Posted on 03/26/2006 3:57:48 PM PST by PJ-Comix
Dan Wakefield wants to make it clear that he is not calling for "holy war."
True, the title of his new book, The Hijacking of Jesus: How the Religious Right Distorts Christianity and Promotes Prejudice and Hate (Nation Books, $23.95), may sound like a shot across the bow of, oh, about half the churches in America.
(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...
First I should point out that your compatriot on this thread turned out to be a troll. Second, I should point out that you accused everyone who didn't share the same sycophantic view as you was subject to an attack by you on their true Christianity.
Third, your behavior is very very strange on all of this. You behave as if we've insulted a lover. Fourth, the guy is a sociologist. Not only is that the area of academic study with the weakest standards of scholarship (nonexistant) it doesn't mean anything. Fifth, you quote his endless streams of books to try to counter that he's self-promoting. Alright, here we go:
In my long sojourn in this life, I have found that there are two kinds of clergy: Those who serve the Gospel and those who let the Gospel serve them. I think he uses the Gospel for his own ends. He follows God because God tells him what he wants to hear. He certainly speaks alot about the most secular of political issues. He's a poster on Huffington Post and appeared on the comedy(!) show Colbert Report. He clearly loves being the Left's favorite evangelical. Most of what he does appears to be quite good. There doesn't seem to be much of an issue with his organization, either. Too much of it is about Tony for my taste.
To conclude, please click on this pdf called Over the Top for Jesus and count with me the pages on which his face appears: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 (oh, there's his kid with a "Campolo for Congress '76" t-shirt, I guess he was runnin' for Jesus), 16, 17, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 34, 36.
I actually didn't think very ill of the guy but when I read your posts, as a defender of his, I changed my mind. And if it were to come out that EAPE had issues of financial mismanagement, I would not be surprised.
He said that? I need some help here, you got chapter and verse?
Tony Campolo is just $10 away from turning around an unnamed Caribbean island.
38"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.First, "person" should be read as "Roman soldier". Smiting on the cheek was not really painful, but it was painfully insulting. I believe it was also as far as the soldier was allowed to go by Roman law without further provocation from the subject. The person would fight back, and the soldier would beat them, or worse. So, by turning the cheek, you keep yourself out of trouble and even mock the bully soldier a little bit.
If the person gives up the cloak, along with the tunic, he is naked. According to Jewish law (again, it's my recollection) only the cloak could not be retrieved in suit. So if someone sues you down to your last garment, give him that and go naked. Make him the shamed party.
I do remember that Roman law said that a soldier or citizen could only conscript a man to carry his things one mile. Jesus said, no, insist on going two. This would get the soldier into some serious trouble. Whatever the Romans were, they were slavish devotees of their laws.
In any case, the passage has nothing to do with almsgiving.
Only half of one, actually.
And Campolo is a leader is the heretical Emerging Church ["conversation"] Movement
I've heard Campolo speak--some 20 years ago, and I agree, very though provoking, reminds one of a kind of kooky but very skilled college professor, though thought provoking doesn't make his views true.
I don't doubt he's done some great things for the poor in what, the DR? It's a great story, but needs some confirmation. Assuming its the whole story, that also doesn't make his views true.
Campolo is though, a part of what can be called the (tiny) evangelical left. Very much of a socialist....out of his concern for the poor, hence he goes democrat (somehow his pro-life views take a back seat then I guess). He was duped by Clinton, much the same way Billy Graham was duped by Nixon....
There's a group called the Sojourners which share the same views as Campolo...pacifist socialists, who still call themselves Christians (and even evangelical). If you want thought provoking (but wacked) view of what they are like check out a Sojourners magazine at a library.... I went to college with a few professors like that, actually. I can guarantee you Sojourners magazine is almost all left wing social concerns, without any mention of presonal faith in Jesus Christ.
His wife (I think he was widowed, and this is his 2nd wife, but I'm not sure) is very "pro-choice" an almost unheard of position for a self-identified evangelical. Tony remains pro-life (supposedly) and they both have done speaking tours where they explain their opposing positions.
It appears to me that through the years Campolo has moved left....religiously and of course politically too. I believe he thinks homosexuality is unchangeable so Christians should just accept it---NOT at all a biblical view either.
Campolo today is a good example of why the word "evangelical" is fast losing its meaning.
Am not at all in favor of Sojourners. Am quite familiar with it and think it's mostly hideous.
Haven't kept up with Tony much the last 6-8 years. He may have moved left, for all I know.
I still feel, in terms of his good works--for whatever they are worth in God's eyes--which--to me--would likely be considerably something--I think honor to whom honor is due is a fitting response.
I'm not happy with his views on homosexuality and a list of other political issues.
But I still don't have trouble considering him a genuine Christian brother who sacrificially and servant heartedly lives out more of a Christian valued life than many pastors I know. That counts for something with me. And, I suspect it does, with God, too.
Thanks for your thoughtful response.
Oh, I pray for such miracles of grace in my life rather frequently.
But happy to attend to my own plank.
Thanks for the exhortation.
He used to do a right/left debates show with Steve Brown. I don't agree with Tony, but I've never seen him unhing while debating conservatives. He is thoughtful and reasonable--and a brother in Christ...who is not a Republican, Democrat, or American for that matter!
I'm not fond of his politics, BUT, I am reminded by Tony that following Christ is much more than saying a prayer of confession--it also involves caring for those in need.
That's my sense of him.
Thanks.
I personal suspect Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo are theological liberals (because of their abortion stance: note that they don't oppose others to do abortions, and they believe in homosexuality not a sin), but I do know genuine Christians who lean left on defence/foreign affairs/WOT, economic systems and social welfare. In fact, they will be the majority among non-Western Christians.
I would consider them to be diametric opposite to Ayn Rand objectivists. We do have Randists on this site. Search for FRer Oztrich Boy for instance.
Ron Sider is a hero of faith among a lot of Asian Christians, believe it or not. I grew up in that environment which basically says that "a theologically conservative i.e. biblically orthodox Christian, will always lean left on war/peace, economics, foreign policies, and social welfare, but stay conservative on gay rights, drugs, abortions, and relativism/moral absolutes. You cannot agree with much of Ronald Reagan!"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1582728/posts
It is quite a revulsive sight.
Aanounce that unless Jesus is released, unharmed, the people who took him hostage will be eliminated energetically.
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