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I just read an article in GQ magazine that has evoked some rage in me. No, it’s not the liberal slant in the New York media that has done the job. It’s the topic and the people from a group called the Christian Exodus. The article is called God’s Brand-New Country and sub captioned “A dedicated group of hard-core Christians are moving to South Carolina with one mission-to take over the government, sever ties with America, and start their own country. They just might succeed by Guy Lawson”
Now I must confess that my first thought was to start writing some pabulum and get it published. Then this group of people would buy it and make me a decent living working at home on my laptop. But the thought left me before I finished reading the article. You see this group is tired of the “persecution” they are getting in America and want to attract thousands of Christians to South Carolina with the intent to take over local government. When they grow enough they would expand and turn their efforts towards DC.
Also, in fairness, I should check this out a little more before I start attacking them based on a GQ writer. I read GQ regularly because I like the writing it offers, but I do find it slanted to a liberal New York mind set more often then not. So having stated all my real and personal thoughts of greed, then shear anger at the premise I can go on without prejudice.
What have we become? As a believer I am embarrassed to read this kind of stuff. We whine because the Ten Commandments aren’t prominently displayed in some courthouse, cry about the lack of prayer in schools, and beat our chests about abortion while our “Christian” clicks are riddled with the exact problems that the world faces everyday.
Divorce rates in churches are on par with the national average. Infidelity, while not scientific, seems to be rampant. Psychological issues run the gamut, and yet we are some how more moral and God fearing because we call ourselves Christians. While we are at it we should institute an IQ test to determine who the real Christians are. Then everybody who exceeds 90 points can automatically become an agnostic. Can’t we get a little smarter? Why does Bubba have to represent me, a Christian, to the rest of society?
Maybe a little less righteous indignation and a whole lot more Bible study will help. This is a trap people. You have lost your first love. Christ did not call us to go out and make Christian nations. He could have done that when He walked among us. He called us to go out and reach individuals, as individuals, where they were at!
Instead of targeting abortion doctors, how about creating real awareness and support for teens who are in trouble. When my 16 year old girlfriend told me she was pregnant, and I, the 17 year old sought someone I could talk to, did I think about contacting a local church? No, and I probably still wouldn’t due to the scarlet letter approach we have taken inside the church.
Instead of preaching rampant homophobia, how about creating medical centers for AIDS patients. What if we reached out to this group of people in love rather then some mis-directed reference to the Old Testament. If we really want to follow all the rules in Leviticus we better throw away all references to the Messiah beginning in Matthew and ending in Revelation. Oh and by the way, stop eating pork, and don’t ever go back to the Red Lobster. Shell fish is impure and not to be consumed by God’s chosen people.
Creating a nation of Christians was already done folks. It is called the United States of America. And all the Christians who were there in 1776 throughout the ages till now are responsible for the moral decline. We the Christians, are the people, and last I checked at least 80% of this nation considers themselves Christians. So who are we throwing stones at? Is the 20% so powerful that we cannot overcome them? Are we that helpless? Maybe acting out your faith is the Christian kryptonite.
Martin Luther, who single handedly shook the foundations of the Catholic faith, wrote an incredible piece in his commentary on the book of Galatians:
Martin Luther Commentary – VERSE 2. Unto the churches of Galatia.
Paul had preached the Gospel throughout Galatia, founding many churches which after his departure were invaded by the false apostles. The Anabaptists in our time imitate the false apostles. They do not go where the enemies of the Gospel predominate. They go where the Christians are. Why do they not invade the Catholic provinces and preach their doctrine to godless princes, bishops, and doctors, as we have done by the help of God? These soft martyrs take no chances. They go where the Gospel has a hold, so that they may not endanger their lives. The false apostles would not go to Jerusalem of Caiaphas, or to the Rome of the Emperor, or to any other place where no man had preached before as Paul and the other apostles did. But they came to the churches of Galatia, knowing that where men profess the name of Christ they may feel secure.
Doesn’t that sound eerily familiar? A guy 500 years ago puts his finger on the pulse of a problem we have today. The wolves don’t go to the fortified sheep, they go to the weak sheep. In this case the wolves look a lot like the sheep, talk like them, eat like them, and even truly think they are sheep, but they are wolves.
It’s time to quit whining about the state of America and start doing something about it. Seek out that neighbor with a Budweiser in his hand. Ignore the tattoos - he probably regrets them. Instead of asking him to put his cigarette out before you speak with him, shake his hand. Have a beer with him, if it won’t make you stumble, and find some common ground.
Maybe he’s not the rough sort, but a clean and neat business man who is living with his partner. You won’t turn gay shaking his hand. In fact, there is no documented evidence that homosexuality has ever rubbed off with skin to skin contact. Maybe one day he will need something only you have to offer. Who knows, maybe one day you will need something from him.
That single mother who always seems stressed when you see her, but you know she goes out to the local clubs every weekend, may be looking for the very thing you have. You can never be sure. How about just being a friend to someone. What about loving without expecting something in return. How about fulfilling your commission.
You see if we are right about this living God, and everybody truly needs him, then maybe just maybe a little perseverance from us will go a long way. Moving away from the neighborhood because the Democrats and more then a few Republicans don’t do things the way you think they should is absurd. What you’re really moving away from is the fear of showing them just how similar you might be.
Christians are not perfect, just forgiven! Blah, that statement makes me sick to my stomach. It shouldn’t because it’s true. But the fact is, and I am included here as much as anybody, we look down on people who don’t show up at a church on Sunday’s. We judge without a jury and convict without a trial. I believe if we saw ourselves for who we really were we would all look like a pile of stench. Without Christ we are nothing, and your Brooks Brother suit is merely a disguise on Sunday mornings.
So I have rambled to the point of no return and for what? What am I missing here? Has anybody ever won someone over without first getting to know them? Can you help people without ever speaking to them? Have you even met your neighbor? I remember when I left California for the mid-west and our neighbor of eighteen months asked me who’s baby I was holding. I stated that he was ours and he is three months old.
I used to tell that story to make a little joke out of my neighbor, but the truth is I never reached out to him and his family anymore then they reached out to me. Who wins a stalemate? Did I win him by moving away? He forgot about me and my little family shortly thereafter. Who knows, he may have been seeking someone in his life that could offer him a little support. I’ll never know.
Now I’m beginning to wonder what my point is, so I’ll wrap it up. Just some late night thoughts from an insomniac Christian who’s tired of being represented by everything that he despises about the faith he chooses. And loves run-on sentences and bad grammar.
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amen Posted by LandonSandy | Posted at 08/28/2006 9:42 AM