"The Narrow Road": Blogs By Shane Kastler

My Letter to the Kansas City Star Regarding Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor

I recently wrote a letter to the Kansas City Star regarding the appointment of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.  I was writing to concur with a commentary the Star printed by National Review's Jonah Goldberg, who was their "token conservative" for May 28th.  My letter appeared in the June 2 edition of the Star, and can be seen on their website by clicking here.  You can read Goldberg's excellent commentary by clicking here.  If you don't want to click anything, my letter is written below:

Dear KC Star:

Jonah Goldberg (5/28, Opinion, “Empathy, impartiality on judicial collision course”) gave the greatest disqualifying factor for Sonia Sotomayor’s appointment to the Supreme Court. President Obama has vowed to appoint a justice who would break her own oath of office to “administer justice without respect to persons” by appointing someone with “empathy” toward people’s “struggles.” Obama wants a social worker rather than a judge. Sotomayor fits the bill, saying her “Latina” heritage means she would make better decisions than a white male.

We need judges who will do their job and uphold the law, not make decisions based on “empathy.”

I commend Goldberg for pointing out something that should be obvious: Sotomayor is unqualified. But I doubt the Senate has the spine to do the right thing. As usual, they will do what is politically expedient and punish the country with another federal judge who will thumb her nose at American law.

Shane Kastler
Pleasanton, Kansas

An Open Letter to Christians Regarding the Election of Barack Obama

Dear Christian,

The election of Barack Obama as our 44^th President will undoubtedly have a profound impact upon Christian Pastors, Leaders, Evangelists, Missionaries, and Lay people at large. While Obama isn’t the first liberal elected to the office – He is quite possibly the MOST liberal ever elected, and potentially the most opposed to Biblical Christianity. Many don’t seem to understand this because they look at him and see a friendly, handsome, articulate man who seems to be quite decent. But his stated views are antithetical to Scripture…some of his record is downright evil (i.e., partial birth abortion/ infanticide), his associations are leftist to the point of being Marxist (a claim he admits in his autobiography), and many of his advisors are clearly outspoken in their contempt of Biblical Christianity.

As a Pastor…and as an American, I’m currently prayerfully analyzing what changes may take place on the American landscape during an Obama administration…and how we as Christian leaders should respond. Here are some thoughts:

1. Pray. Pray for Obama and other leaders. This may be pride swallowing and difficult to do. But Scripture commands us to do it. (see 1 Timothy 2:1-2) As I study God’s Word, I realize that God is sovereign over all things…both good and evil. Consequently, that also assures me that God is more than able to change the heart of any world leader; no matter how entrenched he is in his views.

In the Old Testament, Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar was so vile and wicked that he repeatedly persecuted God’s people and put them do death. He demanded worship, as though he were God…and he got away with it, until the REAL God said, “No More!” Nebuchadnezzar’s mental faculties were impaired to the point that he behaved like a cow for 7 years, until his wicked heart became a repentant heart and he praised the true God of Heaven. (see Daniel 4:4-37)

The point of this story is not to wish for God to turn Obama into a cow…but to wish that God would turn Obama into a Christian. You may flinch at this and say he’s already a Christian…but no one who’s heard the infamous Jeremiah Wright preach could rightly assume that Wright even knows the gospel…much less preaches it. And one cannot look at Obama’s views and conclude he is born again….If he was, the conviction of opposing, something like the Born Alive Infant Protection Act would eat him up.

Therefore we must pray for Obama’s salvation…and we must pray that he would truly govern in a way that pleases God. Of course in order for this to happen, he will have to buck the advice of some of his closest advisors…or he’ll have to replace them with other advisors. Both are worthy prayer considerations.

2. Prophesy against the Nation’s Sins. When I say to prophesy, I’m not referring to predictive prophesy whereby we seek to foresee specific events. Nor am I referring to prophecy in terms of “new revelation” from God. The canon of Scripture is complete, and God has spoken clearly. Our job as 21^st century “prophets” is to proclaim that written word, in power, in completeness, and in love. Unapologetic Apologists (defenders) for the truth of God’s Word. I believe it is impossible to look at our current political landscape and not see that our ministries will have to take on a clearly prophetic and confrontational tone. And we find no greater example in Scripture than that of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah’s world was eerily similar to ours. Israel/Judah had once been godly, but in his day they were rebellious, relativistic, severely depraved, and apostate. God would judge the nation unless they repented. And Jeremiah would proclaim this message to a nation that closed its ears and mocked the messenger. Sound familiar? Jeremiah’s calling is the calling of all Christians in 21^st century America. Nobody wants to hear the message: “Repent or perish!” But it’s the only message that is faithful to God, and it’s the only message that will save man. Christian pastors will have to “gird up their loins” and prepare for spiritual battle. They will have to toss aside the silly, self-help, psychobabble that permeates American Christianity…and take up the prophet’s mantle to call a nation of sinners to repentance. And those who don’t have the backbone for it will need to find a new line of work in Obama’s promised booming economy. Any pastor who doesn’t have the courage to speak out against the sins of the people in his church, nation, or government is Biblically unqualified for the office he holds and should remove himself, lest he force God to remove him by other means.

I’m currently teaching through Jeremiah on Wednesday nights…and I’m amazed at the similarities between then and now. Furthermore, my good friend Scott Tibbetts, missionary to Thailand, recommended I read Francis Schaeffer’s Death in the City, which is a penetrating analysis of how American culture in our day mimics that of Israel in Jeremiah’s day. Schaeffer rightly observes that America was once a nation that largely knew and respected God’s Word. But that America no longer does. Ironically, Schaeffer originally wrote this book in 1969….if he could only see what America has become today, (he died in 1984) he would know just how accurate his analysis was.

It’s never popular to preach against sin in a roomful of sinners. But we cannot preach the gospel of salvation, unless we point out that there is something to be saved from. A Savior is of no use to someone who doesn’t understand they need saved. And the good news of the gospel cannot be properly shared, without the bad news of sin. Jeremiah was called to speak out against the specific sins of his day…so must we. Abortion is the intentional murder of a defenseless child…and we must thunder that from our pulpits. Homosexuality is a bizarre perversion of God’s intended design…and we must thunder that from our pulpits. Gay marriage is a mockery of the family and a brazen attempt to nullify all marriage as hokey and meaningless…and we must thunder that from our pulpits. Some may say that “thundering” is the wrong approach. But “thundering in love” is the Biblical approach. We cannot deny how passionately we feel about these vital truths and be sincere to the culture that already often accuses us of hypocrisy.

These things may seem easy to speak against for some preachers…but let’s see how easy it is if Obama’s ilk succeeds in having such proclamations classified as “hate speech” that is illegal under new “hate crimes” legislation. How many preachers will have the nerve of Peter and John and say, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20 NASB) My prayer is that many will boldly speak God’s Truth, by God’s grace and in God’s power…regardless of the consequences. Will this make us popular with society? No. Will it make us faithful to the God whom we serve? Yes. And that’s all that matters. Schaeffer rightly said: “Christianity is not romantic and soft. It is tough-fibered and realistic. And the Bible gives us the realistic message that Jeremiah preached into his own days, a message I am convinced the church today must preach if it is to be any help in the world. Let us not be surprised at the world’s reaction. The Bible makes it plain that this message is going to be poorly received by a church in revolt and by a culture in revolt…So if you are a Christian looking for an easy ministry in a post-Christian culture, you are unrealistic in your outlook. It was not to be so in Jeremiah’s day, and it cannot be so in a day like our own.” (Death in the City, By Francis Schaeffer, Volume 4 of Compete Works, pg. 226)

3. Politics won’t save America…and politicians certainly won’t. Politics by its very nature is the art of making compromises to get things accomplished…but some things must be off the negotiating table when it comes to political deals…and as Christians we must make this clear to our elected representatives.

I’ve heard many Republicans say in recent days that the party needs to become more liberal, so as to include more people. This is a colossal mistake. John McCain didn’t lose because he was too conservative. He lost because he was a middle of the road, left-leaning Republican who seemed much more comfortable placating Democrats than he did inspiring Republicans. Conservatives embraced him begrudgingly, at best. And for good reason.

But the calling of the Christian is not to sell out God’s truth for the sake of political expediency. The calling of the Christian is to stand for God’s Truth come Hell or high water. Some are saying that Conservatives need to soften their stand on social issues like abortion and gay marriage so the Republican Party can “expand its base.” But this will only serve to obliterate the base and turn the party into a slightly less liberal version of the Democrat party. So future elections will be between two nearly identical versions of the same political hacks who have gotten our country into the mess it’s in today. Though politics will never save America, we should use the governmental system we’ve been placed in to fight for the moral decency of God’s Truth.

Take Daniel as an example. Though placed in a pagan Babylonian culture, Daniel refused to bend in his allegiance to God; while at the same time serving within the government of the wicked nation. By so doing, he was a Godly voice in an un-Godly society…and he didn’t do it by going soft on his beliefs. He did it by staying true, and speaking out at the peril of his life. Too many of our political leaders today are only concerned with lining their pockets and expanding their power. The thought of taking an unpopular moral stand for the sake of truth is foreign to them. We need more Daniels.

It is my sincere conviction that Christians must answer the call during such perilous times as these. Our nation has lurched left, but we must stand for what is “right.” As Christians, we can truthfully say that “Our God Reigns” – and His Sovereign power trumps all politicians, parties, nations, organizations, armies, and people. Ultimate power doesn’t reside with the government, nor with the people. Ultimate power belongs to God. So it is with full confidence and faith in the power of God to protect, embolden, and save that we as Christians must commit to courageously living and speaking the truth of God. It won’t be easy, but it will be necessary, if we are to be obedient to our God, and a witness to our culture. Prayer, Prophesy, and Politics in the way that I have defined them, is what we must commit ourselves to. We stand on the precipice of potentially dramatic changes to our country and our freedom. Edmund Burke said: “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” Good and Godly men (and women) must act. We must be courageous. We cannot be cowards. Our country has enough of those already. The coming days in America could be very interesting. I wonder aloud, how the people of God will respond. I wonder how Pastors will respond. I wonder how YOU will respond.

Best Wishes,

Shane Kastler, Pleasanton, KS

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” Psalms 91:1-2 (NASB)

Letter to the Editor on Abortion

Below is a Letter to the Editor I wrote regarding some of the abortion positions held by our U.S Congressional candidates.  It appeared in Wednesday's edition of the Linn County News. I know some of you don't live in the area, so you don't take our local paper. But you can get it delivered to your mailbox every week and keep up on the excitment of Linn County politics, which usually makes National politics seem mild and boring by comparison. I also write a weekly religion column for the newspaper called "Seeking Higher Ground"--which would be another good reason to subscribe.  (Click here for details) Now on to the letter...

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Dear Editor,

I was intrigued by some of the answers I read in last week’s primary election supplement on the issue of abortion. Current U.S. Representative Nancy Boyda said, “Abortion is a complex and difficult issue that does not lend itself well to labels.” With all due respect to Rep. Boyda, plunging a needle into a baby’s skull is not really that “complex” of an issue to figure out. If she needs help “labeling” this action, I’ll be glad to oblige her. The words: “barbaric”, “inhumane”, “vile”, and “evil” all come to mind. Boyda went on to say, “I consider every abortion a tragedy.” And yet it’s a “tragedy” that she repeatedly supports with her congressional vote, given her 100% approval rating from the Pro-Choice America Foundation (www.prochoiceamerica.org). Why would she vote to support “tragedies?” It’s an embarrassment for such hypocrisy to represent honest Kansans in Washington. Lynn Jenkins claims to be pro-life, “with exceptions.” Does our society make “exceptions” as to when it’s allowable to murder innocent adults? Then why should we have “exceptions” for murdering innocent children?

The truly sad part is that women should be leading the fight to ban this vicious practice, rather than defending it. Any mother who knows the feeling of an unborn baby’s flutter, or has heard a precious fetal heartbeat, or who has seen the ultrasound images of fingers, toes, eyes, arms, legs, heart, and brain; should succumb to their God-given conscience that cries out to them that abortion is wrong. Sadly, too many women in our society have bought into the radical feminist lie that the “right” to kill your own young should be protected. Instead of protecting the “right” of the young to live, breathe, and grow without threat of a doctor’s needle, or a confused mother’s “choice.”

It’s deeply disturbing that our nation has morally plummeted to the level of actually debating whether it’s alright to kill our children. To varying degrees, the two ladies running for the 2^nd district House seat have both said that it is alright, at least in some cases; and in so doing they have placed political ambition ahead of the innocent, feint throb of the unborn baby’s heart. Both ladies have bought into the lie that a woman’s “right” is more valuable than a child’s life. Shame on them for parroting the rhetoric of “choice” rather than defending the rights of a helpless child.

I’m not a Democrat, nor am I a Republican so I have no political axe to grind. I simply want to see common sense and decency win the day where innocent children are concerned. Quite simply, when I go to the ballot box, I will vote pro-life – without hesitation, regret, or “exception.” My hope is that others across our land will do the same and perhaps we can begin the process of ending the national nightmare of “choosing” to destroy our young.

Shane Kastler

Pleasanton, KS

My Letter To The "Kansas City Star" On Kelsey Smith & Political Correctness

Today's Kansas City Star published my latest Letter to the Editor concerning the Kelsey Smith Murder.  Mary Sanchez, one of the Star's editors, wrote a column on Tuesday suggesting that the reason people cared so much about the Smith murder was because she was pretty and white.  The Star's editors are constantly writing columns griping about racial prejudice that isn't there.  Don't get me wrong, I know racism still exists in some ways, but not to the extent the liberal Kansas City Star wants to pretend it does. 

My annoyance with the Kansas City Star's editors is not just that they are liberal.  It's that they're liberal AND extremely poor writers.  Their columns tend to ramble.  Their arguments are illogical. (kind of like my blogs)  And a lot of times they're completely wrong about "facts" they state.  I don't mind professional writers arguing for something I disagree with, just as long as their arguments make sense.  The KC Star's editorials seldom do.  I recently wrote a letter concerning Lewis Duiguid's sloppy, left wing columns.  This one is concerning Sanchez. 

In my letter, I cite the "Precious Doe" case as an example that people care just as much about "minority murders."  In case you're not from the KC area, "Precious Doe" was a 2 year old black girl that was found decapitated in a wooded area in KC a few years ago.  The public outcry was TREMENDOUS, as it should have been.  The murderer was eventually captured, and "Precious Doe's" true identity was established.  The point is that Precious Doe wasn't "white and pretty" as Sanchez would say, yet people still cared just as much.  The racism charge simply doesn't stick, and Sanchez's column was an unnecessary slap in the face to the Smith family.  Of course, it was typical KC Star journalism.

OK, enough background information.  Click here to go the KC Star website and read my letter.  Click here to read Sanchez's column that sparked it.

Have a good day, and don't forget to call your Dad tomorrow for Father's Day.  By the way, Dad, in case your reading this I won't be able to call tomorrow, so please accept my cordial "Happy Father's Day" from the blogosphere.  Ditto for Jack, my "Dad-in Law."....and Grandpa Johnson.  Have a great Father's Day!

Pastor David McKinley’s Letter to The Kansas City Star On Capital Punishment

I think there’s something about the air particles that reside in the pastor’s office at The First Christian Church of Pleasanton. Something here compels a person to write and publicize when they see injustices done. I’ve written several letters to the editor over the years…as well as over 100 blogs because sometimes you have to speak out, lest you start to loose sleep over your silence. It must be the air in my office. But I’m glad to see my predecessor David McKinley still has some of that contaminated air in his lungs as well. This morning’s Kansas City Star published a letter to the editor from David, concerning the Kelsey Smith murder and the need for the death penalty to be pursued in this case. I am in complete agreement with David, and was glad to see him using his prolific pen to influence Kansas City for the good. To read David’s letter, as well as the comments from readers, you can go to the Kansas City Star’s blog site, by clicking here. When you do, you’ll notice the first commenter was some guy named Shane who whole-heartedly agreed with Rev. McKinley.

In other blogs, including one I recently wrote on Kelsey Smith, I’ve stated my strong belief in the validity of capital punishment. Another letter to the editor, included with David’s, mentions the need for lessened gun control so someone like Kelsey could legally defend herself in such a situation. While I don’t want to step back into the gun control debate in this blog (though I’ve made my thoughts known on that topic as well), I do think it is very telling to note that the man who murdered Kelsey Smith could possibly get ONLY 25 years in prison, while Kelsey, if she had a gun and defended herself, could have ended up with a similar sentence (if not worse). The philosophical and moral issue here is that in an ironically twisted way, the government at times protects cold-blooded murders with greater zeal than it does innocent, vulnerable citizens (abortion is a classic example as well). It’s just another indication that our justice system in in danger of going AWOL from its original purpose of keeping the peace by protecting the citizens from psychotic savagery like the Smith murder.

Thanks David for writing your letter. I’m glad to see the KC Star did the right thing by printing it. Let’s hope and pray that justice is served to the fullest extent of the law in this case. So maybe future tragedies like this one can be avoided.

My Letter To The "Kansas City Star" About Gun Control

Last week I wrote a letter to the Kansas City Star that was published in this morning’s edition (April 30, 2007). Lewis Duiguid, who is Vice President for Community Relations for The Star wrote an editorial last week on Gun Control. In his article he cited the Branch Davidian incident in Waco, TX and the Oklahoma City Bombing as reasons. I was first chapped because he had the year for both events wrong. As a native Okie, I remember well the bombing in 1995 (not 1997 as he wrote). I also thought his arguments were illogical and ridiculous. Why would you cite a bombing in an article about Gun Control? At any rate, you can click here to go the KC Star website version of my letter, which also has a link to Duiguid’s original editorial.  On The Star's web version, you'll also be able to read people's comments to the Letter, which is always interesting.  Though they're not always very flattering towards "yours truly." 

Speaking of non-flattering comments about me....check out some of the comments on my "Transgender Kids" blog, it appears to have "struck a nerve" with some.  Just keep in mind, the words of Jesus:   "Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets." (Luke 6:22-23) 

“Kansas City Star” Update: My Letter and the 3 Letters Opposing Me

In a recent blog I mentioned a letter to the editor I sent to the Kansas City Star in which I opposed Star reporter Bill Tammeus for his comments that “the Bible doesn’t condemn homosexuality.” Obviously he’s wrong. And the Star published my letter on November 29, along with another letter supporting Tammeus’ view (click here to read them). This morning’s edition (12-4-06) of the Star published 2 more letters---both opposing me (click here to read them). Their arguments are ridiculous…one letter accuses me of mis-interpreting the Bible because Leviticus condemns homosexuality, along with numerous other dietary restrictions (don’t eat shellfish, etc.). Her point is that these are old-fashioned laws that should be ignored. Well, first of all, my letter didn’t quote Leviticus it quoted Genesis 19. I guess my opponent didn’t want to address the whole “Sodom and Gomorrah, Fire and Brimstone” thing. Be that as it may, there is still a HUGE difference between Shell fish and Sodomy. The New Testament makes clear that the dietary laws of the Old Covenant are no longer binding in the New Covenant. But homosexuality is a moral issue,,,,and both Old AND New Testaments condemn homosexuality. My opponent’s next argument was that I quoted the Apostle Paul, and we should never rely on him…because he committed the unpardonable sin of being……dare I say it……. “anti-LIBERAL.” I know it’s silly, but that really was her argument. Of course she can disagree with Paul all she wants, but the last time I checked the book of Romans was still apart of the Bible. And my letter said, the Bible condemns homosexuality. Rather than refute my argument (which in all honesty is irrefutable) she instead chose to attack the Bible….and me for being foolish enough to believe it. She then questioned my marital status and wondered if I also condemned divorce. Sorry lady, I’m still married to my one and only wife….and she’s a female. It was a nice attempt to change the subject, but the truth about homosexuality remains.

She then uses another frequent argument of the “pro-gay” group. She claimed Jesus ignored the issue. WRONG! Jesus said, “From the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.' For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife.” (Mark 10:6-7) Jesus addresses both divorce and homosexuality in this verse. Notice the gender language Jesus uses. “Male, female, man, and wife” make a pretty clear statement on sexuality, don’t you think? Besides, Jesus endorsed the entire Old Testament in this statement: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” (Matt. 5:17-18 NKJV) Now for the next letter…

This enlightened gentlemen accuses me of being “childish” for taking the Bible literally. His argument is: “we have to embrace new views, otherwise we’ll be a stumbling block to those who enjoy their sin.” Or something along those lines. Since I’m so childish and unenlightened….let me take the corn cob pipe out of my mouth, adjust my bib overalls, pick my bare feet (don’t know how to tie them shoes out her’ in Pleasn’tn.) and quote a verse or two (sorry for the sarcasm……but it’s sometimes justified…even the hillbilly known as the Apostle Paul used sarcasm occasionally in Scripture). Let’s listen to Jesus (by the way he was an uneducated carpenter), “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” (Luke 18:17) Maybe a “childlike” approach to Scripture isn’t so bad after all. It certainly takes childlike faith to enter the kingdom of God. Should we have faith that the Bible is right and Jesus (and Paul) know what they’re talking about? I think so. Does this makes us fools or does it make the opponents of Scripture fools? Let the Holy Spirit (by way of Paul) answer that one. “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” (Romans 1:22-24 NASB)

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“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.’ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” (1 Cor. 1:18-21 NKJV)

Ironically, this gentlemen accuses me of taking Scripture out of context…and he “puts me in my place” by taking a quote of Jesus’ DRASTICALLY out of context. In fact, it’s a verse I used in Sunday’s sermon about CHRISTIANS loving one another. The verse says nothing about homosexuality. In all honesty the verse says nothing about lost people….it’s a commandment for Jesus’ followers to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. (John 13:34-35) Should we love the lost? Absolutely….we should love them enough to tell them the truth about sin, eternity, Jesus, Satan, holiness, and depravity….and in so doing we must address the favored sins of our day….one of the biggest being homosexuality. Pretending the Bible doesn’t address homosexuality, and attacking those who speak the truth isn’t loving. I want the confused masses of America to see the light, be convicted of their sin, and turn to Christ. It might surprise my opponents to know that I hope Heaven is full of homosexuals……homosexuals who realized the depths of their sin and turned from it in repentance. Carrying on in depravity will lead them down one road only: eternal destruction (1 Cor. 6:9). And I don’t wish that upon anyone.

In all honesty, these people are horribly confused when it comes to Scripture. If we are to be faithful to the Lord, we need to “pray for our enemies” so you might pause to pray for Elaine and Richard. They’re eyes are obviously blinded by “the ruler of this world.” (Eph. 2:1-4) But they’re blindness doesn’t eliminate their guilt in rejecting God’s Word. And the fact that they publicly oppose someone who speaks the truth just shows the depths of their sin….and it increases their future judgment. They have heard the truth….and have freely chosen to reject it. The world, and the Kansas City Star may praise them…..but it’s the Lord they will stand before when this life ends. Rejecting God’s Word as “old-fashioned” and “unenlightened” will be a dangerous mindset when they stand before God’s Throne in judgment.

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P.S.---I could take every one of my opponents arguments and address them more thoroughly…but to be honest, I don’t have the time. I’ve already got a thing or two going on this week. My wife’s havin’ a new ‘young un’ this week and I got to get her up to that ther City so one of dem educated saw bones can deliver fer us. We don’t got none of dem new-fangled hospitals out her’ in the sticks.” And besides, the Kansas City Star only allows letters to be 150 words. That’s just enough space to rip someone….but not quite enough for the “rip-ee” to refute. My blog will probably have to do…..but who knows….I DO still have the Kansas City Star’s address…

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My Latest Clash With the "Kansas City Star"

I don’t know why I read the Kansas City Star…..It usually just irritates me…at least the “Faith” section on Saturdays does.  My conflict with them goes back several years.  They have a special section in which they have 2 local ministers answer some deep religious question.  Of course 95% of the ministers they ask are WAY LEFT liberals….and they also ask Hindus, Muslims, Jews., etc.  Anyway, back in 2000 they asked some question about whether or not homosexuality was wrong.  Both “ministers” (one Catholic and one Unitarian) gave “pro-gay” answers….and it galled me.  Don’t get me wrong….I expect those kind of answers from liberals…..what galls me is when they claim God and Scripture to be on their side with such lunacy.  So….I wrote them both letters…and I wrote Helen Gray at the KC Star.  Gray was very polite and said she understood my point of view (although I suspected she was rolling her eyes as she said it)….the Catholic ignored me…..the Unitarian got “hoppin’ mad” at me….and we exchanged a couple of letters.  I should probably point out that the tone of my personal letters is usually a little different than my tone in a pulpit sermon….and rightly so.  There’s a difference between telling a group of people “thus saith the Lord” and pleading with an individual privately, “thus saith the Lord.”  The point is…I was very polite with the Unitarian…..I told him that the Bible was quite clear about homosexuality and that I lovingly encouraged him to re-think his views.  When it was all said and done (after his initial tirade against me)…he told me he would read the verses I gave him (I’m not sure he’d ever really read the Bible)…and that we may just have to disagree as brothers in Christ.  Needless to say…I didn’t consider us “brothers in Christ” but that’s another story.

            A few months ago I wrote a “letter to the editor” critical of The Star’s religion editor Bill Tammeus.  He basically wrote that Christians who thought their way was the only way to Heaven were motivated by fear and ignorance of other religions.  I called him on it….and surprisingly The Star printed it (click here to read it:  http://blogs.kansascity.com/unfettered_letters/2006/06/faithfulness_no.html).  I think they like to print a letter critical of themselves every once in a while so they can claim to be impartial (yeah right)…..But Tammeus is out of control again….so I’ve written another letter. 

            Last week Tammeus said that ministers who believed in Hell were preaching something that was “a figment of their own imaginations.”  Obviously, I took offense because I’m one of those ministers.  But more importantly….the Bible makes it pretty clear that Hell is real, and many are going there.  So for a “Faith” reporter to “poo poo” the idea of Hell is dangerous….and irritating.  THIS WEEK…Tammeus defends gays….He says Ted Haggard should embrace his gayness and quit calling homosexuality a sin….because it’s damaging to do that. Now, I’m not surprised that Tammeus believes this way….he’s a typical liberal…but in his article, he claimed that neither God, nor the Bible condemn homosexuality…..and that’s just dead wrong. (to read his article click here (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/living/religion/16090442.htm)

            With that said…..I wrote another letter to the editor that will probably not get published…..and so….now that I have my own blog site…..I’ve chosen to publish it myself.  You can read the whole thing at the end of this blog.  The Star only allows letters to be 150 words….which is really hard for me to do.  If you read my blogs, you know that some of my “titles” are more than 150 words…..But that’s all The Star allows, so I have to play by their rules…..and so I do.

            Perhaps you’re wondering….. “doesn’t Shane have anything better to do with his time than criticize the KC Star?…..he’s obviously fighting a losing battle.”  Well, you’re probably right…on both counts.  But here’s my reasoning…..I’m more than likely NOT going to change Bill Tammeus’ mind.  Seventy-something year old liberals aren’t going to change their squirrelly views because of one of my letters.  BUT….Tammeus and others like him need to be held accountable for their "Biblical dishonesty."  Guys like him are TREMENDOUS stumbling blocks to other people.  And stumbling blocks need to be confronted….and preferably removed.  Of course Tammeus recently retired (HOORAY) then the KC Star turned around and hired him back as an independent consultant and reporter (BOOOO).  Anyway….I think he stepped WAY OVER the line this time….so I called him on it.  We’ll see what happens….but here’s the letter I sent them: 

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Dear KC Star,

So what Bible is Bill Tammeus reading anyway?  Last week he criticizes those who believe in the existence of Hell (though Jesus spoke of it often).  This week he suggests the fallacy of those who “think the Bible and God condemn gayness.”  Saying that after “careful study” he has found the Bible has “precious little to say about homosexual acts.”  What’s he talking about?  Both the Old and New Testaments consider homosexuality to be sin (See Genesis 19 and Romans 1 for examples), and the “precious little” the Bible says is all bad.  God and the Bible actually have some pretty strong opinions on the matter.

            Tammeus can believe whatever he wants.  But to suggest that God and the Bible don’t condemn homosexuality is patently absurd and asinine beyond belief.  Maybe The Star should accommodate Tammeus’ liberal ramblings by publishing him under the category of Opinion rather than Faith.

Sincerely Yours,

Shane Kastler

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By the way…..these big-time, liberal indoctrinators, also known as "print newspapers"….are dying a slow (and I think much needed) death.  Things like the internet, talk radio, and cable TV news have really been taking a chunk out of the KC Star’s wallet.  Now, we can get our news from Fox as opposed to choking down The Star’s left-leaning swill….so there is some cause for hope.  In my opinion the only print newspaper worth reading is the Linn County News (www.linncountynews.net).  Its NOT skewed with liberalism….it actually allows people like ME to write a column….and MOST IMPORTANTLY….I get weekly updates on what the Murrays are having for dinner in the "Trading Post News." (Ha Ha……Sorry Kirby….But I really DO find it interesting.)

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If you’re near Pleasanton, I hope to see you at church tomorrow…..the sermon will be about How to Know You’re a Christian (from 1 John 2:3-6).  If you’re NOT near Pleasanton….you will be able to hear the sermon on my blog site within a day or two.  Needless to say….it’s a pretty important topic……