Posted on 07/30/2007 6:23:12 PM PDT by Blogger
July 15, 2007 Warren’s Use of Scripture is No Laughing Matter By Chris Rosebrough
Those of you familiar with Rick Warren’s writings are aware that this man is a scripture twister. He constantly rips passages out of context, exegetes bad paraphrases and generally proof texts his own ‘made up’ doctrines. I’m writing a book on this subject called ‘Bible Balloon Animals: How Rick Warren & Other Christian Leaders Twist God’s Word’.
The Latest Specimen
In Warren’s July 13, 2007 Christian Post article entitled “Learn to Laugh” Warren is up to his usually antics. This article has a perfect example of Warren’s misuse of scripture. The nice thing about this example is that, unlike others that require some instruction in the basics of Biblical Interpretation, this example is so obvious that even a grade school child could understand it.
In his column Warren makes the case that laughter is a good thing and that God has a sense of humor. Before I go on let me say that even though this is a shallow point to be making, I agree with Warren about the psychological benefits of laughter. I also believe that God has a sense of humor. One need only look at the Duckbilled Platypus to come to this conclusion. Warren’s conclusion no matter how shallow and pop-psych-ish it is, isn’t the main problem. The problem is that Warren supports his conclusion with twisted scripture.
Here is what Warren wrote:
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Psalm 2:4, “The One enthroned in heaven laughs.” Isn’t that a great verse? God has a sense of humor. God laughs!...Do you want to be more like God? Learn to laugh. A sense of humor can preserve your sanity. So what’s the big deal? The verse says God laughs, what could be wrong with that?
Let’s look at this passage in context and you’ll see what the problem is. Here is what the passage says in context, pay close attention to verses 4 and 5:
Psalm 2:1-6 1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
When this passage says that God’s laughs, it is not referring to a therapeutic, stress relieving belly laugh or sense of humor. The laughter it is referring to is the laughter of derision that is followed by terrifying wrath and fury. This verse in context doesn’t support the point that Warren is making. Yet, Warren says that Psalm 2:4 is one of his favorite verses in the Bible. How can this be unless Warren read’s Bible verses as if they were disconnected fortune cookies sayings?
Warren has clearly ripped this passage out of context and makes it say the exact opposite of what the passage actually says.
Here’s the Bigger Issue
Rick Warren is a national Christian Leader and an ordained minister in the church. He has a Biblical duty and an obligation to God and the church to accurately teach and proclaim God’s word. He does not have the freedom to twist it, rip it out of context and make it say things that it doesn’t say. PERIOD!
There are a growing number of Christians and Christian leaders who have a deep seated distrust of Rick Warren. The reason for this dis-trust is Warren’s misuse of scripture. This example is just the latest in an entire series of mis-quotes, mis-applications, rips and twists that Warren chronically engages in. The reason that so many people dis-trust Warren and have become out spoken and vocal critics of Warren is because scripture teaches us that twisting God’s Word is one of the favorite tactics of the devil and his servants. This is NEVER an appropriate behavior for the servants of One True God. God makes no allowances for ‘Scripture Twisting’. In fact, God’s word warns people who do this. Here are the words of the prophet Jeremiah found in chapter 23 verses 29-32:
29 Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? 30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who steal my words from one another. 31 Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who use their tongues and declare, ‘declares the LORD.’ 32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the LORD. Verse 31 should give Rick Warren pause and make him rethink his habit of twisting scripture. It says that the Lord is against those who make up their own words and then ascribe them to the Lord. When you rip scripture out of context to support a point that YOU are making rather than a point that GOD is making you are making up your own words and then ascribing them to the Lord.
Psalm 2:4 does not teach that God has a sense of humor or enjoys a good therapeutic chuckle. It teaches that God laughs in derision at those who are against him. Rick Warren lied to the world by making it say otherwise. This is not a small matter. Nor is the the first time Warren has done this.
Pastor Warren how many times do you think that God will turn a blind eye to your chronic distorting of His Word? Do you expect God to reward you for twisting His Word?
Repent Rick Warren and bear fruit in keeping with that repentance.
Warren should hook up with “evangelist” Rodney Howard-Browne, the promoter of “spiritual laughter”. Both wackos deserve each other.
Warren is more dangerous, I’m afraid.
Howard Browne appeals to a certain type of Christian and the curious. Warren has MILLIONS in his audience and is promotedly heavily by Murdoch and others. Both are in error, but Warren’s error is far more pervasive.
The twisters flail in the wind.
Warren prospers ... but then, Satan never frustrates that which he fathers.
Warren - AlGlobal Same Same
2 Timothy 2:15 ALERT!
So true
May I ask whether or not those on this thread believe that God laughs at all, other than in derision?
Scripture doesn’t put God’s laughter in that context that I can see, but I don’t doubt that He does laugh. God sings. In Psalms God’s laughter is pretty much in derision; yet, it is one of the good things that God mentions in Scripture as a gift to His children.
This, of course, is not the point. Rick Warren is a habitual context ignorer. He will come up with an idea he thinks is cool, grab ANY verse with the word in it and quote it as a Bible teaching. That is dangerous. He, nor anyone else, has that right. We all can grab a verse and misapply it. We make mistakes. But, with Warren it is so frequent as to be a way to recognize him as the writer.
I may be subjected to some level of derision for this reference, but I don’t think I mind. When I think of God laughing, I think of the scene from Evan Almighty where Evan tries to explain to “God/Morgan Freeman” that building an ark simply does not fit into his plans.
“God/Morgan Freeman” cracks up with laughter. “your plans, now that’s funny”. It is a remarkable moment in film which portrays God as tender, yet firm. Much the way we are with our children sometimes when they say something so utterly wrong that we must laugh out loud. Our love for them is no less, but we see a level of humor in the moment. We do not condemn them as human beings, worthy through Christ of our love, but we still laugh—perhaps derisively but not mean spirited—at what they so mistakenly believe to be true.
I have my differences with Rick Warren, yet I am weary of so many who, if given half a chance, would burn him at the stake. Christ died for me, and for Rick Warren, and for all those who despise him, while we were all yet sinners. It is so easy to dispense judgment. Shedding the grace of God abroad through our own hearts, on the other hand is costly. It subjects us to the same criticism that Jesus received for hanging out with the tax collectors and the prostitutes.
I agree. But hey, Warren said he wouldn’t refuse to be cobelligerent with ANYONE so ... all Howard-Brown has to do is coddle up to Rick and he’ll have a lot more “legitimacy” (for lack of a more appropriate noun).
BAHAHAH. Oh. Wait a minute.
SHAME on Chris Rosebrough for being so mean spirited!
;-)
Have you listened to Rosebrough’s “Fighting for the Faith” podcasts? Excellent, refreshing, very down to earth. (not earthy, that would be “emergent”).
I’ve enjoyed them.
He’s only got three so far.
http://www.fightingforthefaith.com/2007/07/premier-episode.html
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