Posted on 08/21/2003 3:19:22 PM PDT by DesertGOP
If it’s true that for a stone to avoid gathering annoying moss it needs to keep moving, then evangelical Christianity in America today may best be analogized as a boulder entangled in and about to suffocate from the fungus of legislative anti-Church doctrine bigotry. (Note: I define “evangelical” here as those who look to the traditional Bible as the supreme norm of truth for Christian belief and practice; hold a supernatural worldview that is centered in a transcendent, personal God who interacts with creation; focuses on the forgiving and transforming grace of God through the historic Jesus Christ in the experience called conversion; and, believes that the primary task of Christian theology is to serve the church’s mission of bringing God’s grace to the whole world through proclamation and service.)
But, instead of righteously fighting back and serving as the “salt and the light” in all aspects of civilization—as mandated in scripture—within the papier-mâché walls of Christendom, an alarming trend of political apathy continues to covertly (or overtly) be preached from the pulpit to the pews.
For reasons of bowing down to the image of “political correctness,” or admonishment to withdraw from the public square altogether in anticipation of the impending Great Tribulation, followers of Jesus Christ in the twenty-first century are duped by their shepherds of the flock into believing that traditional Biblical teachings about right and wrong are either passé and outdated, or wasted on a society headed for the fire and brimstone much sooner than later anyway.
Oh, there are some courageous evangelical-friendly, conservative voices out there (some are professed evangelicals, some are not)—staunch defender of traditional family values, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Focus on the Family’s Dr. James Dobson, Christian broadcasting’s Pat Robertson, and the popular media’s controversial religious right “whipping boy,” Jerry Falwell—but they are like John the Baptist of old—voices “crying in the wilderness” of a culture gone astray. In the land of the pseudo-free and the home of the evangelical brave-less, are we, those lay persons who claim to follow the teachings of Messiah, suffering under the high price paid by our pastors, preachers and other spiritual leaders for staying quiet far too long?
Quite possibly, the handwriting may already be on the wall (or rather, on paper). With the signing of a bill that has received virtually no attention during the Golden State’s circus-like recall parade, California’s Gov. Davis has proven, if nothing else in this day and age, that politics trumps matters of free religious practice every time—in Davis’ case, either in spite of, or because of, a looming recall election on the horizon.
If those of whom the Church would rather see saved from their wicked ways than forcibly appointed to positions of influence are not already banging on the sanctuary doors, they could very well soon be. AB 196—otherwise known as the “Cross-Dresser bill”—authorizes the state Fair Employment and Housing Commission to initiate government investigations and levy fines of $150,000 against business owners—including religious business owners and owners of Bible bookstores—and nonprofit organizations, such as the Boy Scouts of America, if they refused to hire a cross-dressing or transsexual job applicant. Property owners can also be investigated and fined if they refuse to rent to cross-dressers. Unlike two previous similar bills that never made it to the Governor’s desk, AB 196 is poised to unleash the police power of the state against persons of conscience who disagree with transsexuality.
But, while a nation’s moral underpinnings continue to collapse from the burdensome weight of relentless changing social pressures, what is today’s Church most concerned about? Answer: Just who believes in “speaking in tongues” and who does not; who believes that divine healing is for today and who does not; also, who believes in the Old Testament-introduced concept of tithing and who does not. In the meantime, it’s no wonder that other less-friendly forces have moved in to fill the void conspicuously left by a once influential and legitimate bastion of decency, virtue and reason.
To the opposition’s credit, their patience seems to have paid handsome dividends, indeed. They proceed to confidently march onward toward the goal of not only drawing near to, but, eventually, grabbing a hold of and challenging Holy Grail conventional notions of marriage, family and Biblical truths as the Ten Commandments (wherever they might be displayed in public view).
Whatever we call the growing bias against mainstream church circles—be it social progress, political correctness run amok, or signs of the “End Times”—apocalyptic state and federal statutes like the Cross-Dresser bill and others should motivate and mobilize followers of any recognized religious persuasion to protect their institutions from the same government intrusion that is so prevalent in those underprivileged parts of the world. That means willfully engaging in the ongoing power struggles of the political realm with the same fervor of which modern disciples of Christ, in particular, are called in the New Testament to exert in fathomless measure in the spiritual domain, as well; there are no other options or additional free passes to simply warm the benches . Otherwise, bodies like today’s evangelical Christian Church might as well pack up their bags and go home to wait for a Second Coming that could be farther off than it thinks.
Proponents of time-tested, orthodox Christian lessons, in particular, would be better off for now to keep near the Rock and continuing to roll toward preservation of First Amendment free exercise of religion and free speech, if nothing else. Hopefully, it’s not too late; but, if it’s just more of “business as usual” in many of our politically-inept houses of worship, one thing is for sure—just like veteran baseball announcer, Vin Scully, might quip—America’s religious freedoms may soon be going, going, gone!
Now ya did it.
No more mumbling to yourself, angrily.
Mumbling to yourself - happily - is authorized.
And take those glassly darks off, or is it dark glasses?, or just dark outside when you look through glass?.
LVM
IMHO you've nailed it dead on with that point. The culture has gone astray -- and it's not just American culture but pretty much the entirety of Western civilization.
IMSVHO (.."So Very"..) I think you're both pretty much right. And maybe, or maybe not, a little wrong.
But is there always an Elmer Gantry? Well, maybe... But let me play the pessimist for a moment. Civilizations have gone by the wayside before. Why should this one be any different? Especially as those who've lived through much of the existence of this one would be appalled at what they would see rampant in the West today.
Little things like (in the US) the consecration of a divorced and openly-practicing homosexual as an Episcopal bishop; I remember a time when such would have been quite unthinkable... A time when divorce was an act of desperation and not the (mathematically) expected outcome.
And elsewhere... the reports of "involuntary euthanasia" practised by the doctors of that once sturdy, stalwart Christian nation of Holland (the Netherlands), for example. And beyond that, there is much too much to drag into a short posting. For starters, the standards of honesty and conduct exhibited by recent (US) presidents and supreme court justices.
Please tell me, persuade me, nay, convince me I am wrong, and all is right with the world.
That would be a good place to start.
Looks to me like the US judiciary has jumped in with both feet to breathe more life into the Commie agenda.
Or, simply put (based on recent court decisions):
SODOMY - GOOD
Ten Commandments - BAD.
Does that help?
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