I stand with Ingrid Schlueter on this issue, I am dismayed that Dr Zacharias would even agree to not mention the name of Jesus so as to not cause offence to other religions And for him to even say that he would pray with other religions for our nation is horrendous!
I have had great respect for Dr. Zacharias’s defence of Christianity but it seems he may be capitulating and giving into to too much intellectual pragmatism instead of standing in faith and accepting the persecuton and loss of public stature that comes with refusing to pray in any other name but Jesus Christ!
What does this say about such men, when they have not even faced any REAL persecution that they agree so easily to capitulate to public pressure and shrink from mentioning the name of Jesus?
It is sad to say, but we will see more of this!
On Christ the Solid rock I Stand! All other ground is sinking sand!
The 2008 Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer, Dr. Ravi Zacharias, is refusing to pray in the name of Jesus Christ in his prayer posted on the official NDP website. Dr. Zacharias’ prayer can be read here. A receptionist with the National Day of Prayer in Colorado Springs stated that the Honorary Chairman’s prayer does not include the name of Jesus so as not to offend the Jewish participants in the event, and that others are free to pray in Jesus’ name if they desire. Contrast that betrayal of Jesus Christ with the faithfulness of the first martyr, the Apostle Stephen, who died in a hail of stones for his fearless preaching of Christ crucified to the Jewish religious leaders of his day.
According to the truth of God’s Word, the entire counsel of God, we do not pray in “God’s Holy Name” to God the Father. We pray to God the Father in the name of His only Son, Jesus Christ, who alone provides us access to the Father. It is appalling that Dr. Zacharias is willing to capitulate to the un-Scriptural, interfaith ecumenism and discard the name of Jesus. NDP Chairwoman, Shirley Dobson, owes a biblical explanation to Christians around the nation as to why the name of Jesus is absent from the official prayer. We are not here as Christians to appease those of other world religions. We cannot come to God except through His Son’s righteous merits. To pray as “Christians” in any other way is both a farce and a mockery. While other believers around the world are dying for that name, in America, Dr. Zacharias will not even breathe that name in his official public prayer because it might “offend”.
If evangelical leaders want God’s help in the midst of America’s deepening national crisis, we must come to Him on His stated terms, not ours. Either God’s Word is truth, or it is not. There is no middle ground. There are no special interfaith prayer models in Scripture for evangelical activists hoping to maintain conservative political coalitions. Such tacit denial of Jesus Christ will court God’s righteous wrath, not His blessing. Dr. Zacharias owes an apology to those throughout history who have paid the ultimate price for their fealty to King Jesus. May God grant repentance to those pragmatic evangelicals who place cultural concerns before Scriptural truth.
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
–Philippians 2:10-11
Contact the National Day of Prayer headquarters in Colorado Springs. Ask them why the 2008, Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer, Dr. Ravi Zacharias, is refusing to pray in the dear name of our Savior? You can contact Dr. Zacharias’ ministry here to ask him where the name of Jesus is.
How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
’Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.
Dear Name, the Rock on which I build,
My Shield and Hiding Place,
My never failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace!
By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.
Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
O Prophet, Priest and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.
Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I’ll praise Thee as I ought.
Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death!
–John Newton
Ashamed of Jesus at the National Day of Prayer
MEDIA ADVISORY, April 24 /Christian Newswire/ — The 2008 Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer, Dr. Ravi Zacharias, is refusing to pray in the name of Jesus Christ in his prayer posted on the official NDP website. Dr. Zacharias’ prayer can be read here. A receptionist with the National Day of Prayer in Colorado Springs stated that the Honorary Chairman’s prayer does not include the name of Jesus so as not to offend the Jewish participants in the event, and that others are free to pray in Jesus name if they desire. Contrast that betrayal of Jesus Christ with the faithfulness of the first martyr, the Apostle Stephen, who died in a hail of stones for his fearless preaching of Christ crucified to the Jewish religious leaders of his day.
According to the truth of God’s Word, the entire counsel of God, we do not pray in “God’s Holy Name” to God the Father. We pray to God the Father in the name of His only Son, Jesus Christ, who alone provides us access to the Father. It is appalling that Dr. Zacharias is willing to capitulate to the un-Scriptural, interfaith ecumenism and discard the name of Jesus. NDP Chairwoman, Shirley Dobson, owes a biblical explanation to Christians around the nation as to why the name of Jesus is absent from the official prayer. We are not here as Christians to appease those of other world religions. We cannot come to God except through His Son’s righteous merits. To pray as “Christians” in any other way is both a farce and a mockery. While other believers around the world are dying for that name, in America, Dr. Zacharias will not even breathe that name in his official public prayer because it might “offend”.
If evangelical leaders want God’s help in the midst of America’s deepening national crisis, we must come to Him on His stated terms, not ours. Either God’s Word is truth, or it is not. There is no middle ground. There are no special interfaith prayer models in Scripture for evangelical activists hoping to maintain conservative political coalitions. Such tacit denial of Jesus Christ will court God’s righteous wrath, not His blessing. Dr. Zacharias owes an apology to those throughout history who have paid the ultimate price for their fealty to King Jesus. May God grant repentance to those pragmatic evangelicals who place cultural concerns before Scriptural truth.
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. — Philippians 2:10-11
http://christiannewswire.com/news/374126370.html
An Update:
Calls and emails have been coming in today after I sent out this press release which I posted yesterday on Slice. I want to summarize the issue and add some thoughts. Dr. Ravi Zacharias is the 2008 Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer Committee. That’s an official organization in Colorado Springs. The National Day of Prayer was originally a Presidential proclamation calling on the people of the United States to pray for the nation. The target of my press release was very specific. The organization known as the National Day of Prayer Committee is headed by Shirley Dobson, wife of Dr. James Dobson. She is a Christian. Christian leaders from around the country have routinely been a part of their promotion of the event. So where’s the difficulty? Dr. Zacharias’ official prayer on the organization’s website, both in print and in audio form, carefully does not mention the name of Jesus Christ. Instead, the phrase, “In God’s Holy Name, Amen” is substituted. I learned that this was not an accidental slip, an oversight or a mistake. I called the organization in Colorado Springs yesterday and was told that the omission was deliberate so as not to offend Jewish participants at some of the events around the country. Rather than limit their organizational thrust to strictly Christian observances of this particular day, the organization calls this a “Judeo-Christian” event. Therein lies the crux of the controversy. In the last several years, Jewish groups have been complaining that the ‘religious right’ has hijacked the day and they claim they have been marginalized. I am not sure why these Jewish groups would not start their own National Day of Prayer organizations and observances, but the net result is that Christians are becoming increasingly willing to participate in Jewish/Christian prayer services, and now Dr. Zacharias is even willing to eliminate the name of the Savior to keep peace. If Dobson and the National Day of Prayer leadership tries to go backwards now and only make this a Christian organization, fur will fly. By not putting Christ first initially, they’ve created a real problem for themselves. We simply cannot make Christ disposable to keep our political/financial platform firm.
My press release was not a wholesale attack on the idea of a day of prayer. But the question must be asked, who are we praying to? In a nation that is polytheistic, Christians shelving the name of their Savior to “not offend” is only adding to the spiritual confusion in our country. Adding to the problem are decades of interfaith culture war activism that have created coalitions across religious lines. While the thought of all social conservatives across religious lines working together to save America seemed like a good idea, it is interesting to trace what has happened in the last 20 years of this kind of coalition building. What has happened to the church and the Gospel, that is.
1. The evangelical church is openly accepting heresy that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. For a man like Brian McLaren to be invited to and welcomed at a supposedly evangelical church like Willow Creek while denying hell, the substitutionary atonement and the Second Coming of Christ is about as good of an example of this as exists. The church is welcoming monstrous error into its midst and nobody seems to raise an eyebrow.
2. While there are claims of progress in holding back the radical homosexual political agenda in some states, and while some claim abortions are down, ironically, moral corruption with the church itself makes headlines every week. Pastors busted for porn, for child molestation, for abuse of every kind. The ever worsening cultural filth in media pours into Christian homes today, creating pastors and church members who are up to their necks in the world and the flesh and who have language that is so bad it would have been offensive to non-believers only a short time ago in our country. Additionally, Christian schools have become repositories for the children from these same evangelical homes where the world has full sway. Ask any Christian school principle or teacher what they have to deal with now that wouldn’t have been conceivable only a short while ago. This is the church, folks.
So while Christian activists who care about America have admirably been out trying to damp down the eruptions of hell all over this country, the church has been growing sicker by the moment, the resulting worthless, man-centered, faux gospel has been substituted for the real thing, and our nation only continues downhill on greased skids. In other words, while evangelical leaders focused on electing the right President and restoring Mayberry, USA, the enemy was walking boldly in the door of our unprotected churches. Ironically, the church is ending up looking as bad as the world as a result.
The bottom issue is that we can’t compromise the name and Gospel of Christ so that we can still run interfaith political action committees to end temporal problems in this country. I’m not against working against these evils and have, in fact, done so for many years in Christian information radio. I also don’t believe in a doctrinal litmus test before you sign some guy’s petition against higher taxes or whatever. We can work on public policy issues with those we don’t theologically agree with. But we must never stop being outspoken representatives of Christ whatever we are doing. If we work with Jewish people, Muslims, Mormons, etc. in the civil sphere, we can’t allow that to impede our sharing the truth with them when given the opportunity. We can’t put more value on their political influence than on their soul’s worth. And we must not worship together or pray together with those who reject our Savior. We must keep our Christian integrity. We must be faithful. Jesus must come first. That is the point.
http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com/?p=654
Dr. Zacharias Ministry Responds in Email to Reader
Below is an email just received by a reader who wrote to the Ravi Zacharias ministry. I have emboldened certain phrases that are key. My response follows.
Thank you for your recent email to Ravi Zacharias. I am responding on his behalf. We are sorry that the comments you have heard or read regarding Dr. Zacharias’s prayer written for the National Day of Prayer have caused you dismay. We appreciate the opportunity you have given us to respond to some of the troubling statements you may have heard made by Ms. Schlueter.
Because we take your comments seriously, we want to be as accurate as possible in addressing issues on behalf of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, Dr. Zacharias, and Mrs. Shirley Dobson. In the next day or two, therefore, the National Day of Prayer Task Force will post a statement of clarification on their perspective. The website can be found at http://www.ndptf.org .
Let me offer you some clarification on behalf of Ravi Zacharias. First, the National Day of Prayer is a United States Government sponsored event. As such, prayers made at the event must reflect the Congressional declaration that this be a day of prayer for the nation by people of faith. As Christian believers who participate in this event, we do not seek to homogenize faith or creed, but we participate with all who seek to pray for our nation. There are forces at work in our country that would seek to ban events like these if they appear partisan or biased in any way.
Second, the prayer that Dr. Zacharias wrote is based on the Judeo-Christian principles found in Scripture, and Dr. Zacharias will have the privilege of speaking at the National Day of Prayer event in which he will present a biblical message with clarity and power. In addition, Dr. Zacharias addresses his prayer specifically to our “Holy Father” which is a distinctly Judeo-Christian way to address God, and is not easily confused with other religious/faith traditions. The parameters for the prayer are in accordance with the National Day of Prayer Task Force, and as an invited guest, Dr. Zacharias seeks to honor the guidelines he was given by the organizing committee(s).
Finally, I would simply close by reminding you that all of the Old Testament heroes of faith prayed to God, and in his own teaching, our Lord Jesus Christ instructed his followers to pray: “Our Father…” (see Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4). Of course, Jesus himself prayed to God. Dr. Zacharias’s prayer directly aligns itself with our Lord’s teaching and prayer manner, and should be viewed in this light. Dr. Zacharias has devoted his ministry to upholding the centrality and exclusivity of Jesus Christ for salvation, and he will continue preaching this message with boldness and sincerity of faith.
###
My response:
Bold Quote #1. The National Day of Prayer is not an event, it is a decree. People can hold events anywhere in synagogue, mosques, churches, wherever they choose. Dr. Zacharias may have chosen to show up at an event sponsored by the “United States government”, but there are many events being held in churches that have nothing whatsoever to do with something sponsored by the government, the same government that court-martialed Capt. Gordon Klingenschmitt for praying “in Jesus name” as a Navy chaplain.
Bold Quote #2. Ravi Zacharias’ ministry now says, in writing, that they participate with all who seek to pray for our country. That would obviously include Buddhists, Sikhs, Muslims, Jews, Mormons, Wiccans and anyone else who prays to a false god. Which “god” does not appear to be a concern.
Second Part of Bold quote #2. This quote is amazing. “There are forces at work in our country that would seek to ban events like these if they appear partisan or biased in any way.” So here we are as the supposed chaste Bride of Christ, running around in fear of an official polytheistic government, praying generic prayers devoid of the name Jesus Christ, bowing and scraping before the great god of civil government so that they won’t ban our meaningless religious ceremonies. What are we? Stealth Christians now? This is what happens when Rick Warren’s Three-legged stool model of societal transformation brings the state together with the church. The church must rid itself of “partisan” or “biased” language to gain acceptance. What would the United States government think of Jesus’ biased language, “Repent and believe the Gospel”?
Bold quote #4. This quote is baffling. “Dr. Zacharias will have the privilege of speaking at the National Day of Prayer event in which he will present a biblical message with clarity and power.” I thought the National Day of Prayer was a “government sponsored event” in the first quote. If he can’t pray in Jesus’ name, how is Zacharias supposed to preach ‘with clarity and power’ without the name of Jesus? This is either very fuzzy writing or there’s a contradiction here.
Bold Quote #5. This quote sums it all up.
“The parameters for the prayer are in accordance with the National Day of Prayer Task Force, and as an invited guest, Dr. Zacharias seeks to honor the guidelines he was given by the organizing committee(s).”
When “organizing committees” set the parameters for our prayer and not the Scripture, this is where the problem begins. When we ’seek to honor’ men rather than God, this is what happens. Just once in my life I would like to see a big name Christian apologist/evangelical leader do what is right in God’s eyes and ignore what man has to say.
I posted numerous Scriptures below in my post, “The Powerful name of Jesus”, that lay out why we pray as Christians in Jesus name. Dr. Zacharias knows this far better than I with his vast education. What we have here is something very simple. It’s called pragmatism and capitulation. If the government gathering for the National Day of Prayer refuses to allow you to pray in your Saviour’s name, you decline the invitation and tell them why. You give up the spotlight. You refuse to participate. You keep your integrity. Dr. Zacharias has refused to do that.
http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com/?p=655
A Christian Responds to Zacharias Ministry Email
The following is an excerpt from a Christian who responded back to the Zacharias ministry regarding his deliberately Jesus-free official prayer.
…In a society that has made it politically incorrect to even mention the word “Jesus”, and in an environment where every religion but the exclusive Christian faith is celebrated it was disturbing to see Dr. Zacharias bow to the pressures of evil at work in our society by agreeing to the guidelines. I would have declined the invitation.
During George W Bush’s inauguration, Franklin Graham ended his inaugural invocation with “We pray this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen. ” and Kirbyjohn Caldwell ended his “We respectfully submit this humble prayer in the name that’s above all other names, Jesus the Christ. ” This event was decidedly a Government Sponsored event as well, and neither man backed down from a bold witness for Jesus at this visible time.
Christians worship a Savior. His name is Jesus Christ. Our Scripture teaches us to pray in His name. Old Testament Saints did not yet know His name, so the correlation isn’t exactly one for one.
I will repeat it was disappointing to hear from Ingrid’s website about Ravi falling into line with the current dynamics in our society. I have a ton of respect for Dr. Zacharias. But, I also believe that persecution is coming and coming fast. As Christians we need to stand boldly for our Lord against the forces of society that seek to wipe out our freedom to spread the gospel at all. When men of Dr. Zacharias’s caliber do not uphold that standard it doesn’t help our situation at all. As for the National Day of Prayer Task force, if they are now against our freedom to pray in Jesus’ name, I will be sure to not support their organization any more.
Try to look at it this way. If the Apostle Paul were invited to a convocation of worshippers of the gods of Rome on a day designed to pray for Rome, would he have withheld the name of Jesus from before the pagans just because Caesar’s Senate made some declaration that it was to be a day of prayer for all peoples? I sincerely do not believe he would have. America was founded as a Christian nation by Christians with freedom for others to worship how they saw fit. No, we do not impose our beliefs upon others. We can not mandate Christianity. But neither should we bow down to demands which make mandates upon us which forbid us to do that which God has asked us to do in His Word. We should pray in Jesus’ name. It is only because of Jesus that we have any standing to pray to God at all. If we come on our own, He will not hear us. If we just pray in the generic ‘God’, we are making it comfortable for those whose belief in false gods is sending them to a burning Hell.
http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com/?p=657
This is very disappointing. I can’t still believe it. Of all the people, I thought Ravi would stand for something – specifically that he would stand for the name of Jesus.
Can’t believe it!
How Sad about Ravi Z leaving Jesus behind to avoid offending “man.” Maybe the Holy Spirit will speak to him in a special way before Prayer Day. SOS International http://www.soshelp.com Maybe there is a character flaw here, not seen before.
I found your articles and comments regarding Ravi Zacharias to be so disappointing and incredibly hurtful. You attacked his character, his credibility, his effectiveness, and his faith and I shudder at the words and accusations that were made. This is a man who has dedicated over 30 years of his life to boldly preaching the Gospel, who regularly goes into hostile settings and not only proclaims his beliefs in Jesus Christ but defends the faith as a whole and has led many to believe. He has risked his wellbeing and at times his life in the environments he has put himself in to share what he knows and believes to be true about Jesus Christ, and done so in arenas I would venture to say few of us will find ourselves in. He has sacrificed what is often physically healthy and given up time he would have rather spent safe and sound with people he loves to dedicate himself to an intense itinerant life. Others around the world including those from the Middle East and Asia who know risk and persecution well recognize the weight and impact of what he has done for the sake of the Gospel. And yet from another Christian he is broken down and you have chosen to condemn him. Your claim that he refused to speak of the name of Jesus is completely without merit. The prayer you have targeted so vehemently is undoubtedly a Christian prayer, and honestly it strikes me as so sad that we have reached a point where we even criticize each other’s conversation with God. You don’t have to like him, you don’t have to like me. But for you and others to question his commitment and his courage is going too far and leaves me deeply saddened and personally offended. I know the character he has, I know the price he has had to pay, I am aware of the risks he has taken that as his daughter, I selfishly wish he wouldn’t. And with limited knowledge and gross misrepresentations, you have made claims about him and his ministry that are not right. I am a committed Christian, and yet I can honestly say that what has proved to make my faith most difficult is not in what I know or what remains mysterious about God, it is not the prayers that don’t get answered the way I hope, it is not whether or not life turns out the way I think or want. It is when I see fellow Christians deliberately say and do something that is so damaging and hurtful, and when they do so using the name of Christ and righteousness. As one who grew up in ministry and Christian circles, this is my biggest challenge and the source of my greatest hurts and disillusionment in life.
My father would never respond to you defensively or in kind with insults and assumptions. He is not that way. He does not know I am writing, and if he did I am certain he would tell me to simply let it go. His calling is from God, he lives his life to honor him, and he knows that is what matters. However, I unfortunately did not inherit all of his graciousness and special wisdom and feel the need to voice my thoughts. I am choosing to trust that you are seeking the truth and so will hear and consider my words. His life speaks for itself, it needs to defending, and He has lived it for God and not for man. I believe that should be said, but there is something further as well. Whether in political circles or in something like this, I wish people would remember that these individuals are real people with real families. They have children, they have spouses, they have people who care about them. You cannot slander someone and think you are not also slandering and hurting his
family as well. You have taken a man’s entire life’s work and with the aid of one piece of inaccurate information you have tried to question his entire faith and effectiveness. I watch news reports and often feel a pang of hurt, hearing what is said about someone and imagining how I would feel if that was said about my father or my mother or someone I cared about. On behalf of the Chelsea’s, the Barbara’s, Jenna’s, and Laura’s of the world, I would ask that we all keep this in mind with our words. I do not at all know what it is like to live in the spotlight and fishbowl that they do, where it seems anyone all over the world is allowed to rub salt in deep wounds and hurl insults without boundaries, thought, or even merit at times. But I do know, from choices such as yours, on some level how it feels to have untruths said about your father, to see someone make harsh judgments that are so inaccurate to the person they strike, and feel deeply wounded at the injustice
and inaccuracy and inappropriateness of it all. First and foremost, truth should prevail. Our words should be accurate and true, and remember that behind every figure stands a number of people affected by what you say and do. It is one of the more beautiful parts of life and yet one of the most vulnerable as it is can be easily wounded by anyone who chooses to see themselves outside of the boundaries and limitations of truth and graciousness.
I know you have a challenging and demanding job and appreciate your position and role in community and society. I do wish you God’s best, and thank you for considering my thoughts.
Sincerely,
Naomi Zacharias
Naomi,
Thank you for your comments and thoughts, and I want to be diplomatic and clear. I have not made any disrespectful comments about your father. I have had great respect for your father and what he has done all over the world to very intelligently defend the Christian Faith.
However and I say this respectfully. I hope your father will consider these articles with a great deal of thought.
As there is a very subtle effort on today, one that starts out as a very gentle slope but eventually turns into a very steep slippery slope of compromising certain things out of pragmatism and what seems to be political expediency.
Yes Christian Values are coming under increasingly heavy attack, and the natural human “fleshly” tendency is to close ranks with those who seem to agree with you on certain issues and will also defend those specific issues with you.
But as I said this is a human “fleshly” tendency. Not a Biblical Spiritual tendency.
And when you are a person held in high regard, and you have great influence, you must be very careful not to let even the small and what seems to be inconsequential begin to erode your stand for what is this foundation of our Faith: Jesus Christ as our Savior, the name above all other names, and his sacrifice for each one of us at the Cross! That must at all times be a rememberance and part of a Christians public prayer. It is the core of public exposition of the Christian Faith.
When you begin to give way on such issues as agreeing not to pray in the name of your savior, no matter WHO you are, you have begun that march down that gentle slope that leads to the slippery slope of compromising your faith.
So in the end, it will not matter what knowledge you have, or how well you can articulate your defence of the Christian faith, your words will be for naught. It will only be an intellectual exercise!
My question for your father would be, is, if it is ok to not pray in Jesus name, and just in the name of “God” then does he consider, the “god” of Islam the same as the God of the Bible. Many who defend Christianity within an intellectual framework, use the ideology of “Occam’s Razor” to decide that since Muslims pray to one “god” and Christian pray to one God, therefore the are both praying to the same “God”.
God Bless you and your family and my earnest prayers are that your father will choose persecution for proclaiming loudly the name of Christ over agreeing not to mention his name in order to be part of the popular and influential.
John Baker
Naomi,
I sympathize with the pain you are feeling. However, I am very concerned that the National Day of Prayer task force decided to not mention Jesus name in order to not offend Jewish participants. Why are they deciding to have Jewish participants in this event anyway? How can we as Christians pray on an even footing with people who deny that Jesus is the only Savior and Lord of mankind? They have said in the past that while the NDP was decreed as a day for people of all faiths to pray, they organized the Christian aspect of it only. Why the change this year?
Because of these very deep concerns and the grave danger I see in them, I am very concerned about your Father’s agreement to be a part of this under these conditions. He has accomplished much for the Lord in the past. I hope nothing will happen to change that in the future.
Cheryl
NDP is required to allow other participants. THe history of the National Day of Prayer outlines this and makes it very clear. What is tragic to me here is that you all, with claims of having respect and acknowledgement of the way he has lived his life, took what you read by Ingrid and John at face value. And John, sir, you have only furthered the speaking of untruths and something that has slandered someone. You didn’t even check your facts, and they are wrong. It is heartbreaking, to be honest.
Naomi,
with respect you are wrong. you just showed via your own words why your father should not have agreed to take part in this event:
“NDP is required to allow other participants.”
Since it is required to allow other participants it means that it conisders all other religions and views of equal value and importance in the National day of prayer and further to the “spiritual” wlefare of the Nation!
And we know as Christians that there is only one faith that is the true faith, and that is the Christian Faith!
So we as Christians cannot participate in this type of interreligious ecumenical prayer gathering, as it makes a mockery of Jesus Christ being the way the truth and the Life, and the only way by which anyne can be saved and further the only person that we as Christians can pray to, in order to be heard by God!
If you as a Christian agree to stand shoulder to shoulder with those of other religions in a day of “prayer” you are in effect giving a very public approval of their religion and who they pray to!
So no one has spoken untruth’s or slandered your father.
I would direct you to this article:
Dr. Ravi Zacharias decides not to pray at all during National Day of Prayer event
https://truediscernment.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/zacharias-decides-not-to-pray-at-all-during-national-day-of-prayer-event/
and to what the Jewish Rabbi who spoke at the beginning of the NDP stated:
“…whether you are a Christian, Jew, Buddhist, Muslim or some other religion we are EQUAL in prayer before God.”
This is horrendous! And should alert any Christian to what is wrong with the NDP and why they cannot, if they clam to be a True Follower of Christ agree to participate in any such event.
Naomi,
Please defend this statement that opened the Task Force’s event on Capitol Hill. This Rabbi is lying. There is no biblical defense for participation in this kind of event.
We have just learned that Ravi Zacharias did pray at the prayer event at the White House and refused to pray in Jesus name. The excuses from Naomi about it being a “”government sponsored” event are laughable. This is what the civil liberties law firm, Liberty Counsel wrote about Dr. Zacharias’ official prayer on Wednesday night:
“There are recent indications that some with the Task Force may be bowing to pressures to try not “offend” non-Christians by praying in Jesus’ name. Honorary Chairman Ravi Zacharias plans to deliver a prayer at an interdenominational National Day of Prayer event in Washington, D.C. Instead of invoking Jesus’ name, his written prayer concludes, “In God’s Holy Name.”
Zacharias’ prayer stands in stark contrast to the first prayer of the Continental Congress, which was delivered on September 7, 1774 by Reverend Jacob Duché. That distinctly Christian prayer ended with the words: “All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior. Amen.” It is the name of Jesus that separates the Christian faith from non-Christian faiths.”
Exactly, and when our founders clearly prayed in Jesus’ name, what was Dr. Zacharias’ excuse?
Matthew 10:33
“But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
Seems so apt, and so sad at the same time. We don’t only deny by the words we speak, we can also deny by omission, which in this case is exactly what I believe happened. We pray for the courage to make the changes to our country in order to get it back on the right path, but lack the courage to even pray in Jesus’ name. I’m very saddened by the entire event.
[…] Ravi Zacharias refuses to use the name of Jesus during National Day of Prayer event. […]
Ravi is a great apologist. But whom is he really serving? These are the end days and the false christ which is antichrist will bring all religions together in a false peace called ecumenism. And Ravi is being used in a grand way by the antichrist to further his purposes and bring together all these religions and denominations together under a single umbrella.
One of the chief evidences for it is Ravi was also a participant in signing the Manhattan declaration along with catholic bishops and eastern orthodox clergy. Does he not know that there is no fellowship between light and darkness, or shocking as it may sound, that he is a part of that darkness.
How does he manage to be speaking in the UN, White House, Pentagon, CIA. Does he really belong to the real YeHuVsHua Ha Mashiach, the one who died on a stowroj (greek for stake/pole) and not a cross(another worldwide deception by the catholic church ), similar to the pole on which a snake was impaled by Moses in the desert and all who looked at it were saved. Are these organizations of YeHuVsHua? Lt. Gordon James Klingenschmitt a navy chaplain was dismissed just because he prayed in “Jesus” name. Will they really allow a man who belongs to the real messiah to preach in their pulpit as Ravi has done in the naval academy as well as all these places. THINK. Do not be deceived by philosophy and grandiloquence.
KJV Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
After all what kind of faith is he promoting? An intellectual one. Can it save a soul going to hell? He does convince intellectually? but can that really help a person believe from his heart or is it more likely for that person to falsely hope in this intellectual assent for salvation?
KJV James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (Jam 2:19 KJV)
He who is the friend of the world is an enemy of Elohiym YeHuVaH (the name God has pagan teutonic roots). The end will not come unless there is first a falling away.
KJV 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2Th 2:3 KJV)
Ravi quotes C.S.Lewis, and C.S. Lewis though a brilliant thinker and apologist was a secret freemason and you will find lot of evidence of it on you tube and other websites. Also he speaks highly of the catholic mystic Henry Nouwen. Search it yourself. It is well known that Billy Graham also shockingly was a freemason, and a false teacher. Search for overwhelming evidence on the internet. There is a lot of evidence, very clear. He even denied that “Jesus” is the only way. And Ravi is even seen promoting Billy’s My Hope program. Ravi also promoted Joyce Meyer, a false prosperity preacher. Ravi acknowledged the LDS, which clearly believes in a different Jesus. How much more can a man compromise with the truth.
KJV 2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (2Th 2:11 KJV)
KJV Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Mat 24:24 KJV)
Ravi serves a false messiah, whose name is not YeHuVsHua Ha Mashiach (the true name bears the Father’s name YHVH in the Son’s name), the true jewish messiah the son of YeHuVaH (YHVH), but whose name is falsely called Jesus (remember for 1260 years the bible was in the hands of the catholic church). The false messiah’s actual name is Jesus Sananda Emmanuel aka Apollos (son of Zeus) aka Helios (The Sun god) aka Tammuz
(son of Nimrod and Semiramis) aka Horus (son of Seth and Isis) aka Cupid in different cultures. Look at the pope holding the emblem of the sun, which is also the object of worship of the illuminati and the freemasons and eastern religions.
KJV Revelation 2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou HOLDEST FAST MY NAME, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. (Rev 2:13 KJV)
The mexicans and spanish call it more appropriately He-Zeus (Hail Zeus) who is the Antichrist, who has deluded the whole world, if possible the very elect, But the elect are not fooled, for greater is He that is in them than he that is outside.
KJV John 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my FATHER’S NAME, they bear witness of me. (John 10:25 KJV)
How does the name Jesus bear the Father’s name YHVH? It does not. It is a faulty tranliteration.
KJV Revelation 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast NOT DENIED MY NAME.