Shot Famz

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Wow, cool, the event is called “Shot Famz”, haha. I call my family “Famz”, and we say “shot” as a colloquialism for thank you, but they made it into a pun, hahaha! So relatable. I bet that’ll be lit[1] because they’re using the same slang words as me! Hang on a second… Kai boxes[2] and candy packs??? Now I’m definitely getting an irreversible medical procedure. Yooooo… DJ music! That’s so hip hop. I’m gonna call all my usos,[3] and we finna[4] turn up! Lesh go![5]

[1] Lit: When something is turned up or popping … John: did you go to that party last night? Daquan: yes that shit was lit

[2] The Māori word for food is kai.

[3] In Samoan, “Uso” means brother.

[4] Finna: Abbreviation of “fixing to”. Normally means “going to”… I’m finna go da’ sto!

[5] Leshgo: NZ SLANG MEANING: Let’s do this, excited, let’s go… Yo leshgo have some cones gee!

Love Your Neighbour and Get Your Vaccine?

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One of the most common arguments that has been repeated again and again across the last year and a half is that we should all get vaccinated to protect the vulnerable. Or in Christian circles, we should get vaccinated as an act of love for our neighbours. The expanded version goes on to talk about how we might not be worried for our personal health with respect to COVID, however, if we are unvaccinated and gather in groups, we place others at risk. We should not stubbornly hold on to our personal rights and preferences at the expense of others. To do so would be unloving and selfish. If we can reduce the risk that others face from COVID why would we not get the vaccine? Some even go further and suggest that because of these considerations, it is right and just for the government to mandate vaccines for large swathes of the population.

While I can see the appeal of this kind of argument, I am convinced that this reasoning is massively inconsistent with the Biblical framework for ethics.

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Theology of Government and COVID – Part 4

Welcome to part four of this series looking at a Biblical theology of government and certain applications to our current cultural moment. For links to the other installments, see the list below.

  1. Principle #1 – Civil Governments have a Legitimate Authority
  2. Principle #2 – Civil Governments have a Limited Authority
  3. Principle #3 – Theocracy is Inescapable
  4. Principles Applied
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Theology of Government and COVID – Part 3

Welcome to part three of this series looking at a Biblical theology of government and certain applications to our current cultural moment. For links to the other installments, see the list below.

  1. Principle #1 – Civil Governments have a Legitimate Authority
  2. Principle #2 – Civil Governments have a Limited Authority
  3. Principle #3 – Theocracy is Inescapable
  4. Principles Applied

In today’s episode, we are looking at the third principle and thinking about the fact that all nations are, in fact, theocracies. The question is, which God is in charge?

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Theology of Government and COVID – Part 2

Welcome to part two of this series looking at a Biblical theology of government and certain applications to our current cultural moment. For links to the other installments, see the list below.

  1. Principle #1 – Civil Governments have a Legitimate Authority
  2. Principle #2 – Civil Governments have a Limited Authority
  3. Principle #3 – Theocracy is Inescapable
  4. Principles Applied

In today’s episode, we are looking at the second principle regarding the limited authority of civil governments.

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Theology of Government and COVID – Part 1

Here in New Zealand, we have once again been subjected to a nationwide lockdown. Churches are closed, the nation is on house arrest, and you can only go to work if the government deems your work essential.

I am convinced that one of the premier problems facing the Christian church is a disgraceful complicity with the idolatry of the state and a woefully lacking theology of government.

By the end of this series, I want to make the suggestion that churches and church leaders are morally obliged to disregard our government’s lockdown orders and reopen the church as soon as possible. But before we get there, we must lay some Biblical foundations. Foundations that have been eroded for decades and are about to cause a collapse of the entire house.

What I want to do here is lay a ground-up foundation for Biblical principles regarding our theology of government and then make application to our current cultural moment. My hope is that we might all be able to take a step back and reconsider some of our assumptions about the role of government and our obligations before God in relation to government edicts.

Across this series, we will look at three core principles and then some applications regarding our current cultural moment. here is where we are heading:

  1. Principle #1 – Civil Governments have a Legitimate Authority
  2. Principle #2 – Civil Governments have a Limited Authority
  3. Principle #3 – Theocracy is Inescapable
  4. Principles Applied

This first installment explores principle one. Enjoy.

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The Fall of The Hypocritical and Sanctimonious Pink Haired Scientist

Readers of The Sojournal will be aware that we are not huge fans of the Pink Haired Scientist. We’ve complained about her lectures here, and political bias here. Having left home we feel that we do not need to be hectored and bossed around and mothered. While many citizens seem to love being treated like little children, we prefer not to be molly-coddled by females in the public sphere who in some strange paradox deny the natural order of domesticity and motherhood, and then attempt to domesticate and mother the world.

Needless to say, there was anger and frustration in some quarters when the BFD broke the story of Siouxsie’s lockdown jaunt and the ignoring her own advice to mask up when leaving the house. The mainstream media had sat on the story and eventually they were forced to mention it when the BFD published further details which showed that Siouxsie had extended her bubble to include another scientist who seems to enjoy lecturing us about following the lockdowns ‘properly dammit’. Of course the bought and paid for government whore media painted this as an evil right-wing plot and the pink-haired maiden called it misinformation. Yes, Siouxsie, whatever you say. Let’s hope all the drones wake up and smell the hypocrisy of our elites and start asking questions.

The reality is, we now know that Siouxsie does not think this virus is as dangerous as she has led us to believe. She doesn’t seem to think she needs to wear a mask while sitting outside next to a friend, so why should we. As one wag pointed out, “It would be hypocritical of me to complain, as I’ve always ignored her advice as well.”

At least watching this video can give you a bit of light relief in these dark times.

Conversion Practices Prohibition Submission

Dear Prime Minister Ardern and Minister Faafoi,

I greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing this submission to implore you by the authority of the God of Nations, to abandon this bill and turn from the unjust and wicked spirit that would compel you to write it in the first place.

Both of you bear the honourable title “Minister” and occupy an office worthy of respect and submission. The very title “Minister” as it pertains to civil rulers, comes from the Bible. Romans 13:1-4 teaches that governing authorities are God’s servants (literally ministers) who are obliged to punish evil and praise good. Therefore, Christians are commanded to be in subjection to your God-ordained authority.

Be that as it may, you have betrayed the solemn responsibility of your office. Your authority to govern comes from God. Yet you have betrayed that authority and trust by supporting and promoting this bill. Rather than obediently honouring God in your office, you have sought to usurp authority that was never given to you. You have attempted to take the rights and responsibilities that belong to God alone.

You will give an account before God for the following:

1. The deceptive nature of this bill

From the outset, this bill has been an exercise in manipulation through the control of language. When we hear the phrase “conversion practices” most ordinary people think of electric shock therapy and other abusive practices that do not currently exist in New Zealand. This is clearly intentional. You have intentionally lumped these abusive practices in with ordinary Christian teaching as a bait and switch to coax along ignorant chumps.

You clearly don’t think too much of ordinary New Zealanders, but we see through this. When a teacher, like myself, offers Christian counsel to a student confused about their sexuality, we should not be lumped together with torturers and abusers.

From the beginning, this bill has been championed by radical anti-Christian activists like Shaneel Lall. It is clear that this bill has been designed to target Christians. That much is plain. What is more subtle is the deceptive way you have gone about it. The bill purports to target “conversion practices”, when in reality, it targets those who are trying to affirm boys, girls, men and women in their gender.

2. The unjust treatment of Christian pastors, parents, and teachers

As Christians, we recognise that this world was made by, and is governed by God. He has made mankind as male and female and heterosexual marriages are the natural expression of sexual desire. All attempts to overthrow this creation reality are highhanded rebellion against the king of the universe. We recognise that since Jesus died to pay the penalty for sinners like us, we should gladly submit to his righteous standards for ethical behaviour and moral living.

We teach others to turn to Jesus, recognise him as Lord, and obey all his teachings. This is foundational to our obligations before God. This means that we will indeed teach that God has made boys to grow up into men who love and marry women. This means we will encourage our children, students, and congregations to live in accordance with all that God made them to be. We will teach people to be transformed by the powerful word of God and supress lewd and sinful sexual desires. We will teach people not to rebel against God by seeking to be a member of the opposite sex. We will explain the destructive and perverse results of lifestyles that fail to recognise God’s created order. And we will teach against the radical LGBTQ ideology that is being promoted by our government and many other institutions.

As a teacher in a Christian school, I cannot abide by the proposals of this bill. By definition, I would be castigated as a criminal because all the students I teach are 18 years or younger. Criminalising people like myself for teaching the Christian message and worldview is reprehensible. By doing so you are inviting the judgment of God and placing yourselves under his curse.

Additionally, these laws absolutely exceed the sphere of authority that has been assigned to you. You have no right to tell parents that they can’t encourage their children to live out a Biblical sexual ethic. They are not your children!

All those who set themselves against the Lord and against his people will be held in derision and will come under the wrath of God. Stop seeking to punish the good and righteous teaching of God and his people.

3. The promotion of child abusing LGBTQ ideologies

The real danger to our children and to society is the radical and destructive ethic of the LGBTQ movement. The real and dangerous conversion therapy is practiced by those who seek to chemically and surgically overturn the created order of God. Promoting rank and open rebellion is what should be outlawed, yet this government has demonstrated time and time again that they have no interest in truth and justice.

In order to know how to live and flourish in this world, we must be directed by the life changing message of the gospel. The law of God teaches us how we can best love God and love our neighbours. All other worldviews are ultimately doomed to failure. At the top of the list of destructive worldviews would be the God-denying, self-promoting worldview of radical individualism.

We do not have the right to define what it means to be human. We are creatures. Only the creator has ultimate say about what and who we are, and he has spoken, both in his word and in creation. All attempts to silence his voice can only lead to disaster.

Conclusion

Jesus Christ is Lord. By virtue of his death and resurrection, he has assumed the place of highest authority. He has all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, your authority is a derivative authority. This means that your authority is limited. You do not have the right to legislate immorality. Jesus will judge ministers harshly who have abandoned their duties and who have engaged in open rebellion and warfare against him.

Be that as it may, Jesus is a kind and compassionate ruler who loves to show mercy. In fact, he died to take the penalty for wicked and rebellious servants. He died for homosexual rebels, transgender rebels, and tyrannical rebels. He died to save them from the penalties of their lifestyles, and he now lives to transform them to be made new in Christ.

Recommendations

By the authority of Christ, you are commanded to repent. Abandon this bill. Assign it to the trash heap. Repent for your self-aggrandising lust for power and autonomy. Recognise that Jesus is Lord. Recognise that the only way to govern justly is to do so in light of his Lordship!

If you turn to Christ, you will find him to be a perfect saviour. You will find that his stipulated standards for righteousness and justice are the measure by which you should rule.

I will be praying that you do this.

In Christ,

Ethan Apollo Aloiai