I'm back.
The following (below...after my rant!) is a commentary written by Brian McLaren that appeared in chapter 7 entitled "Too Political." As I mentioned in the previous post, McLaren's commentary is rhetoric that is mostly in direct contradiction to what was written by John Stott in his commentary. Compare and contrast them for yourself!
This chapter (Too Political) nearly sent me over the top!
Quips like "Christians rely too heavily on political influence" is considered "unChristian," while "We are cautious not to place too much emphasis on politics" is considered "Christlike" made my jaw drop. I kept thinking...says whom??
Then, the authors have the nerve to write the following:
Christians seem to fall on two sides of the path: too political or too apolitical. It is important to find an appropriate balance - neither ignorant and silent nor relying too heavily on political solutions to societal problems.
Obviously, these two authors have the "see no evil," "hear no evil," "speak no evil" mentality when it comes to the radical homosexual agenda being forced upon Christian believers.
Don't they know how important groups like The Alliance Defense Fund has become in the war against traditional marriage? Are they not aware of the gay indoctrination going on in public schools? Do they care? Apparently not. They devote an entire chapter (5) to describing how Christians show contempt for gays and lesbians. They even labeled it "Antihomosexual." But guess what? There is absolutely NO MENTION of those who have overcome homosexual behavior and identity through the saving grace and transformation that can be found through being born-again in Jesus Christ.
Why is that?
Probably because it doesn't fit in with their political agenda and views...that's why. To a liberal left Christian advocate, there is no such thing as a genuine, happy, saved by grace ex-homosexual.
Sorry. Didn't mean to go off on that tangent. It just strikes me as so disingenuous when Christians like these authors label themselves as "tolerant and loving," yet view those who have ministries that exist to help homosexuals overcome unwanted sexual behavior and attraction as "anti-homosexual."
Jesus said, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world (put in your idol or sinful endeavors) and lose his own soul?"
Ironically, the authors then state:
unChristian: Christians get enamored with politics.
Christlike: There is nothing gained by winning elections if we lose our soul in the process.
Involvement in politics is seductive.
So I must ask the authors, what ISN'T SEDUCTIVE ABOUT THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA AND INDOCTRINATION GOING ON IN THE MEDIA, SCHOOLS AND POLITICAL ARENA?? WHAT ABOUT THE GAY "CHRISTIAN" MOVEMENT THAT WANTS TO SILENCE THOSE WHO HOLD TO BIBLICAL DOCTRINE REGARDING HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR IS SIN AND AN ABOMINATION TO GOD?
Oh...it gets better. You are gonna love the next one:
unChristian: Christians drown out and demonize the voices of others.
Christlike: Respect our enemies and be aware of our capacity for myopia.
Guys...you need to take that myopia concept to heart and apply it to yourselves!! Watch the news on any given night and you will see how much "drowning out" and "demonizing" is going on against the traditional Christians.
Want a current example? How about the fact that Mike Huckabee can't even deliver a commercial message that stresses the fact that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas? Why is his wishing everyone a "Merry Christmas" considered "offensive?"
It's so ridiculous!
Sheesh!
The authors go on and discuss some gibberish about how Christians "do not respect leaders whose political viewpoint is different from their own" and that the "Christlike" way is "respect and listen to our leaders and pray for them."
Where have these guys been over the last 7 years? Have they not noticed the leftists constantly bashing President Bush...a Christian??
Okay. On to the original subject of this update.
Changing The PerceptionsComments?
Gaining The World, Losing The Soul by Brian McLaren
From a vantage point further in the future, I think that an honest diagnosis will tell the truth aboutr the pivotal role the Religious Right has played in these depressing statistics. In the aftermath of the Religious Right's ascendancy, it is not an accident that "antihomosexual" is the number one perception of Christians in America these days, followed closely by "judgmental" and "hypocritical" and "insensitive." Young people today could, if we had taken a wiser path for the last few decades, think "antipoverty" or "pro-environment" or "pro-fidelity" or "antiviolence" when they hear "Christian" or "evangelical." But because of the path influential people have taken over the last thirty or so, what young people think of the Religious Right is what they think about evangelicals and even Christians in general.
That's why some of us believe that leaders in the Religious Right have, in a classic case of gaining the world and losing the soul, successfully gained political clout but helped lose our next generation.
But even so, a diagnosis of the evaporation of Christian commitment in the West and a prescription about how to respoind must go deeper than complaining about the mistakes of the Religious Right. There are many factors, and they run deep. As for prescriptions, yes, we need more Bible - but we also need a better, more holistic and profound understanding of the Bible and what it says about justice, compassion, the future, power, poverty, money, war, sex, and the kingdom of God. Yes, we need more maturity - but we also need a better and more holistic maturity, a maturity willing to face the historic and social realities of our so-called Christian past: a past that includes anti-Semitism, racism, chauvinism, holocaust, colonialism, apartheid, slavery, attempted genocide of native peoples, and much else that is ugly and calls not for excuses and minimization but for forthright repentance. Yes, we need more discernment that goes beyond name-calling and making pronouncements on two or three issues.
The data presented here can help us greatly in this regard, prompting us to discern how deep and serious the problems are, so that our missional engagement in the coming years won't be more of the same.
- Brian McLaren
founding member, emergentvillage.com
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