But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Matthew 23:13-14, KJV
OK, I’m pissed. And it’s a righteous pissed.
Today is World AIDS Day. Less than a dozen miles away, Rick Warren, bestselling author of A Purpose Driven Life and evangelical pastor of the Saddleback megachurch is leading an international AIDS conference “designed to mobilize millions of congregations around the world for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS.” Barack Obama, liberal Christian U.S. Senator will speak there today and is using his high profile to raise awareness for the cause and the conference.
How have some Christian leaders chosen to react? With condemnation. They cite Obama’s pro-choice voting record and have called for Warren to rescind his invitation to the Senator:
The Who’s Who list of names joining in the call to Warren included Phyllis Schlafly of Eagle Forum, Judy Brown of American Life League, Tim Wildmon of American Family Association, Joe Scheidler of Pro-Life Action League, Cheryl Sullenger of Operation Rescue, Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth, Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries, Chris Rosebrough of Capo Valley Church in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., Kevin McCullough of WMCA Radio, Ingrid Schlueter of Crosstalk Radio, Vic Eliason of VCY American Radio Network and Cal Zastrow of Christian Action for the Preborn and others.
Where are the priorities of these so-called Christians? Here’s a hint from this editorial:
The Rev. Joel Hunter, of Northland, A Church Distributed, in Longwood, Fla., said he quit as president-elect of the group founded by evangelist Pat Robertson because he realized he would be unable to broaden the organization’s agenda beyond opposing abortion and same-sex marriage.
He hoped to include issues such as easing poverty and saving the environment.
From a New Testament perspective, AIDS victims are modern-day lepers. The ‘Christian’ leaders who condemn Warren and Obama’s efforts are the hypocrites Jesus tore into. All sorts of biblical passages are popping into my skull right now. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” Remember that the priest and the Levite passed the wounded man on the road, but it was the despised Samaritan who helped the man and who Jesus lauded. St. Paul described how “true religion” is about helping the widows and orphans. Barack Obama seems closer to this vision:
While we will never see eye-to-eye on all issues, surely we can come together with one voice to honor the entirety of Christ’s teachings by working to eradicate the scourge of AIDS, poverty and other challenges we all can agree must be met.
Keep in mind that I’m a liberal atheist, and I want to work with the Warrens and the Obamas of the world to eradicate AIDS and to ease the suffering of its victims. This is religion I can get behind.
Rick Warren says “I have no doubt if Jesus were walking the Earth today, he would be hanging out with people with AIDS.” And there is no doubt in my mind that the same Jesus would turn his back on the Pat Robertsons, Phyllis Schlaflys–modern day hypocrites and false Christians.
6 responses so far ↓
1 nee // Dec 1, 2006 at 8:07 am
There is a proverb I’ve come to love which says: Charity sees the need, not the cause. That ties in with what you said about Jesus. Appropriate since “Charity is the pure love of Christ.”
Unfortunately, I got into a conversation (rant exchange?) with someone on this on another blog yesterday about a different topic. They were relentless in playing the morality card, harshly criticizing those who’s choices put them in a difficult situation. Their words hurt me not just for what they said but because I know I have used those words before myself.
It’s taken some humbling experiences to make me examine my attitude. What I’ve learned is:
1) We have to help people regardless of how they end up in situations where they need love, support, and assistance.
2) It is ineffective to rant about how moral behavior would keep people out of some situations, everyone has different beliefs and we have to understand we can’t force our own on them. What will help is educating people on their options and helping them recognize their inherent worth. When people feel good about themselves, they tend to make beneficial choices.
2 Bored in Vernal // Dec 1, 2006 at 10:36 am
From my fave chapter in the BofM, Mosiah 4:
16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.
17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—
18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.
22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God…
Our opinion that someone “has brought upon himself his misery” must have no affect upon our charitable actions toward that person!!
3 nee // Dec 1, 2006 at 12:30 pm
Bored, “Our opinion that someone has brought upon himself his misery must have no affect upon our charitable actions toward that person!! ”
Definitely true. And after we do that, the next step is fading those judgments out of our mind. At least that’s the part I’m working on.
4 John // Dec 1, 2006 at 10:32 pm
BiV, I still like much of Mosiah 2-4.
It seems to me that there is so much that we can’t know about others. The “judge not” counsel is one of the best advice to come out of Christianity and one of the least followed.
5 Dave Sigmann // Dec 2, 2006 at 4:39 pm
John, I am very much bothered by the way some Christians have taken the opportunity of AIDS day to turn the focus away from helping those with the disease to condemning a speaker for his voting record.
I can see that their actions do conflict with some of the teachings of Jesus, and so perhaps are deserving the title of hypocrites. But, as an atheist, I have gone back over the words of Jesus and have found many examples of his judgmental and strict, condemning attitude. (I have found the loving words also). So, if one takes a condemning stance, one could be both following Christ’s example and ignoring Christ’s example at the same time.
People often wonder how so-called Christians can stray so far from what Christ taught, meaning forgiveness, etc. Those who think that seem to have a selective memory, IMO. Here are just a few examples of Christ’s teachings that give some justification for the actions of Pat Robinson’s and Fred Phelps’ of the world:
Matt 10:14-15 14And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. (see also Matt 11:20-24).
Matt 12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
Matt 13:41-42: 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matt 22:12-13: 12And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matt 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Luke 3:9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
6 Jonathan // Dec 4, 2006 at 6:27 am
Ironically, every verse quoted in the previous comment is aimed at the close-minded religious crowd of Jesus’ day, never to the unbelieving gentile crowd. A better way to research this would be to look at what Jesus and Paul said to the gentiles.
You’ll see quite a different story. Jesus treats the close-minded arrogant religious crowd quite differently than he treats the unbeliever. One gets anger and rebuke, the other gets grace and kindness. Interesting.
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