As Easter approaches, it seems a good time to examine the idea that Christ died for our sins. In a parallel universe I'm wondering if an able and charismatic young man is going to see his Presidential aspirations die for the sins of a representative of the God in which we wanted him to believe.I can't help but wonder what manner of man, in the role of minister, representative of the Christian God, feels he can spew hate with impunity; mislead his followers with falsehoods and jeopardize the potential of those who believe in a different Christian dynamic by lending his name to them.
Be assured that it is not just Jeremiah Wright who harbors a very un-Christian, inflammatory bitterness to the point of making statements like, “The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing ‘God Bless America.’ No, no, no, God damn America, that’s in the Bible for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme.”
John Hagee, a white who has endorsed John McCain, has made widely publicized statements linking the principles of the Catholic Church to those of Hitler along with others like, “All hurricanes are acts of God, because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God, and they were recipients of the judgment of God for that.”
Pat Robertson, another white, said that Hurricane Katrina was God’s way of expressing its anger at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences when it selected Ellen Degeneres to host the Emmy Awards. "By choosing an avowed lesbian for this national event, these Hollywood elites have clearly invited God’s wrath. Is it any surprise that the Almighty chose to strike at Miss Degeneres’ hometown?"
Jerry Falwell had this to say about the 9/11 terrorist attacks, "And, I know that I'll hear from them for this. But, throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say, "You helped this happen."
If these men of God truly believe their own impassioned rhetoric, and we in turn believe what they preach, we have learned nothing. The very premise of Christianity means nothing.
Barack Obama's mistake may be no more than believing too much in Wright, the private man and mentor, and turning too much of a deaf ear to the ugliness of the public preacher. Move into a glass house if you've not had a similar lapse of good judgement. I have. More than once. It's because I want to see and celebrate the good in people and often overlook characteristics I should not. I've been bitten by that tendency and no doubt will be again.
These men, all of them and others like them, owe repentance to the God they claim to serve and an apology to we the people. Especially, at this time in our critical state, they owe an apology to the good people who would be President. Penance, it is said, is good for the soul. And more than a little soul searching is in order.
4 comments:
Kind of like... people who live in glass houses, should not throw stones...
Or the other... one without sin, can throw the first stone...
I just dropped in mainly because your title intrigued me, but it wasn't what I thought. When speaking with a few of my fellow brothers from the Vietnam War, we always commnet on "where do we find men such as these", of course referring to the American Soldier. So, I dropped in on you to see if you were having even a hint of such a conversation as that. As for the preachers that rant and rave, I can never bring myself to watch even a minute of it. It's much more peaceful to just sit alone and work on my sticks and watch the world go by, or have a visitor brighten up my day. I hope you are well and life is good. The Stickman
And ... It isn't just Christians. It seems that most crimes against people of other beliefs are caused by just believing a little differently.
You can look at Ireland with an all Christian country, they kill or did, each other because their version of Christianity is different. The Moslems? the same. Shiites vs Sunnis, Lutherans against Episcopal, and on and on and on.
It appears to me that believing in God, by whatever method you choose is enough. It's when we hire the religious interpreters to think for us that we get into trouble. Say, you don't suppose that some of these messages are false, do you? War!
Stickman, You have made your peace with the world it would seem and it's reflected in everything you do. I find some peace just knowing you, knowing it's possible...
...and Sweet and Sour, you've hit the nail right on the head. So many who do not follow organized religions live far more exemplary lives than many who do. It's about life and how one lives it...
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