Omaha UCC church/Universalism promoter's Open Letter to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents

[billiefan2000]

this is from Countryside Community Church (UCC), 's Joy Luke blog:


anyone noticed something missing or odd about this

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Jesus and Stem Cell Research
Posted on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 10:25 am


quote:



An Open Letter to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents

Dear Regents,

I am the Senior Pastor of Countryside Community Church (UCC), a 1,700 member congregation at 87th and Pacific in Omaha, of which over 200 members are part of the medical community. I am writing in support of continued embryonic stem cell research in accordance with federal and state law and ethical guidelines established by the National Institutes of Health.



While I cannot claim to represent the views of each and every member of my congregation,

I can claim with high certainty that each of our members’ lives have been impacted by the diseases of diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and/or Multiple Sclerosis, either through personal experience or through relationship with a friend or loved one who suffers from one or more of these diseases.

As a congregation that stands in the historically moderate and liberal theological traditions dating back to the pilgrims, we do not join the vocal minority of our Christian sisters and brothers who feel threatened by advancements in science.


Rather, we embrace all advancements that enable us to better understand the Universe in which we exist (Jesus said, “The Truth shall set you free”- John 8:32)

or relieve the scourge of human suffering (Jesus said, “Whatsoever you have done to the least of these you have done to me” – Matthew 25:40).





Jesus, the founder of Christian faith, was a healer. While he was not a healer only, the fact that healing was an important part of his ministry carries important implications for those who claim to follow him.


Jesus’ choice to heal people signals that concern for our physical bodies does not run contrary to spiritual concerns, but rather is organically related to our spiritual life.

It is also significant that Jesus himself observed with respect to followers who would come after him, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these …” (John 14:12).



Stem cell research carries with it the hope of curing the very diseases that afflict members of my congregation, their friends, and their relatives.

Indeed, they afflict the lives of over 130,000 people in Nebraska alone. These are diseases that Jesus himself would have chosen to cure.



Therefore it is as deeply ironic as it is troubling that a vocal minority, claiming to be acting in the name of Jesus, are trying to block important stem cell research, and along with it, our hope for curing these debilitating and fatal diseases.



There are those who claim that manipulating embryonic stem cells is akin to “playing God.” Yet, I would ask any Christian who seeks to block stem cell research on these grounds how we can neglect our responsibility to “play God” in this way when Jesus, the Great Healer, commanded us to “Go and do likewise …” with respect to attending to our ailing neighbor (Luke 10:12)?

For a decade, it has been the policy of the University of Nebraska Medical Center to have its scientists and doctors conduct this vital research in accordance with federal and state law and the ethical guidelines established by the National Institutes of Health.

The abandonment of this long-standing policy currently being debated by the Board of Regents would prohibit scientists from pursuing some of the most promising avenues of stem cell research. While certain Christians find all forms of stem cell research to be intrinsically problematic to their faith, there are a great many of us who not only affirm such research when it is applied to curing diseases, but find it to be a continuation of the great work that Jesus himself practiced and encouraged of his followers.

I strongly urge you to vote to maintain the current policy and allow this potentially lifesaving research to continue.

[billiefan2000]

related article on


Countryside Community Church of Omaha Nebraska

Countryside UCC church of Omaha 11 AM Worship in 3D! youtube video (I wish I was making this up...)

[billiefan2000]

this BTW was in today's Omaha World Herald Public Pulse (editoral and comment page)


my comments are highlighted in black


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Ruling on Research affirmed


As Christian ministers, we applaud the Nov. 20 decision by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents not to restrict embryonic stem-cell research beyond what the federal government allows.


(when you deny John 14:6 to be literal, you cease being called a christian minister



We do not join the vocal minority who feel threatened by advancements in science

Rather we embrace all advancements that enable us to better understand the universe in which we exist

("The truth shall set you free" – John 8:32)



(ironic quote from Elnes and Keck, considering if they preached the gospel

and stop pushing a liberal universalism pushing social gospel, maybe people at their churches would be free and not into bondage to false teachings like Universalism)


or relieve the scourage of human suffering (Whatsoever you do to the least of my people, that you do unto me" – Matthew 25:40


(they and their churches push universalism and they talk about human suffering. I call only at the hypocrisy and irony of them quoting those 2 verses to push their agenda)



Jesus was a healer.

(Jesus was also the savior of humanity. He died on a cross to pay for our sins

Luke 19:10 "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;


Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.




And Jesus insisted,"Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these" (John 14:12)


Some claim that manipulating embroynic stem cells is akin to "playing God"


(funny Elnes and Keck accuse others of "playing God", when their churches both push universalism and deny John 14:6 to be literal and in a way are playing God with people's souls)



Yet, how can we neglect our responsibility to "play God" in this way when Jesus, the great Healer, commanded us to

"Go and do like-wise" with respect to curing the sick (Luke 10:12)

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1 problem with that last statement Mr. Elnes and Mr. Keck and I hope folks from

First Plymouth Congregational Church of Lincoln Nebraska

and also Countryside Community Church of Omaha Nebraska

are reading this post:


Luke 10:12 says:

But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.


(swing and miss on quote that verse)



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We and a great many other Christians, not only affirm stem-cell research when it is applied to curing diseases like diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis but also find it to be a continuation of the great work that JESUS himself and encouraged of his followers.


The Rev. Eric Elnes , Omaha Nebraska
The Rev. Jim Keck , Lincoln Nebraska

[micah719]

The sick thing is that it is possible to use stem cells from an individual to use for their treatment, no need at all to murder an unborn child for this. Then again, what use to heal someone's body which is temporal, while their eternal soul is on the wide highway to perdition. Didn't Jesus say it would be better to rip out your eye or chop off your hand or foot than go to hell with a whole body? I work in aged care and torture my soul every day with questions such as whether it is possible for a saved person to suffer from Alzheimers or Parkinsons, or if an unsaved person with those afflictions is still saveable, seeing as how demetia literally means "lost mind"...are they like Pharaoh, who went past the point of no return and whose heart was hardened into rebellion and was merely a tool to be discarded? Wish I knew some brothers or sisters in the Lord that worked in the same area and could help me out with answers....

[billiefan2000]

BTW:

we need to for the folks at

First Plymouth Congregational Church of Lincoln Nebraska

and also Countryside Community Church of Omaha Nebraska


and it's leaders who seem to be biblically igorant and scriptually ignorant.


(misquoting and not even quoting Luke 10:12 is a example of this)


I weep for the folks at Countryside considering the false teachings and liberal agenda being pushed their non-stop


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prayer chain for Countryside Community Church of Omaha and First Central Congregational Church of Omaha

http://www.raptureforums.com/forum/p...rch-omaha.html


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song and a 2nd video that all the folks who attend Countryside Community Church of Omaha Nebraska

and First Central Congregational Church of Omaha Nebraska

and First Plymouth Congregational Church of Lincoln Nebraska

might want to listen to and think about






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to quote John 8:32 in true context:


Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

[billiefan2000]

from the OWH public pulse the other day from someone named Amanda and worth repeating online cause she is right


it Amanda

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Pray for all to see the light

A reminder to the two ministers who applauded the expansion of embryonic stem-cell research (Nov. 24 Pulse): Jesus is always the giver of life.

As for the reference to Matthew 25:40 , they would be wise to remember that those helpless "least of these" who are destroyed in the name of research can rest in the fact that the Lord said, "Vengeance is mine" Hebrews 10:30

I pray for their (Pastors Elnes and Keck) eyes to be opened, for the truth indeed sets one free.



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I :agree with Amanda


we need to for Pastor Eric Elnes and Pastor Jim Keck not only to repent for their abortion and pro-choice agendas and both repent themselves

for their churches in Omaha and Lincoln for pushing a universalism and new-age teaching agenda