Friday, November 11, 2005
False Prophets
Testing Our Faith Not Strengthening It.
By now I'm sure you've seen the latest statement by our own home grown Taliban leader Pat Robertson. His message to the residents of Dover, PA...
Nice. Of course Pat gets on TV because he says silly things like this, and he doesn't represent a majority of Christians, let alone evangelical Christians. But what is disturbing to me about the Robertsons, Falwells and Dobsons is that they are stealing my faith and sullying the good name of Jesus for their own political power.
Yesterday I had breakfast with my Uncle who was in town for some huge meeting. My Uncle is a super-big wig in the Catholic Church (of which I am no fan). But what was interesting is that he was in town for a summit of legislation or policies the Catholic Church would be supporting in Congress. Among them, immigration reform to reunite families, health care for children, funding for sheltering the homeless, feeding the poor and so on. It was a refreshing reminder that many of the Christian faith are trying to do their best to help their fellow man. It also stood in sharp contrast to the work by the so-called leaders of the family/moral values right. Last I knew, they were raising money to buy TV ads to support bans on gay marriage, fund ads advocating Bush's policies and or court nominees and generally using fear to ganer political power for themselves. I think some one needs to send them a WWJD bracelet.
But that's really the point isn't it. After four years of listening to these false profits tell me everything God wants - from what shows to watch, who to vote for, how we should fear "the gays" and how I need to send them money- I think I've broken through to the other side. My faith has been tested by these showboats for over four years, to the point where I've even considered abandoning my links to the Christian faith. But yesterday it dawned on me that this is the entire point. It's so easy to go around and use God's name as currency and a marketing tool, but it's even harder to try to live a life based on Jesus's path. Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and James Dobson weren't put here to guide our faith, but to test it. "Blessed are the meek" or so we are told. My upbringing and spiritual education have taught me that the best way to try to live up to the ideals of Christianity is to live a life that can be an example to others and that's just want I'm gonna keep on doing. But in the bigger picture, we all need to reject the outrageousness of these so-called moral prophets...because they don't speak for us as Christians or as Americans.
By now I'm sure you've seen the latest statement by our own home grown Taliban leader Pat Robertson. His message to the residents of Dover, PA...
"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city," Robertson said on his daily television show broadcast from Virginia, "The 700 Club."
"And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His help because he might not be there," he said.
Nice. Of course Pat gets on TV because he says silly things like this, and he doesn't represent a majority of Christians, let alone evangelical Christians. But what is disturbing to me about the Robertsons, Falwells and Dobsons is that they are stealing my faith and sullying the good name of Jesus for their own political power.
Yesterday I had breakfast with my Uncle who was in town for some huge meeting. My Uncle is a super-big wig in the Catholic Church (of which I am no fan). But what was interesting is that he was in town for a summit of legislation or policies the Catholic Church would be supporting in Congress. Among them, immigration reform to reunite families, health care for children, funding for sheltering the homeless, feeding the poor and so on. It was a refreshing reminder that many of the Christian faith are trying to do their best to help their fellow man. It also stood in sharp contrast to the work by the so-called leaders of the family/moral values right. Last I knew, they were raising money to buy TV ads to support bans on gay marriage, fund ads advocating Bush's policies and or court nominees and generally using fear to ganer political power for themselves. I think some one needs to send them a WWJD bracelet.
But that's really the point isn't it. After four years of listening to these false profits tell me everything God wants - from what shows to watch, who to vote for, how we should fear "the gays" and how I need to send them money- I think I've broken through to the other side. My faith has been tested by these showboats for over four years, to the point where I've even considered abandoning my links to the Christian faith. But yesterday it dawned on me that this is the entire point. It's so easy to go around and use God's name as currency and a marketing tool, but it's even harder to try to live a life based on Jesus's path. Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and James Dobson weren't put here to guide our faith, but to test it. "Blessed are the meek" or so we are told. My upbringing and spiritual education have taught me that the best way to try to live up to the ideals of Christianity is to live a life that can be an example to others and that's just want I'm gonna keep on doing. But in the bigger picture, we all need to reject the outrageousness of these so-called moral prophets...because they don't speak for us as Christians or as Americans.
