Philip Friesen

LOVING UNTO DEATH: A Question of Values

Returning from the airport with an international high school student named Chen I had an opportunity for witness to my Lord. The conversation had turned to some aspects of Chinese history, which is a topic of interest to me. Chen mentioned what a great hero was the Emperor Chin Shi Huang who unified China around 200 years before Christ following the period of warring states. Emperor Chin was a bloody man...

Philip Friesen

In Bed With Tom, My Experience with “Gay”

  In 1983 I began considering the possibility that two men or two woman committed to each other by marriage vows might just be a good idea. At that time this thought was a new idea of mine. I had never heard it mentioned by anyone else, but it soon became clear that a lot of other people were thinking the same thing.   My friendship with a homosexual man named Tom had a great deal to do with...

Philip Friesen

The Foundation, Meaning, and Purpose of Marriage According to Jesus

SUMMARY Marriage is the basic human social unit and the first human institution. It is the first fundamental reality that establishes a person’s identity due to the fact that every person has parents. To reach its fullest potential, marriage requires three elements 1. Sexual activity restricted to the marriage relationship 2. An irrevocable commitment 3. The involvement of one man and one woman These...

Philip Friesen

Chinese Parable from Matt. 17

One day, Dr. Sun Yat Sen ,  Mao Tse Tung, Chiang Kai Shek-Shek, , and Jesus went on a journey together to visit Tai Shan mountain in Shandong Province. As they neared the top, suddenly Jesus’ face began to glow with heavenly joy, and Mao, Chiang, and Sun saw Lao Tsu and Confucius walking towards them, while Jesus engaged them in conversation as though meeting long lost friends. Dr. Sun cautiously...

Philip Friesen

Tolerance, Blinders, Prejudice

On this morning’s broadcast,  Greg Lori commented that it often appears the most intolerant people in the world are those who are constantly promoting tolerance. For example, if I should say I believe Jesus is the only way to heaven, they call me intolerant. I don’t put a gun to their head and force them to agree, says Lori. I’m still tolerant of their different opinion. Lori is quite...

Philip Friesen

Memorial Day Post: Who Is My Enemy

  Who Is My Neighbor? Who Is My Enemy? When Jesus told a questioner to love his neighbor as himself, the questioner asked, “Just who is my neighbor?” When Jesus preached that we should love our enemies, not one asked, “Just who is my enemy?” We all think we know quite well who the enemy is, but in the thick of battle, whether of words or bullets, knowing just who your enemy is...

Philip Friesen

Bumper Sticker for May 28, 1012

WHEN THE BRITISH NAVY RULED THE WORLD, THE BEGGARS WALKED THE STREETS OF LONDON. And in this situation the Salvation Army was born in 1865. TODAY when the American empire rules the world, Americans lose their housing, their health care, their retirement, and their faith.