Last Sunday, a large group of religious "fundamentalists" held "Justice Sunday III." This event, featuring religious leaders like Dr. James Dobson and Dr. Jerry Falwell, was held for the third consecutive year in one of the Southern Baptist "mega churches." It was essentially a pep rally for Supreme Court nominee Joseph Alito.
Messages were given from the pulpit, by ordained ministers, pointing out the absolute necessity of Alito's confirmation. According to the article I linked, Dr. Dobson went so far to say at the first Justice Sunday, "My goodness, I just cannot imagine anything more significant that what we are about to do."
In my opinion, any man who could say that influencing judicial appointments is more significant than winning souls for Jesus Christ has no business behind the pulpit of a church!. How can any religious leader with a heart and soul for Christ possibly feel that way! I offer the theory that anyone who could say that is focusing on THEIR agenda, not God's, and isn't much better than the Pharisees who had Jesus put to death.
There is only one thing that should be preached in God's house and that is His word! Men like Dr. Dobson and Dr. Falwell have every right to be politically active and support any policy they so choose. In their roles as pastors and heads of religious organizations, however, they have a responsiblity to follow the example of Jesus.
Check out the gospels one time and see how politically active Jesus was during his time on earth. I'll save you the trouble--he wasn't. There are several examples where people tried to trap Him into making a political statement that would have angered either the ruling Romans or the people of Israel. He never took the bait. That is worth emphasizing. Not only did Jesus not initiate any political activity as part of his ministry, he took great care to avoid even the perception of such.
My minister, Dale Jarrett follows that example very seriously. He is a member of Equality Maryland, a gay-rights group that I also belong to. Fortunately, Dale feels the same way I do--that it is not his place to preach about the activities of that or any organization. He will work with them, but he will not direct our membership to do so. BCF may rent its facility out to a political organization, but it will not be as part of a church service. Dale nor anyone else from the church leadership would not do anything remotely resembling preaching during any such activity.
There is only one gospel that should be preached in church. It has nothing to do with conservatives or liberals, republicans or deomcrats, gays or hetros. It needs to be about the love of God and the examples He set and the word that He inspired.
If it's about anything else, then step away from the pulpit and call it a political rally, because it's not church anymore.
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AMEN! Very well said. thanks for articulating for the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteGod is love. Yes, I agree with you. However, can you tell me what the Bible is saying in I Corinthians 6:9-11?
ReplyDeleteJeremy,
ReplyDeleteThis is a fairly deep well, but here's the shortest answer I can give you. Going back to the original greek, the key word is translated as "homosexual" in the NIV version and "effeminate" in the King James. According to the Nestle's Greek New Testament, considered one of the most reliable translations, the word is "Sodomite."
That word is used not to refer to anal sex, as it is commonly used today, but as a reference to immorality like that which doomed the town of Sodom. The major issue there was NOT homosexuality, but promiscuity, selfishness, and attempting to destroy angels God sent down as messengers. Yes, there were homosexual acts committed in this town, but God condemns promiscuity of any type.
Therefore, what I have studied and been taught and what the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart tells me that this scripture is not a condemnation of gays and lesbians who know Jesus.