Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Denison Forum

Home
Evangelical
Religion News
Are Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield?

Are Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield?

Last updated on: September 16, 2024 at 6:36 am by Jim Denison

Are Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield? 2024-09-16T06:36:56-05:00 Jim Denison

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Note: According to the FBI, former President Donald Trump was the target of what “appears to be an attempted assassination” at his Florida golf club yesterday. I will respond with a Daily Article Special Edition later this morning as more is known.

In his debate with Kamala Harris last week, former President Donald Trump stated that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were abducting and eating pets. The comment provoked a furor that continues unabated this morning. It’s easy to find opinions siding with Mr. Trump or against him and focusing on immigration as a threat or a benefit to America.

Are all religions “a path to arrive at God”?

Here’s what’s harder to do: Find objective reporting about the religious context behind the controversy. After some effort, here’s what I was able to discover online:

A 2004 National Geographic article states that voodoo is the “dominant religion” in Haiti.
A 2011 article explaining voodoo reports that “food is one of the many offerings ceremoniously given to the Lwa (Spirits) and is usually shared afterward as a communal meal.”
An article opposing animal abuse notes that “animal sacrifice” in voodoo is “a central part of this faith,” while a 2013 report claims that animal sacrifice “isn’t embraced by all” practitioners.

To be clear: Reports that some voodoo adherents employ animal sacrifices does not mean Haitian immigrants in Ohio are doing so. My purpose is not to take sides in the partisan conflict over Mr. Trump’s comments. Rather, it is to ask why the religious worldview that should be vital to the debate is largely absent from the discussion.

In other news, Pope Francis made headlines with his statement that both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are “against life.” He added that American Catholics must choose the “lesser of two evils” because of Mr. Trump’s position on immigrants and Ms. Harris’s support for abortion.

Now consider another statement by the pope: In Singapore, he declared, “All religions are a path to arrive at God.” He added, “They are like different languages to arrive there. But God is God for all.” With all due respect to the pontiff, this claim contradicts clear, historic Christian orthodoxy regarding the necessity of faith in Christ. (I plan to address this fact in tomorrow’s Daily Article.) But it is receiving far less coverage than his statement regarding the American presidential election.

Why is this?

“Self-evident” or “sacred and undeniable”?

Most of us can recite Thomas Jefferson’s famous statement in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” However, in reading David M. Rubenstein’s The Highest Calling: Conversations on the American Presidency over the weekend, I discovered a fascinating fact: Mr. Jefferson actually wrote the words “sacred and undeniable,” but Benjamin Franklin substituted “self-evident” in their place.

As a result, our founding creed embraces “truths” that are “evident” to the “self” rather than “sacred” and thus “undeniable.” Here we see the early seeds of what became the postmodern rejection of objective truth based on biblical revelation. In its place we privilege materialism and scientific secularism as “factual” and view objective morality and religion as subjective speculation. And we give far less cultural attention to the latter than to the former.

Why does this rejection of objective truth and morality matter to our national future?

In his latest book, Democracy and Solidarity: On the Cultural Roots of America’s Political Crisis, noted evangelical sociologist James Davison Hunter states that American democracy depends on cultural solidarity, “a framework of cohesion within which legitimate political debate, discourse, and action take place.” However, because we have jettisoned objective truth and morality, “we no longer have the cultural resources to work through what divides us.”

He therefore predicts that “the legitimation crisis will continue to harden: confidence in the range of governing institutions will continue to weaken, cynicism toward the leadership class will deepen, and the alienation of ordinary citizens from their nation will worsen.”

Then he asks, “What is there to impede or reverse this course?”

“Unite my heart to fear your name”

There’s a simple reason our insistence on “tolerance” is so appealing: It permits us to engage in unbiblical immorality while at the same time claiming the moral high ground by rejecting those who disagree as “intolerant.” Our cultural demise is the consequence of our cultural worldview.

As a result, we should look for the answer to Dr. Hunter’s question not from within our fallen society but from outside it.

In Psalm 86, David prayed: “All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God” (vv. 9–10).

Thus he prayed, “Teach me your way, O Lᴏʀᴅ, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name” (v. 11). God answered his prayer, so that he testified next: “I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever” (v. 12, my emphasis). All of this is on the basis of God’s grace, not David’s merit: “For great is your steadfast love toward me” (v. 13).

When we see God as he is, we see ourselves as we are. Then:

In light of his omnipotence, we see our finitude and frailty.
We respond to his “steadfast love” by worshiping him with our “whole heart.”
Such holistic worship leads us to “walk in your truth” as we “fear your name.”
Consequently, we “glorify your name forever.”

Imagine the impact we would make on our broken culture if all of God’s people experienced him in such a transforming way.

When last did you see God as he is?

NOTE: North Texas Giving Day is coming up this Thursday, and we hope you’ll be a part of this pivotal event! Through your generous donation, you’ll help provide biblically grounded and civil content that inspires, informs, and transforms lives for Christ. And remember, you don’t have to live in North Texas to make a difference. So don’t miss this chance to help reclaim our culture for Christ. Make your donation today!

Monday news to know:

*Denison Forum does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in these stories.

Quote for the day:

“I still believe that standing up for the truth of God is the greatest thing in the world. This is the end of life. The end of life is not to be happy. The end of life is not to achieve pleasure and avoid pain. The end of life is to do the will of God, come what may.” —Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

September 13, 2024

What would an end to the war in Ukraine look like?

Next Post

September 16, 2024 FBI investigating apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category america biblical-living Uncategorized

Select a Month March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Psalm contains the phrase, "Be still, and know that I am God"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Psalm 46 Psalm 100 Psalm 8 Psalm 91