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We
hope the reader found the alliteration and assonance in this title as
appealing as did the writer. Or
about how about “Cascione Covers Casino Clergy Conference”?
The
"National Theological Conference" at the Suncoast Hotel and Casino
in
Las Vegas
is sponsored by the Pacific
Southwest District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.
Presenters
include:
Dr.
David Benke President, Atlantic District
Dr.
Herbert C. Mueller, Jr. President, Southern Illinois District
Dr.
Donald Matzat Pastor,
Zion
Lutheran
Church
,
Bridgeville
,
PA
Dr.
Arthur Scherer President Emeritus, Southeastern District
Dr.
Wallace Schultz Second Vice-President, LC-MS
The
theme of the Conference is: "THE 21ST CENTURY"
"How
do churches and pastors develop guidelines for making decisions as to
what
kind of events they will participate in?"
On
Sunday morning, February 15, I announced to my congregation that the LCMS
California,
Hawaii
, Nevada District was sponsoring a
conference open to all LCMS clergy and lay people.
I
told them that Dr. Wallace Schulz, who was fired from the Lutheran Hour, and
Atlantic District President David Benke, who likes to pray with Moslems in
public events, were speaking. Basically
the conference is about why LCMS clergy should be able to pray at the same
public podium with Moslem clerics.
When
I announced that the conference was to be held at the Suncoast Casino in
Las Vegas
the congregation broke out in
laughter. I also assured them
that not one penny they put in the collection plate was paying for my trip.
Recent
letters from LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick show his determination to
prove how much he loves and confesses Christ while defending the LCMS
clergy’s right to pray at public events on the same podium with Moslems
clerics.
A
casino is the right the place for this conference.
Place your bets on the god of your choice.
Many
of the clergy who will attend this conference have a God who approves of
praying in public with Moslem clerics without first explaining that the
Moslems don’t worship the true God. This
LCMS God is more tolerant than other LCMS Gods.
On
the other hand, there are those LCMS clergy who worship a God who teaches it
is a sin not to confess that Jesus is the only true God when praying in
public. Leading people to pray
without telling them about Jesus Christ is a denial of the Gospel and gives
a false witness. “Neither
is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts
4:12
“Whosoever therefore shall confess
me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in
heaven.” Matthew 10:32
There
are still other LCMS clergy who claim that their God would not want them to
pray in a place where others would be offended when they heard that Jesus
Christ is the only God. “Now
I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences
contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”
Romans 16:17
With
all of these LCMS clergy worshipping all these different Gods, it is
anyone’s bet who the real God is.
In
any event, the pros and cons of this conference demonstrate to the average
LCMS layperson that 1000s of LCMS clergy approve of praying in public with
Moslem clerics at the same podium. They
applaud Atlantic District President David Benke’s public prayers with
non-Christian clergy and condemn Wallace Schulz for calling such activity
“sin.” They believe that getting Schulz off the air was good for the
LCMS.
At
this time, President Kieschnick refuses to answer this writer’s questions
about the Trinity. Yet,
Kieschnick agreed that charges should be filed against this writer for
calling the God that Waldo Werning worships, a false god.
Any
church body that cannot agree on who it is worshipping will soon be divided.
The question is, “Into how many parts?”.
Reclaim
News will report on who is the big winner at the Las Vegas Casino Clergy
Conference.
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