Bill Gray blithers thusly (my responses in blue):
<<<Amazing! You depend upon NPR, the Liberal secular government's most ardent bedfellow -- to prove that a Christian is not a Christian. Wow! Not at all, Bill. I never stated any conclusions as to whether or not Barton is a Christian. I accurately described the role of Barton in the dust-up at NPR and provided a confirming link. I accurately defined the "historical" writings of Barton as "discredited." The most prestigious religious publishing house in the Nation, the highly-respected Thomas Nelson Publishers, withdrew Barton's latest attempt at historical writing ("The Jefferson Lies") from the market after evangelical scholars reviewed it and found it to be loaded with errors.
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/...respond-to-criticism
From the link:
<<<In typical Barton fashion, he said any of his critics only “come after me” because “they disagree with me, and my religious faith, and my view on America.” Of course, Fea and other Barton critics quoted in the story, Grove CityCollege professor Warren Throckmorton and Rev. Ray McMillian of Cincinnati’s OasisChurch, are evangelical Christians. But since Barton can’t defend his own discredited “research,” he simply plays the victim and says he is being attacked for his patriotism and Christian beliefs. - See more at: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/npr-looks-into-david-bartons-bunk-history-refusal-to-respond-to-criticism#sthash.L1DPKe84.dpuf>>>
There is a dangerous doctrine within extremist right wing religious conservatism. It is called Christian Dominionism and Barton is allied with this theocratic movement. In his own words (bold emphasis added):
<<<Barton: There's five areas that you have to be able to influence and control if you are going to take a culture and that's media, business, government, education, and pulpit.
Now, for twenty years as it turns out - I wasn't even aware of this - way back, Bill Bright from Campus Crusade, when he was still alive, Loren Cunningham, Youth With a Mission, these guys got together back at the same time and really felt like there were seven areas that had to be taken for a culture and these are the seven that they gave: family, religion, education, media, entertainment, business and government. Now we've grouped some of those together and throw some together, but they said those are the seven areas you have to have and if you can have those seven areas, you can shape and control whatever takes place in nations, continents, and even the world.>>>
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/david-barton-advocates-seven-mountains-dominionism#sthash.GBA9GBO1.dpuf
And here--from a Seven Mountains Dominionist web site--is part of a description of how these power-mad theonomists see their role in government:
<<<The Mountain of Government, or politics, is a mountain that the Lord is beginning to position His children to invade and take. As with media, we've virtually given this mountain over to the devil. Entire denominations have been known to prohibit their people from being involved with politics because of the corruption that always seems to infect it. The reason politics are considered "of the devil, of course, is because we have abandoned this mountain to him. Because of the enemy's firm grip on this mountain, it's a very dangerous mountain to take if one is not spiritually prepared for it. Yet we must take it. The Elijah Revolution will begin to displace the forces of darkness from this mountain and establish righteous government on its top.>>>
See much more disturbing material at:
http://www.reclaim7mountains.com/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=4336&view=postarticleid=39113&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
http://www.reclaim7mountains.c...sthash.d1fDEbaE.dpuf
Barton, at the very least, should be regarded as suspect on the basis of his association with these dominionists in various public forums and his own comments concerning the dominionist ideology.
These Seven Mountains folks have a whole tribe of so-called “Apostles” within their ranks. A word to all: You should automatically regard with suspicion any persons or organizations that claim apostleship. It is almost always a claim that is transparently traceable to a lust for ecclesiastical power and control.
Do you also use Richard Dawkins writings to verify Scripture?
First off, there was nothing in my post that had anything to do with verifying scripture, but I see where you are going with that puerile canard you irrelevantly offer. You are playing the old childish game of condemning information from a source that does not align with your ideological perspectives instead of focusing on the REAL issue of whether the report from that source is true or false. Typical Bill trick, but it doesn't cut the mustard.
My Friend, one does not jump into bed with Satan -- just because you do not like another Christian's theology. Personally, I think your theology stinks -- but, I don't call you names to prove my point. I can find much more productive ways to refute it.
What I definitely do NOT like about Barton is his demonstrably unsound, ideologically-slanted, irrationally theocratic version of American history, the kind of thing that brought him into disgrace among reputable and authentic scholar-historians and got his error-loaded book pulled by its publisher. That has little if anything to do with his theology and everything to do with his credentials and qualifications as a historian. As to his theology, the dominionist heresy to which Barton apparently subscribes ought to be condemned on the basis of its inconsistency with what the Bible teaches about the Christian’s relationship to civil government. But maybe you buy into that SevenMountains nonsense, Bill. It makes about as much sense as the end times quackery you embrace.
Just a thought! Although the Believers' Judgment will be a judgment of rewards, and not of punishment -- we all will be required to account for each word, deed, and thought in this life. I wonder what rewards you will receive for calling people with who you disagree, derogatory names?>>>>
I suspect that the Lord will have even more derogatory names for those power-hungry theonomistswho twist and distort his word into such programs for worldly domination as the Seven Mountain Dominionism I have described above.