offences (which, of course, were still continuing to occur) in their new summaries of sex crime statistics, it appeared that the incidence of sex crimes was dropping.
Also, one investigator, B. Kutchinsky, found that there were unofficial changes in the handling by police of those sex crimes that remained, which also reduced their “reported” incidence, further creating an illusion of decreased sex offences.
- “There’s no proof that porn causes harm.”
This is a claim founded either in ignorance or willful deception. Lindie Wadhams, formerly of Safeline says, “It would be unethical to expose human beings to large doses of pornography… monitor them and their behaviour to the point where the sexual crime is committed and then analyse this process. This cannot be done on ethical grounds. Pro-pornographers capitalise on this.” Similarly, a researcher cannot give someone 30 cigarettes per day for 20 years and then monitor the process of them getting lung cancer, but there are many other ways of linking the causes and effects. Edward Donnerstein, a leading experimental researcher in the field of pornography, points out, “relationship between sexually violent images in the media and subsequent aggression is much stronger statistically than the relationship between smoking and cancer.” Just one article by Catherine Itzin, reviews over 150 studies that prove links between harm and pornography.
Many who ignorantly believe that there is no evidence that porn is harmful have imbibed the lies of the porn industry, which with its massive financial resources, funds public relations firms to establish “anti-censorship lobby groups” with a “freedom of speech” argument. For example the Free Speech Coalition in the U.S. has hired a former “porn star” to lobby politicians and convince law-makers that porn is not just a matter of free speech, but an economic powerhouse. Backed by $300 000 a year, the Coalition persuaded the California state legislature to halt a proposed 5% “sin tax” on porn. This same coalition recently won in the US Supreme Court the right for pornographers to produce and sell pseudo-child porn.
It is customary for pornography advocates to counter such findings by overstating them. For example: “It is ridiculous to suggest that one look at Hustler magazine turns a man into a rapist.” Of course that would be ridiculous: it’s not what the research is suggesting. Or “pornography can’t compel anyone to act in a particular way.” True, and neither did cigarette advertisements (now restricted) compel anyone to buy their products. Or: “Pornography doesn’t affect everyone in the same way.” True, and neither did cigarette ads – but their influence is undeniable.
- “There is a difference between porn and “erotic” material”.
Some argue that not all pornography is harmful, but as South African sexologist Dr Angelo Grazioli says, “To offer allegedly socially redeeming S.E.M. as a reason for unlimited access and distribution of S.E.M. is similarly illogical. That is analogous to restaurant owners threatened with closure by a health inspector attempting to justify their right to serve food by pointing to an edible carrot amongst the spoiled, disease-ridden offerings of their salad bar.
The question is often posed, ‘Are you against erotica?’ The difficulty in responding is to know what the questioner means. The word is used very loosely, some people might be thinking of a ‘soft’ pornographic magazine, others of a sex manual. Any material which encourages sex outside of marriage cannot be condoned. The term “soft-core” pornography is also misleading. The pornographers want us to believe that the material is innocent and harmless but the research as cited in chapter shows very differently.
What about works of art such as nudity on the roof of the Cistine Chapel? We must first recognise the importance of differences between various media. Photography is realistic. A real living woman leaps out of the page. Paintings or statues by comparison convey something deeper than ‘surface realism’. Moreover, the physical beauty of a woman shown naked in a statue does not convey the same domination by men as is often shown by the facial expressions on faces of woman in magazines or on film, nor does it have the same titillating or provoking quality. Of course, there are exceptions which would fail the test because of their realism, explicitness and intention.
- “Pornography can improve your marriage”.
Dr Grazioli is often consulted by people who, because of sexual problems, sought help from S.E.M. He says, “The misguided and ineffective conclusions and approaches this gained frequently lead to an aggravation of the original dysfunction.” In a seminar on sexuality he said, "Anyone whose sex life is improved by watching strangers copulating had a very poor sex life to start with...”
- "This is too dirty and negative an issue for Christians to get involved in."
Of course pornography is dirty. That's why Christians must get rid of it. What parent would use the excuse that because the baby's nappy is dirty they must leave it alone? By this view apathy is "clean", while involvement is "dirty". Rather than dirty our hands in responsible action, we choose to allow pornography to dirty our communities and eventually our families. A Christian must be active - with his or her sleeves rolled up, being willing to get his hands dirty doing what is right.
"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." James 4:17
- "All we can do is pray."
While this answer seems quite spiritual, it's not Biblical. In Joshua 7 we read of the shocking defeat suffered by the people of Israel at Ai. Joshua tore his clothes, fell face down before the ark of the Lord and remained in prayer until evening. The Bible then records God's response:
"The Lord said to Joshua, `Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated My covenant which I commanded them to keep... that is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies!'" Joshua 7:10-12
In effect, God rebuked Joshua - Why are you praying? There's sin in the camp! Get up and consecrate the people. Root out the evil from your midst. Prayer is meant to be a foundation for obedient action, not an excuse for inactivity and disobedience.
- "These are the End Times! This is another sign of the end, so it would be pointless to fight pornography when it's inevitable."
In this negative age of defeatism, Christians so often consider defeat inevitable. But the Scripture teaches us that what is inevitable is the ultimate victory of the Kingdom of God (Daniel 2:34-35,44). Christians are not doomed to defeat but called to victory (Psalm 2:8,9). It is an abuse of the doctrine of the imminent return of Christ to use it to excuse our apathy and inactivity.
God requires us to work regardless of external circumstances (Luke 12:37-48; 19:13-26). He defined the faithful servant as the one who was not influenced by the delay of his master but continued to faithfully carry out his master's business. By way of contrast, the unfaithful servant is the one who allowed his perception of when his master would return to excuse his inactivity (Matthew 24:45-51).
"We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies... As for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right." 2 Thessalonians 3:11-13
What Are We Afraid Of?
These excuses are probably not the real reasons why most churchgoers avoid the social issues and moral battles of our day. The real problem is within our own hearts. Most choose to avoid the tough moral issues and flee from the battlefields because of fear. Fear of laborious and unpleasant hard work. Fear of criticism, controversy and conflict. All too often we have let the fear of man keep us from honouring and obeying God.
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10
The Scripture declares that: "To fear the Lord is to hate evil" Proverbs 8:13. The Lord rebukes Christians who are lukewarm (Rev.3:15), who tolerate evil (Rev.2:20) and who compromise (Rev.2:14-15). The Lord commends those who cannot tolerate wickedness and who hate evil (Rev.2:2-6). We should fear God and not man (Luke 12:4-5). If we love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind (Mark 12:30), then we will want to demolish every obstacle that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ (2 Cor.10:4-6). Our love for God and for our neighbour should be our most compelling motivation to fight pornography in our community.
"Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7
Anne Mayne The Links Between Adult and Child Pornography, Sexual Exploitation of Children, South Africa:1999.
Anne Mayne, The Links Between Adult and Child Pornography, Sexual Exploitation of Children, South Africa:1999.
Doreen Meissner, Pornography as it impacts on Children – a Challenge in The Pornography Debate,1998.
J.H. Court, Pornography & Sex Crimes.” Intern ational . Journal of Criminology & Penology, 1977.
B. Kutchinsky, “Toward an Explanation of the Decrease in Registered Sex Crimes in Copenhagen.” Tech. Report of Commission of Obscenity and Pornography, 1971 cited in Dr Victor Cline, Pornography’s Effects on Adults & Children, 1993.
“Public Hearings on Ordinances to Add Pornography as Discrimination against Women” in Pornography and Sexual Violence: Evidence of the Links, 1983.
“What the research tells us about the potential adverse effects of porn consumption ”, Richard E Drake. Paper presented at University of Utah Psychiatric Institute, 1999. Cited in Introduction to Vol 1B of The Pornography Debate, 1998.
Dr Marlene Goldsmith MLC (NSW, Australia), Pornography and Sexual Violence, 1993.
“Hard-core porn is outselling cinema in America”, Cape Argus, 12 Sept 1998.
Dr Angelo Grazioli, Pornography in South Africa, 1995.
False Images, Nigel Williams, pg 24
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON HOMESCHOOLING
Why Homeschooling?
Many people have questions about the merits of homeschooling, but what can not be denied is that academically homeschoolers consistently out-perform children in state schools. The gap has so widened in the USA that universities are now offering scholarships specifically for homeschoolers because they want to attract the better students.
But what about socialisation?
Although it depends on the family, most homeschooled children are better socialised than public school children are. They are taught to relate across age-barriers, relating with older and younger siblings, and adults within the community. The public school child is forced into an unnatural set-up of having 35 children in one class, all of the same age (this is very unnatural - what working environment has 35 employees, all the same age in one small room?). This allows for negative peer pressure and a "pack" mentality to develop - the children against the teacher, against the authority figure, against authority in general.
Isn't homeschooling isolating your child from the world?
Hardly, your child will be exposed to the ways of the world and worldly ideas by simply turning on the television, opening a newspaper or simply going to the mall. However, by leaning a Biblical worldview, your child will learn to identify the worldview and underlying philosophy of the material presented and re-interpret from a Biblical perspective. Your child will be in the world (to make an impact for Christ and His Kingdom) but not of it (being fashioned after its superficial customs and philosophies).
What about exposing your child to the ways of the world?
Biblical Christian education is not putting your head in the sand and ignoring all other worldviews. The Biblical Worldview is able to stand-up to any worldview under the sun. True Biblical Christian education exposes your child to all other worldviews so that they may be understood fully and fairly. This results in a "double education" - your child will understand what he believes (the Biblical perspective) and why and what he does NOT believe (the humanistic perspective) and why.
Isn't homeschooling and Christian education retreating from the world?
This is a possible danger, but Biblical Christian education is never retreatist. What is unfair is sending an eight year old Christian child into the battlefield of ideas, as a missionary, to face an adult with 12 years of humanistic schooling and a four year degree from a humanistic university. This borders on cruelty and any expectations for the child not to become confused about what mommy and daddy taught him at home, or to make a difference for Christ is completely unrealistic. A better strategy, as demonstrated now historically in the USA, is that homeschoolers having a 12 year education in the Biblical Christian Worldview, before being sent into every area of life with vision, Godly character, and a firm understanding and grasp of the Biblical Worldview. This generation is beginning to impact on American culture. Optimistic commentators are suggesting a reformation in the USA. South Africa and Africa desperately need this.
What about sport, music, art and other important learning areas?
Most homeschooling providers encourage parents to enroll their children in a gymnastics, ballet, ice skating, or sports club of some sort. Some private and public schools (with a sympathetic principal) allow homeschoolers to join their sports programme even going as far as joining a "school house" for sports day. As for music and art - not all schools offer this subject anyway - private tuition for piano and other instruments is possible.
What about the time, finances and effort?
Yes, time, finances and effort are a reality. For the parent, homeschooling is full-time, because of this, it often keeps one parent out of a money-earning job. Homeschooling does require effort, but sacrifice makes for a powerful faith. Families can work around this by "cottage schooling" - homeschooling families get together to share the load and structure their time accordingly. Parents strong in one area can take both sets of families on a convenient day of the work, reducing time restraints and allowing the parent to work part-time or flexi-time. Grandparents are another alternative.
What about the more difficult academic subjects?
This is probably the greatest concern to parents considering homeschooling and it comes down to CONFIDENCE. No teacher knows your child better than you do. They average over 35 children in a class (and at high school they have about 7-8 different classes through the cycle/week) - this leaves about one minute - per child per lesson - of individual time. Parents have a greater interest in their child's education than a teacher or the Education Department and care a whole lot more. Most homeschooling curriculums are designed to encourage self-learning and are sufficiently structured to build your child's knowledge base so that by the time they reach the senior grades they have sufficient skills to work out and think through concepts for themselves. Most homeschooling bodies also provide support services to homeschoolers to help over any difficult patches, and with "cottage schooling" parents strong in certain subjects can always help out. You need not be alone.
Will my child's homeschool certificate be recognised at tertiary level?
While the focus of education should never be to go to university (it should be raise a child in the way he should go, i.e. as God has ordained, according to the calling upon his life), the proposed changes to the education laws will seek to clamp-down on this. Homeschooling is still legal in South Africa and growing daily. Most homeschoolers are writing two exams - the national one and an international one such as Cambridge O-levels. This is an added advantage in the context of globalisation.
So why homeschool (or send your child to a Biblical Christian School)?
There are many reasons that include:
| 1. | Educating your children in the knowledge and fear of God is a Biblical mandate. |
| 2. | Homeschooling holds the family together. With globalisation impacting on the family - homeschooling could be the way to go. Homeschooling helps bridge the generation gap. |
| 3. | Homeschooling allows parents to shape their children rather than the negative peer pressure associated with public schools. This will help to fulfill a multi-generation vision. "A wise man leaves an inheritance to his children's children" (Prov. 13:22). This inheritance is material, spiritual, includes character and vision and destiny. |
| 4. | Homeschooling will help protect your child's innocence. Don't be deceived, once organisations like loveLife have gotten hold of your children's greatest sex organ - their brain, it is difficult to go back. Once innocence is lost - it is lost! |
| 5. | You will have greater peace of mind knowing your child is being raised in a godly way, with godly foundations that can carry them through the storms that life brings. |
| 6. | Your child will have a superior education, have greater individual attention, and stand a greater chance in life. They will learn practical lifeskills like keeping budget, cooking and managing a home. |
| 7. | Your child will be able to relate to people of all ages. This impacts in the classroom - younger siblings can be inspired by what older siblings are learning. Older ones can teach younger ones. |
| 8. | You will have more flexibility; for example you can take your family holidays out of season, which will save money. This flexibility is extended to the curriculum allowing you the freedom to design exciting and relevant topics and projects. |
| 9. | While you are teaching your child, you will learn at the same time. This is particularly exciting if you are following a Biblical Christian curriculum as most of us went to public schools and got a humanistic education. |
What about the parents who can't afford to homeschool or send their child to a Christian school?
Do not despair, many parents are in this situation. The most important thing is to care and that means being vigilant. Go through each evening what your child learnt at school that day (perhaps over supper) and discuss the lessons, help them think through the concepts and re-interpret from a Biblical perspective. Examine your child's textbooks, get an idea of the content. What is also highly recommended is to subsidize your child's education using Christian materials, for example - politics, Gary de Mar's series, "God and Government" is excellent, and there are also fantastic Christian books on history from a Christian perspective. The Safety Net Plan by Dr. Paul D. Lindstrom is an excellent help for parents with children in a public school. The options are endless.
A word of caution
Check out the homeschooling provider before using their curriculum. There is a movement in Christian Homeschooling today of excessive flexibility, so that one can allow the "Holy Spirit to lead". Although this added flexibility is an advantage of homeschooling, it can often be an excuse for laziness and sloppiness. The Biblical model is "precept upon precept, line upon line" (Is 28:10). This results in a more structured curriculum, with knowledge structures being layered with increasingly more advanced concepts that build upon one another. In educational terms this is known as "vertical knowledge structures" - these acknowledge the body of knowledge that has been up built up over history and the relevant authoritative sources (with it's foundation being the Bible). It is important that you seek an education provider that thinks in these terms.
For more information contact: Theocentric Christian Action (TCE) - www.homeschool-tce.co.za; or visit Christian Liberty Books website for homeschooling materials - www.christianlibertybooks.co.za (you can order online).
