Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. [1] yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring… [2]

Jesus used the parable of the ten bridesmaids who went to greet the groom so as to escort him to the wedding feast, a parable that illustrates his admonition to be always ready for his second coming, as we know neither the day nor the hour.  This “not knowing” also applies to latter day prophecies that claim to predict the exact time of the end of days, in that if we know not the day or the hour, how can anyone possibly proclaim when that day or hour will be?

Other so-called prophets have attempted to tell us what exactly will happen, even tell us of the real identities of the various creatures and characters mentioned in the book of revelations.  But if we accept the bible as the literal truth, how can we accept these so called prophecies as a truth when James (see [2] above) tells us yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.

Personally I have over the years watched movies, or read books, that attempt to describe the end of days or even what life might be like in a post apocalyptic world, and found these media to be intriguing, the viewing or reading thereof—entertaining, but never have I accepted any book—outside of the bible of course—or movie to be the absolute authority on what lies in store for us in the future.  And I reiterate that no one—myself included—can accurately forecast what will happen and when the second coming of Christ will occur, the bible absolutely makes it clear that no one knows when that time will be.

I personally find it abhorrent that there are some “Ministers” out there in the world that are making a fortune—not telling their flocks of how to accept Christ and live a life of Applied Christianity, prepared to receive Christ when he does return, as we know not the time or day and therefore should be prepared in case he returns in the very next moment—but they are marketing all sorts of books and media that reportedly tells what, when, where, and how the end of days will unfold.  Simply put they are naught but predators preying on those unfortunates that crave hidden knowledge.  Humm… “hidden knowledge” isn’t that one definition of the word “Occult”?  Think about it.

While I find the aforementioned abhorrent, I find as equally refreshing and interesting, the phenomena that I have referred to in past missives, as “Playing In The Taters.”

Nearly thirty years ago a science fiction movie was released that became a blockbuster and a cultural phenomenon. “Close Encounters of The Third Kind” was a fictional account of man and his adventures after a vision was given to him by visitors from beyond the stars.  This vision or mental picture eventually caused this fictional character to travel to the location where the aliens would make first contact with human kind.

In the story, an electric company lineman, Roy Neary, played by the actor Richard Dreyfuss, was on his rounds trying to locate the source of a power outage, while setting in his truck looking over maps of the electrical grid system, much to his surprise, an alien space craft appeared overhead for just a few moments scaring him half to death.

Although shocked but otherwise unscathed physically from this otherworldly experience, we learn that Roy has had a message planted in his subconscious by the aliens.  He becomes so obsessed with trying to understand this message that he cannot concentrate enough to perform his duties at work and subsequently loses his job.  Unemployed and distracted from the mundane activities of domestic life, his marriage then starts to fall apart. In one of these periods of distraction, during dinner he starts to play with the mashed potatoes on his plate, subconsciously sculpting the potatoes into a three dimensional shape. It is then that he realizes that the concept in his mind does have shape and form.

Excited by this realization that the unrecognizable thought in his mind does indeed have a real form he begins to experiment further by sculpting larger versions of the vision. This process of exploration reaches its pinnacle when Roy happens to view a news report on television with scenes of a mountain in the background behind the reporter.  He then realizes that the vision in his mind has an uncanny resemblance to the mountain in the news story.  Relieved to discover the vision in his mind might possibly be a real place, he becomes convinced that there is deeper meaning to all of this and that the answer to his predicament will be found by traveling to this famous geological landmark, Devil’s Tower in Montana.

Of course this is a great fictional story, but I found that by using the metaphor of Roy “Playing In His Taters” as a parable of sorts, I might be able to help people realize how God, through the Holy Spirit, might have placed an idea or concept in their minds.

Taking this concept into consideration, perhaps you have—just as I have—read various books and commentaries by divers authors from diverse backgrounds that pose the possibility that the second coming of Christ—be it a literal event or a metaphorical event—will be the embodiment of the passage from the Lord’s prayer; Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven. Some of these post modern authors submit the possibility that beginning this year, an awakening of the righteous, on a global scale will occur, millions even billions of people will cry out demanding an end to everything that is not congruent with the best of religious teachings.  They will cry out for and end of war, they will cry out for an end of political, racial, gender, financial, and social oppression.  They will demand an end to the secular system of social Darwinism, which posits as a truth that only the elite has a right to survive.

I give it as my opinion that although we are living in a time of great tribulation, matters are only going to get worse—as time goes on—perhaps even so much worse, that the extremity of such tribulations will inspire people to cry out for justice, just as mentioned in the previous paragraph.  Might this be the aforementioned awakening might such an awakening be the precursor, the establishment of God’s kingdom… on Earth as it is in heaven?  Could it be possible that a great awakening and a demand by the people to establish a world that embodies Applied Christianity as a norm and not just a fanciful dream?

Could it be possible that millions or even billions of people have been touched by the spirit, just as our fictional character, Roy Neary, was “touched” by the extraterrestrials and are at this moment Playing In Their Taters trying to make sense of what the have been shown at the subconscious level?

Consider this, in my region newspaper and other media have reported how several people scattered over a large area have built at their churches or even on their personal property, prayer grottos, prayer labyrinths, and even—just like the one in my yard—small prayer chapels.  I for one would like to why all of a sudden there is an interest by the general public to provide strangers with a place to pray?  I rejoice in the unique beauty of this phenomenon, but still I have to ask, “Why, what is happening?”  I have to ask the question, “Is it possible that these people that have built facilities for prayer, have at the subconscious level been inspired by the Holy Spirit, but not as yet fully aware as to the reason why?”

Are you Playing In your Taters so to speak, desperately trying to make sense of a sign or vision that God has—through the Holy Spirit—blessed you with, but yet it is a message that is so complex or even so simple, that you cannot understand what it is that you have been shown or even instructed to do?  Is it possible that if you are Playing In your Taters that which you have been instructed to do is to cry out for sanity in a world gone insane, to demand social justice and the implementation of Applied Christianity?

The answer to this rhetorical question—of course—can only be found through careful introspection, thoughtful contemplation, and sincere prayer.  A process of arriving at a logical, common sense, conclusion after exhaustive prayer and study of the Bible, a process of listening to the voice of God, the Holy Spirit and yet definitely not a process of arriving at a conclusion based upon the opinion of your fellow man.

Peace be with you.

Sincerely;

Bishop W. Edward Crabtree

Bibliography

[NOTE] All quotes of scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ©2001 Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

[1] Matthew 25:13

[2] James 4:14 a

Ever since the days of the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans, just a few decades after the resurrection of Christ, throughout the times since then and even during this modern era, people have claimed that the prophecies foretelling of the end of the world were at that time being fulfilled and the second coming of Christ was imminent.  Various “prophets” have claimed to know the exact time and hour, some even leading their flocks to a place that they presumed they would be safe from all tribulations until that time at which Christ would return in all his glory.  Ironically these dates and times that have been cited as the moment of the return of the Lord, have arrived and past without fanfare.

Many of us thought that as the iron tongue of time tolled the midnight hour on the thirty-first day of December 1999—the coming of the much heralded “Y2K”—we would in fact witness the end of the world.  But nearly a dozen years later, the world still yet abides.

I would pray that if you or anyone you know has been told of the exact moment of the second coming by a so called prophet, before accepting such as a truism, you or your friends would carefully read and study the following excerpts of scripture;

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. [1] But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.[2] Therefore stay awake–for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—[3] yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring… [4]

These verses make it fairly plain—at least in my opinion—that no one knows or will know the exact time of the second coming, therefore how can anyone accurately foretell the future relative to the end of days, the end of society as we know it?

So as we enter into the early days and weeks of the year 2012, the year in which many ‘prophets’ believe the world will end as the Mayan calendar expires in late December, discussion and opinion are running rampant as to what will happen after that date.  Of course every would be latter day prophet, worth his salt, has been busy disseminating his or her personal opinion representing that rhetoric as a truth, filling “inquiring minds” with what they want to know.  Really now, isn’t it sort of humorous how in the past when a prophet would name the exact hour of the end, as well as naming the “true” identities of the various characters as described in the book of Revelations, such as “The Whore” and others that John wrote about, then that time came and went other wise without notice, then other prophets went about business, busily creating their own identifications of these figures mentioned in the revelations?  Isn’t it sort of easy to see a pattern here?  I mean can’t you just see a minister telling him or herself, “Although Brother Doe was wrong about the time and the identities, perhaps I can follow suit, and at least garner some attention to my self and ministry until the time and date that I have prophesized has past.”

Hey, as a minister I have my own opinions regarding the identities of the various characters described in the Revelations, I even have an opinion as to what will happen during the month of December, later on this year, I have even shared these ideas with others in the past, but I have never claimed my ramblings to be prophecy or anything other than a possibility, my own opinion, and I have consistently asked my readers to think for themselves in considering any possibility that I have posed and not to accept my words in the same manner as do those whose lives seem to hinge on the impending release of a modern day Prophet’s next book.

In my opinion, it is just foolhardy to await with eager anticipation the next book or communiqué from some of these so called prophets, regardless if he or she is a minister or a “talking head” on some cable TV or radio talk show.  It is also just as foolhardy to plan for your future based upon his or her opinion alone, I mean if this describes your life, please wake up and study your bible thoroughly.  Learn to rely on the word of God and not on the rhetoric of those that are making a fortune telling you what you want to hear.  Learn to rely on God and his inspired word that tells us no one knows the future, and learn to use the common sense that was given to you through his (God’s) immeasurable Grace.

Peace be with you.

Sincerely;

Bishop W. Edward Crabtree

Bibliography

[NOTE] All quotes of scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ©2001 Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

[1] Matthew 25:13

[2] Mark 13:32 & 33

[3] Mark 13:35

[4] James 4:14 a

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

2nd Peter 2:1[1]

Now with all that said, I would like to point out that I personally—nor do I suggest that you dear reader should do so yourself—do not cast doubt or aspersion, upon anyone who claims the title or has had the title laid upon him or her without consent, always cognizant of the words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, a teaching warning us to be careful in our criticisms of others;

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Matthew 7:3

I make these statements, as it has come to my attention through the revelations of my brothers and sisters who attend or sometimes visit churches—those churches that are otherwise independent of traditional or large and well-established denominations of Christianity and usually tend to be characteristic of charismatic Evangelicalism—and these brothers and sisters tell me that there are those in attendance in these houses of worship who are recognized as prophets by their brethren.

Unfortunately these reports that seem to filter back to me, at least appear to indicate that these “Prophets” are no better or worse than those individuals that scripture refers to as “Soothsayers” or someone who simply tells you what you want to hear, that news or idea which is pleasing to the material self, the inner part of humans that is given to the craving of worldly prosperity and materialism.  Simply put, the “Prophets” that I am hearing about tell their victims that they will soon become filthy rich or obtain their wildest material desires.

Scripture implies—in the books of Isaiah, Daniel, and Micah, as well as other books—that reliance upon “tellers of fortune” can be disastrous.  In his exhaustive work, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Henry the seventeenth century theologian, wrote the following regarding the fifth chapter of the book of Micah;

Many of them depended much upon the conduct and advice of their conjurors, diviners, and fortune-tellers; and those God will cut off, not only as weak things, and insufficient to relieve them, but as wicked things, and sufficient to ruin them…

With all of the warnings—that God has given us through the Holy Scriptures, to avoid the words of those that speak that which is incongruent with the core teachings of the Gospels—one would think that we as a people would consider such ramblings to be—as Matthew Henry put it—sufficient to ruin, and therefore disregard “fortune tellers” both inside the church as well as outside.

I personally know of brethren that would never ever elicit the advice of Psychics, Palmists, or Tarot card readers, but have no qualms with accepting as fact, the ramblings of some of these so called prophets practicing fortune telling within the church.  Although I am wiling to at least entertain the thought that some of these people, operating outside of the church, may be gifted with some sort of psychic ability, however most have proven to be opportunists, as through a series of innocuous questions, they are able to ascertain your most prominent desires, needs, or fears, and having once ascertained this information they are able to act as a “soothsayer” telling you exactly what you want, or need to hear.  We have to ask if while the clergy has protested against fortunetellers outside the church, why would a minister tolerate such inside the walls of God that the minister has been charged with the supervision thereof?

But “soothsaying” is not always limited to the telling of the individual that he or she is about to receive great material wealth, in fact sometimes the words of the “soothsayer” are designed to justify the worldly actions, deeds and desires of the individual. The words are intended to create in the mind of the receiver, that his or her actions are not contrary to the teachings of the Gospels, but in fact are justified in scripture, a process of attempting to remove any aspersion or feelings of guilt that might have been introduced in the person’s conscience when he or she committed an act of transgression against core teachings of the bible or for that matter violated traditional moral or ethical standards. To illustrate this point let us consider recent events in our own contemporary society.

While commenting on the recent phenomena that the media referred to as the “Occupy Wall Street movement” some clergy proposed the idea that those comprising the grass roots movement were simply guilty of the sin of envy, these few ministers implying that the protestors were envious of the success and wealth enjoyed by corporations—and the minority of investors—that have reaped untold riches from the excesses of business dealings during the last decade, dealings that have drove the world to the brink of bankruptcy and placed the vast majority of humans in a condition of financial destitution.

This position held by a relative small number of the clergy, has the end result of sending the message to everyone that speaking out against excess is a mortal sin, and the accumulation of material—worldly—wealth, regardless of the degree of harm, destruction and even death, that the process of accumulating that wealth has caused the vast masses—not to mention the environment—is a blessing from God, given to the deserving few, by his Grace.  Dear reader, please forgive me as I for one, cannot even begin to accept this idea as being in any way, shape, or form—congruent with the words of Christ or core values traditionally held by society.

In my understanding of the bible, although relatively limited—stating that with all due humility intended—I have been taught to believe that while the accumulation of money is not necessarily evil, the love of money is in deed evil, especially when in the love of that money, and acquisition thereof, countless individuals—in particularly devout Christians—are made to suffer.

I find it unfathomable to even believe for a moment, that God, through his immeasurable Grace, would reward a very small minority with great riches, especially when that minority is largely made up of Atheists, as well as those that either unknowing follow the ideology of, or are aware, avowed followers of Satanic ideologies.  I find it unfathomable to believe that God would purposefully reward those few, while in the process of doing so, would punish the majority that believe in and worship him.  Could it be that it is not God that is rewarding those that are—metaphorically speaking—raping and pillaging his (God’s) people and his creation (Earth/environment) but rather the adversary of God, the anti-Christ, Satan himself?

Perhaps in contemplating this idea, which seems to be contradictory to traditionally held beliefs, we should consider the following quote;

If you eliminate the impossible-whatever remains however improbable-must be the truth.[2]

If there is any truth to this supposition, and we find that it is impossible that God would in any way reward those that are working against the very fabric of his revealed word, the very nature of Christ’s teachings, then as the quote asserts, we must consider the improbable—the consideration that these workings are not of a divine source, but rather of a demonic origin and agenda, the work of Satan himself.

Let us reiterate and carefully study the words of Saint Peter mentioned first above.    Peter said; “there will be false teachers among you”            Again I would never personally point a finger at any one individual, neither would I encourage you dear reader, to do so either, however I strongly urge you to think for yourself, and ask is the rhetoric these so called teachers, so called modern day prophets, a rhetoric or teaching that is indeed congruent with the word of God as revealed in the scriptures?  Or are these—possibly false—teachers among us naught but modern day soothsayers that are telling us what we want, so desperately to hear, their words relieving our fears that our wanton desires and earthly material obsessions are in conflict with everything God has revealed to us as well as core moral and ethical values?

False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.[4]

Peter asserted; “(they will) secretly bring in destructive heresies” Once again I implore you to contemplate, to carefully consider, to pray on, before blindly accepting any rhetoric—especially that which is literally outside of the scriptures—as a truth.  Usually such rhetoric is naught but personal opinion, and far to often lies designed to influence public opinion.  Sometimes even lies designed to lead Christians off of the path, the “Way Of The Lord” that Jesus Christ prescribed in the gospels, destructive heresies that undermine the very foundation of Applied Christianity that concept of bringing to fruition the idea of a world free of war, hunger, poverty, suffering, a world that reflects the meaning of Christ’s words in Matthew chapter six, verse ten, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” A universal kingdom of peace and harmony spread out across the face of the Earth, just as it is in heaven.

“…even denying the Master…” Was a prophecy of Saint Peter, which in my own opinion, means that some will teach concepts and ideologies that are absolutely in denial of the teachings of Christ.  Some writers have pointed out that if you cut out from the Bible, all the references to the poor or the aid of the poor, then you will have in your hands a Bible that more closely resembles Swiss Cheese—full of holes.  I have even encountered specific numbers regarding such references, although I do not have those figures at my disposal as I write this missive, however the numbers are astonishing.  Simply put, Christ’s ministry often spoke of the necessity of aiding the poor, not raping and pillaging the least in our society.  For one example, please dear reader, read and contemplate upon these words from Matthew 25, verses 33 to 41;

And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

I humbly ask, if we as Christians profess that the Bible is the literal—or even the inspired—word of God, how can we afford to continue “buying” into, a continuance of the purchasing with our very souls, the rhetoric that proclaims that not only is the accumulation of wealth—accumulation with no regard of the consequences to others or even ourselves—not only acceptable, but a reward of God’s Grace?  Once again I humbly submit for your consideration, that the reward of what is ostensibly blood money—financial compensation tainted by the suffering of untold millions—is not a reward from the divine, but rather, a reward from the demonic.

The history of our race, and each individual’s experience, are sown thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal.[5]

In conclusion I would very much like to point out that, perhaps reiterate, that rhetoric delivered by those we have in this missive characterized as modern day false prophets or soothsayers, is not limited exclusively to misinformation that justifies the accumulation of wealth at any price, but we also must always be cautious of rhetoric that in effect desensitizes us to the apprehension of violating any of the other teachings of the Bible or even accepting as a truth—perhaps without even being conscious of doing so—the concepts of moral relativism.  This is a belief that there is no universal or absolute truth or falsity of moral judgments, but rather relative to the traditions, convictions, or practices of an individual or a group of people.  For example the relativist might say “It’s moral to me, because I believe it is, even if you or the greater society believes otherwise.”  Or “We (society) ought not just to tolerate the behavior of others but condone or even emulate their acts – even when it (their behavior) runs counter to our personal or cultural moral standards.”  This is akin to saying, for example, that if one beholds a drunkard in the gutter, one should not feel sympathy for him and try to help him out of his squalor—help him to end his dependency upon alcohol, but rather condone his self endangering actions or even share in his addiction by getting drunk and falling into the gutter with him.

Moral relativism is simply not a workable ideology and it is one that many notables within the church have criticized, such as Pope John-Paul II as well as leading philosophers both inside and outside the Protestant and Catholic churches.  In a critique of moral relativism and the inherent spread of false doctrines that justify materialism,

One Buddhist minister is quoted as saying;

“By assigning value and spiritual ideals to private subjectivity, the materialistic world view… threatens to undermine any secure objective foundation for morality. The result is the widespread moral degeneration that we witness today. To counter this tendency, mere moral exhortation is insufficient. If morality is to function as an efficient guide to conduct, it cannot be propounded as a self-justifying scheme but must be embedded in a more comprehensive spiritual system which grounds morality in a transpersonal order. Religion must affirm, in the clearest terms, that morality and ethical values are not mere decorative frills of personal opinion, not subjective superstructure, but intrinsic laws of the cosmos built into the heart of reality.” [3]

Taking all that we have discussed in this missive, can we not agree to conclude that we all should make every possible effort to develop the wisdom as well as the courage to be so bold as to think for ourselves, to disregard the rhetoric of those that disseminate convoluted doctrines that are contrary to the very core of Christian beliefs as well as the traditional moral and ethical standards that seek to define right from wrong—good from evil?

Peace be with you.

Sincerely;

Bishop W. Edward Crabtree

Bibliography

[1] All quotes of scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ©2001 Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

[2] Quote taken from the 2009 motion picture “Star Trek” found in a line of dialog delivered by the fictional character (the young) Mr. Spock.

[3] From Moral Relativism–http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_relativism an online article that quotes, Bhikkhu Bodhi, “A Buddhist Response to Contemporary Dilemmas of Human Existence” article link at Access to Insight (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/response.html)

[4] Plato, Dialogues, Phaedo–Greek author & philosopher in Athens (427 BC – 347 BC)

[5] Mark Twain (1835 – 1910), Advice to Youth

• The Shepherd is always willing to leave the 99 and go in search of the one, lovingly guiding the lost sheep back to the flock.
  (Matthew 18:12)
• The shepherd always listens to God for the wisdom to guide the flock to ever greener pastures.
  (Psalm 23:2)
• The shepherd makes sure the flock partakes of good clear water.
  (Mark 9:41)
• The shepherd never makes the flock beasts of burden.
  (Matthew 23:4)
• The shepherd never lassoes the sheep; hog ties ‘em and fleeces ‘em.

In the process of self-denial, many traditions require one to “give up something” — to abstain at least during the Lenten season from taking part of or using that particular vice. I was thinking today how wonderful it would be if everyone resolved to give up hate, animosity, and the desire to control the lives of others.

“But Wait,” you say, “the Lenten custom of ‘giving up’ or abstaining is traditionally seen as doing without something you like, and not the negative attitudes and lifestyles such as the need to control others!”

To those of you that would suggest that fact to this balding, portly, Priest, —- I reply to you with a heavy sigh and troubled heart, and humbly point out that there are many in this world that thrive on hate, animosity, and the mind control of others, those that savor these negative attitudes just as you and I might savor a thick juicy steak, a glass of a fine aperitif, or even a mug of one’s favorite brew.

Sadly, our diverse media, on a daily basis reports headlines detailing the suffering and in some cases death that innocents have experienced at the hands of these troubled souls. Consider the number of accounts we have heard of children that have been enslaved, in some cases for years by adults for the purpose of satisfaction of the desires of the flesh. Consider the cases wherein people have recounted the suffering they have experienced at the hands of false prophets that were so controlling that the lay person had to go to the minister to receive his/her permission for such simple things as the choice of cell phone vendors.

And many of us have heard of or know matriarchs and patriarchs that thrive on maintaining hate and animosity within their own family groups — dividing the family and in effect conquering so as to control the family, people who do not seem happy unless turmoil is constantly boiling in their lives and the lives of their spouses, children or siblings. To all of these that thrive on hate, animosity and control, would it not be nice if they discovered self denial – at least during Lent – by giving up these habits? Would not it be wonderful if they abstained from their desires that hurt and deny others, by denying themselves of these negative vices?

“…..Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

Usually, little children are not full of hate and animosity, until they have learned these undesirable attributes from adults or older children. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all followed the golden rule, treating others as we would want to be treated, and I ask how many actually want to be the receivers of hate and animosity or to be controlled by others? Why can we not be as little children in the symbolic sense and cast off hate, greed, etc.

And one of the lawyers answering saith unto him, Teacher, in saying this thou reproachest us also. And Jesus said, Woe unto you lawyers also! for ye load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe unto you lawyers! for ye took away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

Luke 11:45,46,52

We might ask how often people place the burdens of hate, animosity, control, greed, and even false guilt and never lift a finger to help their victims bear these loads? How many would not enter into the light of God’s grace and strive to prevent others from doing so?

As we go through Lenten season reflect upon these thoughts that are offered for contemplation, and perhaps even pray that we as the followers of Christ can through our good example lead those we refer to in this editorial away from the darkness that prevails over their hearts and souls, so that someday innocents will no longer suffer at the hands of troubled individuals or cults.

Police officers were dispatched to the area with instructions to go door to door and ask residents to leave for the sake of safety, but the old man choose to ignore their pleas telling the officers when they came to his door that the Lord would provide for his safety.

The floodwaters continued to rise, getting deeper and deeper.

The old man started praying to the Lord asking that God would spare him from the impending flood and shortly after he started praying he was distracted from his prayers by a noise outside of his house, he looked out the door and noticed that the water flooding down his street was at least knee deep and the noise that had distracted him was coming from a military truck, the National Guard having been called out to aid in the disaster. The soldiers pleaded with the old man to accompany them to higher ground and safety, but as before with the Police, he rejected their assistance telling them that the Lord would provide.

The floodwaters continued to rise, getting deeper and deeper and now the first floor of the old man’s house was completely inundated by the waters and he was forced to seek safety on the upper level of his home. Continuing to pray, asking the Lord to save him from the flood, he was again disturbed during his prayers by a noise. It was the local fire department emergency workers in a boat just outside his window who also pleaded with the old man to let them take him to safety but as before he told them to go away that the Lord would provide.

Well the waters continued to rise and he was forced to climb out the second floor window onto the roof of the house and perched there he continued to pray when out of the blue  a Coast Guard helicopter whose crew once again tries to reason with the old man and rescue him from the flood, but once again refused citing his faith in the Lord.

So as the waters continued to rise eventually covering the house, the old man was swept away and he perished in the flood.

The next thing he knew he was in heaven before almighty God, and he fell down on his knees and cried out “Oh God, why did you forsake me and let me drown in that flood?”

God replied, “My dear child, I didn’t forsake you, I sent the Police to warn you of the danger, I sent the military to evacuate you, I sent a boat load of firemen to take you to safety, and I even sent a helicopter to rescue you off of that roof, what more did you expect?”

Although fictional and somewhat of an example sophomoric humor, this story is one that I have often used as illustrative metaphor, a parable of sorts, so as to teach that at times, God works through mysterious ways to help us.  Sometimes God send others into our lives to teach, to listen, or as in the case of the old man, rescue us from impending disaster.

Sometimes instead of sending others into our lives, God speaks to us through the voice of the Holy Spirit.  That small inner voice of sound reason and counsel.  But some of us are so misled by worldly concerns that we at times confuse that voice of the spirit with other voices, a state of lack of personal communion with the Spirit.

While the story of the old man and the flood was fictional, please allow me to share a tale that I know to be true, as I was there when it happened.

Today, even in most parts of rural America, when you call an ambulance a team of highly trained professionals will arrive at your location with all sorts of advanced medical and communications equipment.  The philosophy of treatment is that of to stabilize the victim before transport through the use of radio communications with a doctor at a trauma center, the doctor using the medical technicians or paramedics as his eyes and hands so as to administer the appropriate care to the patient.  However in years past, rural Americans did not have this life saving luxury.

Years ago, state laws allowed for ambulance attendants to be licensed with only training in advanced first aid, often this training was received through a few hours of classes at the Red Cross.  Being a volunteer with a fire and rescue unit, I took the Red Cross course, mailed a copy of the certificate of completion to the state, and within a few days I received this small wallet card stating I was licensed by the state as an ambulance attendant, a procedure that in no way begins to compare to the rigorous training and examination by state boards that is required of emergency medical technicians today.

The monitoring and communications equipment used by modern day paramedics was available but due to the costs involved was seldom used by the ambulance services that often were privately owned businesses.  In those days the philosophy of emergency treatment was to quite literally scrape up the victim, load him or her into the ambulance and run like the wind to the nearest emergency room.  Being young and adventurous, I often would work nights as a volunteer at an ambulance service owned by a “friend of a friend,” usually as a dispatcher answering the phone and operating the radio, but sometimes getting to ride along as an attendant.  It was on one of these nights, that I experienced the following.

In those days, with the exception of the interstate, most of the highways leading into or out of town were narrow two lane affairs, choked with commuter traffic as well as eighteen wheeled semi trucks hauling freight from here to there.  On this one particular night we received the call from the Highway Patrol that a semi truck had run over a pedestrian that had been walking along a highway north of town.  Upon arrival at the accident scene we learned that the pedestrian had for no apparent reason, stepped in front of the truck so suddenly that the driver was helpless and not able to respond in time so as to avoid striking the victim.

Like I said earlier, the conventional wisdom of the time was to get the victim into the ambulance and transport as quickly as possible to the hospital, so we loaded this guy into the back of the ambulance and headed toward the local ER.  During transport we started to do everything possible to control the bleeding and stabilize the patients legs which had suffered multiple compound fractures from just below the hips to the ankles.  We noted that although the patient had suffered such extreme injuries, he was remarkably aware and communicative, as if he felt no pain.  Due to extraneous circumstances and the patient’s reactions it was easy to conclude that he was “high” on some sort of illicit drug, this “high” contributing to his state of not feeling pain.

We arrived at the ER and gave our report to the Doctor who after examination agreed with our speculation that the patient was probably strung out on some drug.  The doctor and staff having stabilized the patient and ordered immediate surgery, stepped out of the room while a nurse was getting this guy ready for further treatment.  I was at a sink washing the poor man’s blood off of my hands when I heard the nurse ask him, “Why did you walk out in front of that 18 wheeler?”  The man lying on the hospital bed, still fully responsive replied, “Why the LORD, told me to walk out in front of that big truck!”  This lady, one of those proverbial saints in a nurse’s uniform, with sadness in her voice corrected the man by saying “No, no, I don’t think it was the Lord that told you to step in front of the truck, I think it was those drugs you are on.”

Now keep in mind, I was just a punk kid, 18 or 19 years old, washing my hands and watching this conversation transpire.  After the nurse had gave him her opinion that the voice that instructed him was not of divine origin, the man raised his head off of the pillow and with a look of startled disbelief on his face, questioned the nurse, “WHAT, you mean I did all of this for nothing?”

The scene of that night some thirty years ago still haunts my memories, just as the scenes of the many alcohol related accidents wherein we extricated both young and old, sober and drunk, alive and dead victims from cars mangled beyond recognition.  It never ceases to amaze me and to bring me great sorrow when I contemplate on the consequences we bring upon ourselves when we abuse the God given gift of freedom of choice and turn to drugs and alcohol for answers to our problems.  The physical carnage I have personally witnessed, as well as the domestic problems arising from substance abuse are indeed nightmares of our society, somewhat reminiscent of the horror movies produced in Hollywood studios.  While some falsely blame God for these events, I humbly submit that it is not God that tells us to do these things, it is not the voice of the Holy spirit, but rather our lack of connection with the voice of God or failure to establish communion with the Spirit.

Flip Wilson, that great comedian, made popular the phrase, “The Devil Made Me Do It,” however I agree with most secular and sectarian authorities that the Devil doesn’t make us do anything.  There is no little cartoon creature with horns, a long pointed tail and a pitchfork setting on our shoulders whispering into our ears.  But rather we through the freedom of choice, succumb to all sorts of temptation when we fail to heed the voice of reason, the voice of God, and freely choose to listen to that inner voice that rises out of the lower ego, the lower self, that voice that is victim or susceptible to spiritual oppression, a state of being out of communion with the spirit.

While many of us are not under the influence of drugs and alcohol when we make a bad choice or decision in life, we can be failing to accept the grace of God and unintentionally placing ourselves in a position of being susceptible to spiritual oppression.  When we are full of self-doubt, self-depreciation, depression from extraneous outward influences and in the same respect, in other cases, full of false pride, self-aggrandization, we might be under spiritual oppression.  When we succumb to lusts, materialism, greed, hate, anger and even sometimes fear, we might be under spiritual oppression.

As we mentioned earlier, it is a mistake to believe that God causes misfortune in our lives, for at times some of us are like the Old Man and the flood in the story we first looked at.  Let us consider the lessons in the book of Luke describing the temptation of Christ;

And he (Satan) took him (Christ) to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”
Luke 4:9-12

Satan had taken Christ out of the desert and placed him on the pinnacle or highest point of the temple in the city.  He tempted Christ by telling him to jump off of the top of the building and told him (Christ) that it was written that God had ordered certain angels to always look over Christ so as to make sure that he didn’t even trip over or bruise his foot on a stone, Christ being the son of God and worthy of such a high respect.  But Jesus told Satan, that we should never test or try God to see if he will answer our wishes, whims, or desires.

When we in turn put God to the test, are we not like Satan, testing our Father?  Can we then say that when we do this we are under a state of spiritual oppression?  Is this not a condition of being out of communion with the spirit?  Graceful prayers of gratitude, full of humility are one thing but tests of our Father are another all together.  Jesus refused to test his Father as he knew he was in total communion with his Father and had no need to reaffirm or test God’s care and love for him.

We spoke earlier about self-doubt, self-fears, self-depreciation, and can we not ask if these are signs of a lack of faith?  Consider the story in Matthew 17 when the man brought his tormented son to Jesus to be healed and told our Lord that his disciples had tried to cast the demon from the boy but had been unable to accomplish the task:

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:19&20

We can learn from this scripture that lack of faith or self doubt can be a form of spiritual oppression.  We must always keep in mind that unless we try, we will never know if we can.  Consider this verse;

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Luke 11:9&10

I can attest to this concept on a personal basis, you see before I accepted the calling into the ministry, my wife suggested that I would make a good minister, but being full of self doubt, lack of self worth, I rejected her suggestion, for a time.  After accepting the calling and looking at the numerous messages and personal reports I have received from men and women all over the nation, telling me of the difference my work has made in their lives, I now know that God intended for me to serve his people.  My previous self doubt causing a lack of faith or a lack of communion with the spirit.

We are called upon in our own generation to develop the disciplines required for loving and open communion with God, the world, others, and ourselves.  We need to recover the art of communion and so recover the universe as God’s, and rediscover our roots in God, in the world, in one another, and in our inner selves.  [1]

This process of rediscovery allows us the knowledge to ascertain the difference between the voice of the spirit and the voice of spiritual oppression.  It reconnects us to God  and gives us the ability to resist temptation as well as the tools necessary to avoid depression from self doubt and lack of faith in self as well as of lack of faith in God.

Just as in the story of the Old man and the flood we learn to look for miracles in the form of others that God sends into our lives and we learn from the story of the man that I helped to scrape up from the highway all those many years ago, to resist the temptation to look to drugs, alcohol, and other dark places for the answers instead of turning to God.

[1]from Living In The Spirit by Rachel Hosmer and Alan Jones a part of the teaching series of the Episcopal Church. copyright 1979 by the Seabury Press

• For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other………. Galatians 5:17

Obviously the words of the Apostle Paul bespeak of the necessity to refrain from the sinful nature and turn to the sprit.  While other religious paths may mix carnal intimacy and liturgy, Christianity simply does not, and while most ministers and lay people realize this and question the reason or necessity to make such a distinction, there are those that seize any doctrine or precept as a means to justify their carnal desires, sinful nature, and spiritual immaturity.

To state that we should embrace love regardless of the manner in which love manifests itself is absolutely a noble contention, however we must be aware of those that are so spiritually immature as to seize upon this noble virtue to justify their own sinful nature, that nature of lust and fornication, even adultery when they are in fact bound by the sacrament of holy matrimony.  Those of us that wear the collar denoting our calling as shepherds of God’s people, must set exemplary standards for ourselves, remaining faithful to God and our partner if married, ever monogamous in our relationship.

Adultery and polygamous affairs must never be a part of the minister’s lifestyle, else wise we betray the confidence our flocks have in us, not to see their wives, husbands, sons or daughters as objects of our carnal lusts.  We must never advocate or use the noble concepts of unconditional love or embracing love regardless of how love manifests itself as a tool to surreptitiously lure innocents into our flocks for the purpose of soliciting or establishing polyamourous affairs or relationships.

Some in my community have taken exception at my outspokenness against polygamy, reminding me that scripture “appears” to justify multiple wives.  Those who contend that the Bible never negatively treats polygamy are wrong. Consider the warning given to prospective and actual kings of Israel:

• “But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold” (Deut. 16&17).

Notice the three “shall nots,” multiply horses, multiply wives, multiply silver and gold. Solomon is often sited as proof for the practice of polygamy being right, but Solomon was wrong in all three areas. Solomon had a vast number of horses; he had riches unparalleled; and seven hundred wives (I Kgs. 4: 26; Eccl. 1-10; I Kgs. 11: 3). Hence, to use the example of Solomon and his seven hundred wives to argue for polygamy is an example of how simplistically a subject can be approached and dialectically presented. [1]

Some say that polygamy is a victimless crime, spouses that participate in so called open marriages doing so with their partner’s implied consent.  But studies indicate that in most such cases, resentment and pain, broken hearts, and divorce eventually occur when one spouse realizes that his or her partner is using them, his or her partner taking advantage of them so as to satisfy illicit carnal desires.  With most plural marriages being that of one man and multiple women, the male demanding fidelity from the females but the male never considering how his infidelity hurts the women, the women wind up being the victims of mind controlling spousal abuse.

In these troubled times I am fairly confident the reader has perused newspaper or, television reports of ministers or even entire churches that have abused the confidence reposed in them.  In this region, an hour or so away, an atrocity gained national media coverage last year when it came to light that parents in a so called church were trading or swapping their own children to other adults in the church for the purpose of pedophilia.  I humbly ask is this a form of love that we as Christians should embrace?  Is this what Christ meant when he said to love thy neighbor as you love yourself?  I think not.  I ask should not we advocate the concept of embracing Love regardless of how it manifests itself, but within certain limits?

Some ask, “Preacher!  Where is your Christian compassion for those clerics that misuse their office?”  To them I humbly ask, where is your compassion for the victims of these infractions of social morality and core Christian doctrine?  Why do people cry out for compassion for the fallen cleric while being oblivious to the pain of the wives, husbands, and children caught up in these sordid affairs?  Where is the outcry for compassion for the congregations destroyed when they discover their shepherd has allowed his or her carnal lusts to betray the confidence of the flock?

• A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;  1 Timothy 3:2

In this day and age, it is hard enough for those of us who wear the collar, to be without any sin, but if we are bound by the sacrament of holy Matrimony, the least we can do is to remain monogamous.  If we are spiritually mature we can at least avoid the lure of lust and avoid the sin outlined in the seventh commandment “You shall not commit adultery.”

In conclusion, let us extend unconditional brotherly love to those who are so spiritually immature, so psychologically immature that they confuse carnal love with spiritual love. But let us also be advocates for the victims of their infractions.  Let us extend unconditional brotherly love to our fallen clerics but in the same respect recognize secular as well as sectarian laws that call for just recompense in these cases.  Let us be spiritually mature enough to see through the facades — that these who use God’s name in vain — who hide behind facades and lies so as to perpetuate their insatiable lusts and out of control libidos.  Let us be as Christ admonished his disciples, “Be ye wise as serpents and innocent as doves” in our associations with these fallen prophets, innocent as doves in our ministrations, intentions and dealings but wise as the serpents who have the uncanny ability to protect themselves from attack,  for surely those clerics that remain unrepentant are not just spiritually immature, but spiritually possessed by demonic forces and apt to try to take as many innocents with them as possible as they journey to the darkness of Satan’s dominions, let us not allow ourselves to accompany them to the darkness so far removed from the light of God’s grace.

[1]http://www.bibletruths.net/Archives/BTAR324.htm

When I was born in 1957, Dad was 69 and Mom 40 years old, and as you might imagine all of their friends were in the same age group.  People that experienced WW1, the twenties, the depression, the “dust bowl days,” and WW2.  They had first hand knowledge of what life in rural America was like in those years, and when these folks got together and started reminiscing about the hard times and good times of those bygone eras, I listened.

Most of those folks that told those stories are now with their maker, but songs like the one by Alabama tell of the hardships of that day such as those old folks talked about, see the following excerpt;

Well somebody told us Wall Street fell
But we were so poor that we couldn’t tell
Cotton was short and the weeds were tall
But Mr. Roosevelt’s a gonna save us all

Well momma got sick and daddy got down
The county got the farm and they moved to town
Poppa got a job with the TVA
He bought a washing machine and then a Chevrolet

Sing it…

Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone with the wind
There ain’t nobody looking back again

For those of you that have been on the street, or close to it like me, perhaps we have been blessed because from past experience we know that life goes on.  Most of us have at one time or another, lost everything of material value.  But in the case of Ann and I we try to walk a life in the light of God just trying to survive from one day to another, and amazingly people with more material possessions are at times jealous of us, some have even admitted their envy of Ann and I to our face!  But just as amazing is the fact that many of these folks with more means than ours, come to us with their problems when they fall.

One of Ann’s cousins laughed at us because our TVs came from thrift stores, while they had just purchased a 60 inch flat screen for 3 grand.  But when they need advise guess whose phones ring?
Another relative criticizes us because our vehicles are old and he has brand new, but when he couldn’t make a car payment, guess who he came to?  I can’t begin to enumerate the people that were well known by their minister as long as they could contribute large sums of money to the church, but when on hard times their minister no longer knew them and guess who they came to?

Perhaps for those of us that have never known anything but hard times, when the entire country faces tough economic reality, this reality this experience while of concern for us, just isn’t so bad. “Well somebody told us Wall Street fell But we were so poor that we couldn’t tell” —- making do with less or even having the experience to make a silk purse from a sow’s ear (allegorically speaking of course) can be a blessing.  And we can bear witness for Christ in our disadvantaged financial state by standing tall and exorcising our fears of harsh financial reality or animosity that we might feel for those that have gained wealth at the expense of our peers,  and by placing these “demons” and others in their proper place, allow God’s grace to ooze out of our pores thereby showing the world that the meek are truly those with a glass half full.

Many authors, theologians and wise men and women of various and diverse paths have often pointed out that we should pray incessantly, constantly, un-ending, not only prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude for the manifold blessings of God, but prayers of healing and deliverance for our brothers and sisters who are experiencing very distressful times, due to hardship, health, or death of a loved one.

As the screen writers of that wonderful piece of science fiction named previously depicted the extreme increase of evil as flooding the sewers of the “Big Apple” it is as if evil today is increasing, manifesting itself in the form of hate, greed, intolerance, as well as taking a toll on our fellow members of the clergy on these various affiliated groups found across the Internet. We have seen an increase in prayer requests the last several days citing un usual afflictions, sudden death of relatives of our members, and other hardships experienced by our peers in the ministry, perhaps this is mere coincidence or perhaps the clergy at large is being tested or even distracted by personal and family problems leaving the people of God less protected than usual. It is times like this when we must all stand shoulder to shoulder and pray incessantly to God asking for strength and healing for all.

Please take a moment to consider this and remember everyone in your devotions.

In the media each day, we hear reports of how some group has demeaned our faith in some form or fashion in such a way that had that group perpetrated the same offensive against a minority or other faith, the group would have drawn the wrath of the media and the powers that be. To understand why we as a faith are being attacked, we must take a moment to consider one of the basic elements of psychology, in that there is a difference in how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us.  You see, the actions of the few reflect upon the many, thereby causing those outside of our faith to see us differently than we really are.
In my opinion, the majority of Christians and the good works that we do from the heart are largely ignored, while the small vocal minority consistently draws the attention of the media and through coverage by the press, as a whole, we are adjudged guilty of the same infractions as the minority simply due to association. Consider the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka Kansas. As you may recall these folks are the group that show up regularly at various functions where the media also happens to be, to protest any prominent individual or organization that has shown any degree of support for those who pursue alternative lifestyles. The name of their web site alone, (www.godhatesfags.com/) pretty much describes their feelings for homosexuals and lesbians. Statistics have shown that the majority of Americans, even those who don’t particularly approve of alternative lifestyles, do however feel that tolerance toward these alternative groups should be the rule of society, not some social purge reminiscent of Adolf Hitlers régime of some seventy years ago. So if the majority of us find the actions of Reverend Phelps and his supporters more reprehensible than that of those that he and the Westboro Church attack, why do we not speak out against those that we feel are preaching false doctrine and bearing false witness that demeans the message of our Lord Jesus Christ? Why do we not defend our Lord and our faith in the eyes of those that assume we all are as intolerant as Phelps?
In a past sermon I published titled “Have we failed our Lord Jesus Christ”  we took a look at how others outside of our faith perceive us due to our actions. In that sermon I reported;
On Sat Feb 7, 2004 “Reverend Dr. Steadman” posted an e-mail with the subject as: “Missionaries Needed In England.” In which he shared with us that while doing some chores, he tuned into the National Public Radio Station.

“They were into some game shows, very intelligent stuff, when the question came up as to what rank the English young people (age range not given) had given Jesus as an adult role model, Their answer? 147, exactly the same score that was given to George Bush, our current President…………”

Now think about that for a moment, these young people rated all sorts of recording artists and sports heroes higher than our Lord, and then gave him the exact same low rating as the most disliked President.
In that sermon we went on to conclude that possibly the actions of the few had impacted on the good name of the many. Consider the old adage that states that one bad apple ruins the entire barrel. The negative perceptions by the world of the actions of relatively few members of our faith reflect upon all of us as well as how outsiders throughout the world perceive our Lord Jesus Christ and his Father!
We see televangelists on the airwaves that many of us view as false prophets routinely defrauding their followers, but we remain silent. And when we do speak up our peers attack us. This very phenomena has occurred many times on our various e-mail discussion groups, our good friend and colleague Reverend Steadman attacked for offering his opinion regarding the more prominent evangelists and ministers that are high ranking officials in the mainstream denominations and who have had the attention of the public eye, men and women who in Reverend Steadman’s opinion are leading their followers through a dung heap of false teachings. So why when wrongs need to be righted, do we shoot the messenger?
In jest, our Jewish friends often say that theirs is a faith of guilt, but I give it as my opinion that the Jews own no exclusive franchise on faith based guilt, as we Christians often allow guilt, or the fear thereof and the fear of condemnation by our peers, to stand in our way of crying out within our ranks against the injustice and false doctrine of some of our own. When we speak out against a leading minister who we perceive as wrong, we are condemned. When we question the doctrine of the mainstream, we are condemned as heretics and blasphemers even when our motives are just and our positions scripturally sound.
For the most part the foundation of our self-guilt as well as the basis for the condemnation of our peers can be found in the following verses;

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. Matthew 7:5 (KJV)
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. John 8:7 (KJV)
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door James 5:9 (KJV)

These verses are widely taken to mean that we should first (be) “without sin” before we accuse our fellow man and then we should not judge as that act is reserved by God. So how do we bring about change within the Christian Church?  How do we voice our opinions and fears without being called a hypocrite?
In researching this sermon I ran across a web page that had several news accounts of the announcement of former President and Mrs Carter who made public their intent to disassociate themselves from the Southern Baptist convention some time ago. The Southern Baptists had announced some changes to their creed or church doctrine and the Carters due to their personal convictions felt compelled to leave the Southern Baptists and associate with a smaller Baptist organization. The website I viewed also had several “letters to the editor” from a multitude of readers that supported the Carters as well as a few who expressed their displeasure with the couples actions. Let’s take a look at some of those critical of the Carters;

Yes, Mr. Carter, leave the SBC. But leave quietly as God commands. If it is because of methodology, then recognize it. If it is because of doctrine, be careful. There may be more gray than just your hair. -Ron B
I say this is the best thing that has happened to the Southern Baptists in a long time! Good riddance! -Pat T

But many of the letters voiced their support of the Carters, but one has to wonder why when so many voiced their dissatisfaction with their denomination, why didn’t they cry out for change within the organization?

It is unfortunate that “men” use the clothe of religion to justify exclusionary, racist views and actions. The true ministry of Jesus Christ is far from that. There is no doubt that President and Mrs. Carter exemplify true service and commitment to others. Their legacy continues. I applaud him and Mrs. Carter, once again, for taking the stand for equality and justice for all. Deborah R
The SBC is trying to turn back the clock. A clock that includes segregation, moral dictatorships and women barefoot and pregnant. Is that really what christianity is about? Not in my world and not in the Lord’s bible! Nancy B
The present fundamentalist leadership in the SBC is strikingly similar to other rigid religious groups around the world. They are intolerant of any discussion of their interpretations of what they believe you should believe. They themselves represent the false prophets they constantly warn against. J. H

These last three letters are emblematic of why many of us now find ourselves associated with organizations like the Interfaith Christian Church—Christ Without Borders International Fellowship, Progressive/Inclusive Christianity and the free church movement. But even outside of the United States there are Christians that are speaking out. In an interview regarding his book “Christi-Anarchy,” the Australian author Dave Andrews, is quoted as saying;

“The difficulty is that in Christian circles there is that whole culture of silence, particularly in evangelical/charismatic circles. We are quick to criticize people of other traditions and religions but not our own……..The natural instinct is to close ranks and protect the evangelical constituency.”…………” I’m advocating that Christ didn’t come to establish a new religion that we call “Christianity”, that franchised forgiveness to people on our territory on our terms so that we could make a tidy profit out of the process. He came to bring a new way of life that was liberating rather than domesticating”

So as more and more people come to view the recent world events, which in some cases have been falsely reported by those in the public eye as ordained by God, how can we as Christians remain quiet, and not even within our own ranks discuss questionable man made doctrine as well as individuals that are problematic at best? Would it not better for us to discuss our problems and address such, before we see a mass exodus of our congregations? Would it not be better to send a message to the masses telling them that Jesus would not advocate the actions of groups such as the Westboro Baptist Church and their teachings of GOD HATES. Should not we “break the culture of silence?” Isn’t it about time to tell the message that Jesus is not a franchise, a trademark, and his teachings are free to all not just those capable of belonging to one of those Country club TYPE Mega Big Box Churches?
Would we not learn more of God’s word, if we preached and taught as the sprit leads us, and not just repeating the doctrine that we have had dumped upon us? Why not explore the word and the intent of God through discussions and open debate, rather than “burning at the stake” anyone that deviates from mainstream theology. Why continue to support with our silence those who are making a fortune from our devotion to God? Why continue to fuel the fires of distrust and hate, perpetuating the negative manner in which many outside of our faith perceive Christians? If you see merit in this argument, then why not join one of the groups in what is rapidly growing to become known as the Free Church movement or Inclusive Christianity, worship God and our Lord Jesus Christ free of convoluted doctrine and legalisms, and speak out thereby BREAKING THE CODE OF SILENCE.