Posted on 10/17/2010 7:28:56 AM PDT by Kaslin
The other day I was queuing up to speak at a conference about “Raising Righteous and Rowdy Kids in a Rank Day,” but because the last Tea Party I attended was so woefully deficient in pastors during these historic times I decided to switch my topic and put my crosshairs on the squishy, compromised pink flesh of the craven brethren.
Now, this screed is primarily for Christian pastors, but in the spirit of multicultural interfaith yumminess, leaders of other faiths may feel free to apply this message to themselves and send me hate mail as well. Except for the Muslims. This ain’t for ya’ll. We don’t want to tick you off, y’know … because of the whole “kaboom” thing.
Before I give you the master list of reasons why some ministers are limp biscuits, let me go on record as saying that a silent pastor in today’s paranormal climate is about as worthless as a pitch pipe is to Yoko Ono. Look, I don’t care how much the minister likes kitty cats, candy canes, or if he weeps at Celine Dion concerts. If he’s not a part of this crucial societal throw down—pointing out what’s putrid and cheering on what’s proper—then he’s Judas Iscariot in my estimation.
Now, given the upcoming 11/2 elections and that the culture-dividing issues are more obvious than Joan Rivers’ last lip implants, it is mind-boggling to me that many ministers are mute or side with parties, policies and principles that are antithetical to the Christian worldview.
So, why does a large segment of the clergy run from these mondo issues and duties? Herewith are my 10 reasons why pastors punt on political issues and thus aid and abet evil:
1. Fear of man: If you purport to be a man of God then your regard for God and His opinion must trump the trepidation of the creature God created from spit and mud. Pastor, don’t fear us; we’re weird and fickle weathervanes of what’s en vogue. You’ve got to lead us. Therefore, go to the mountain . . . get a fresh dose of holy terror and move into Moses mode and command us to be and do what is holy, just and good. The Howdy Doody approach doesn’t seem to be stemming the current flood of cultural phlegm.
2. Ignorance: Most people are not bold in areas in which they are ignorant . . . always excepting Keith Olbermann, of course. I know keeping up with the major pressing political and cultural issues is maddening for the Nancy Christian, but that’s life, brother, and if you want to be a voice in society and not just an echo, you have got to be in the know.
3. Division: I hate division. Hate it. Not all division but the current non-essential divisions in the church. Squabbling over the color of the carpet, who’ll play lead guitar next Sunday, who’ll fill Eddie Long’s spot at T. D.’s conference, or who the Whore of Babylon is (which I believe after this year’s VMAs it’s a toss-up between Lady Gaga and Chelsea Handler) is stupidity squared.
4. Last Days madness: Many ministers do not get involved in political issues because they believe that it just doesn’t matter because “the end has come” and Jehovah is about to run the credits on this failed earth flick. These defeatists believe that any war, the gulf oil spill, earthquakes, a warming globe, the success of a corrupt politician, and Jessica Simpson’s cleavage are “proof” that God is getting really ticked off and that His only recourse is to have Christ physically return like some celestial Ted Nugent and kick some major butt. Thus, any stab at a better tomorrow is simply an exercise in futility for the end of the world crew.
5. Sloth: Classically defined, sloth is lethargy stemming from a sense of hopelessness. Viewing our nation as an irreparable disaster in which our exhortations, prayers, votes and labors will not produce any temporal fruit leaves one with all the zeal of a dude who’s forced to kiss his sister (Angelina Jolie’s brother excluded, naturally). If you’re wondering why your flock is so apathetic, Señor Eeyore, ask yourself if you have stolen the earthly hope that their valiant efforts can actually prevail in time and not just in eternity.
6. They don’t want to lose their tax-exempt status: Many pastors have been cowed into inactivity by the threatened loss of their tax-exempt status if they say anything remotely political. This fear can make pastors who don’t—or won’t—get good legal advice about as politically active as Howard Hughes was during the flu season. The church may, among other things, register their members to vote, pass out voter guides, invite all candidates in a race to speak (even if only one of them shows up) and speak directly about specific issues. And by the way, in his personal capacity off the clock, the pastor can endorse and support (or oppose) whomever or whatever he wishes, just like any other citizen. Duh.
7. They bathe in paltry pietism: Pastors avoid politics and cultural issues because such concerns are “unspiritual”—and their focus is on the “spirit world.” Yes, to such imbalanced ministers, political affairs are seen as “temporal and carnal,” and because they trade in the “eternal and spiritual,” such “worldly” issues get all the attention of Larry the Cable Guy’s 8-Minute Abs DVD. I’m sure Saul Alinsky and his idol, Lucifer, are so proud. Thank God Calvin, Bonheoffer, Wilberforce and Booth didn’t believe that bunkum.
8. They have bought into the radical Muslim comparison: Pastors have muffled their political/cultural voices because they fear being lumped in with Islam by the politically correct thought police. The correlation made between Christians’ non-violent attempts at policy persuasion and al-Qaeda’s “silence! I kill you!” campaigns is nothing more than uncut, specious doo. Christian, please blow off the tongue-wagging blowhards who try to intimidate you into silence by making the ludicrous analogous leaps in equating the implementation of a gracious, biblical worldview with Sharia Law. Rock the Casbah.
9. They can’t say “no” to minutiae: Some ministers can’t get involved in studying or speaking out regarding pressing issues simply because of the ten tons of junk they are forced to field within their congregations. Many ministers are lucky if they get to study the Bible nowadays—much less anything else—because they’re spending time wet nursing a 30-year-old guy who can’t face life because he didn’t qualify on American Idol or consoling the 40-year-old lady who’s heartbroken that the recession has wiped out her funds for the weekly waxing of her undercarriage.
10. They likey the money: The creepy thing about a lot of ministers is their unwillingness to give political or cultural offense when offense is needed purely due to the fact that taking a biblical stand on an issue might cost them their mega-church (which means their Aspen summer home, their Bentley and their Gulfstream V). Oh well, what do you expect? Christ had His Judas, and Christendom has its money loving harlots.
If the ministers within the good old US of A would crucify the aforementioned then maybe . . . just maybe . . . we’d see their righteous influence cause our nation to take the needed sharp turn away from the progressives’ speedily approaching putrid pit. God help us.
Half the congregation is on the dole.
A very perceptive essay packaged for the 20-somethings. We need more like him.
The truth has to hurt sometimes. . .ouch. .(and amen)
That’s good, I liked it. Thanks... Good with my coffee here on a Sunday morning, give me something to think about while the preacher preaches.
I have often wondered if the democrats did not select a donkey as their symbol was for religious purposes...
I was ‘shocked’ during the Clintons to hear my ‘religious’ relatives and friends excuse his perverseness as ‘everybody’ is a sinner... and these same people worked hard and voted for BamBamKennedy as though he was sent from God to carry out God's form of social justice...
I think it will take a face to face from God Himself to wake some of these people.
Bump
bookmark
#10 dwarfs all others. The “pastors” of protestant mega-churches today are concerned their donations would go down and perhaps the faithful would divert their funds to some political causes that could help them directly.
They’d rather preach the unbiblical notion of tithing your gross, assuring their sheep that “God is in control” and keep expanding their own payrolls.
Yes, pray to God, but also row toward shore.
Believe me when I say I am a foremost expert on this topic and have very strong opinions. One has to refer to the Old Testament to know what is important to God. God blessed Israel not just when they followed Him, but also when all the idols were destroyed.
Not only should the Pastors be proclaiming God’s truth — and that is that abortion is murder, homosexuality is sexual sin, the emergent church is false in that they dilute the gospel, etc. — proclaiming truth is not just one of their duties, it is their PRIMARY duty. If a Israeli king followed God, but did not destroy the idols, he was given some blessing but not completely. Consider that the next time someone mentions religious tolerance and multiculturalism.
Preach it brother!
Now I’m gonna turn it around on ya’.
Why aren’t you in the pulpit firing up the faithful to go out and make a difference?
You should be trying to bring this message to those Pastors’ conferences we keep seeing advertised in the Christian web sites and magazines.
My top pick. If they truly understood diddly about what the Scriptures say (particularly the Torah), and not the PC whitewash they were taught, they'd be so friggin scared of The Boss they'd have flames leaking from their lips.
Here is what God’s Word has to say about this:
Malachi 2:1-9
1And now, O priests, this command is for you. 2If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse on you and I will curse your blessings; indeed I have already cursed them,* because you do not lay it to heart. 3I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and I will put you out of my presence.
4 Know, then, that I have sent this command to you, so that my covenant with Levi may hold, says the Lord of hosts. 5My covenant with him was a covenant of life and well-being, which I gave him; this called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. 7For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. 8But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, 9and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in your instruction.
You DO NOT forgive a sin until the sinner repents and makes restitution per the Torah. Anybody who thinks Y'shua meant anything else had better go back and read the whole book.
I agree wholeheartedly, but I also think it's good enough to blast some of the secular bull crap built up in some older ears too. Great article, thx for posting.
Nam Vet
Yeah I”m too smart for Church too.
I agree with all the ten things listed, but, I think there may be some more:
11. “God is in control” and therefore it is pointless to get involved. What’s going to happen is God’s will no matter what.
12. Both Dems and Repubs are evil and sinful and nothing will really change - they’re all equally bad.
13. “People get all excited about the Tea Party, but don’t get excited about living and proclaiming Christ”, so, until that is reversed I’m not going to support it.
While atheists can be blamed for the woe's of today's society, inactive Christians have to take full responsibility for sitting back and not taking an active role in the fight between good and evil, which is due in large part to their lethargic pastor.
Sigh, if only certain unorthodox measures could be used.
501(C)3 tax status forbids “Preaching Politics from the Pulpit”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.