OH NO! AM I A LIBERAL??
Somewhere along the way new lines were drawn and I think I have been assigned to liberal status. What happened? Not too long ago I used to be a card carrying member of the conservative, orthodox, fundamental, literalist, Bible believing, and evangelical American Christian Club. But when I look around, I seem to be out of lockstep with the party base. I mean I could shout “Amen!” with the best of them when some preacher began to castigate lost sinners or the Hollywood crowd or especially anything to do with the onslaught of the galloping hordes of gays or Muslims.
Man, those were the days. Everyone packed into one auditorium just salivating as we anticipated some leather lung preacher pounding the Bible and using verbiage like “taking back America” or “returning to the days when…” or “God made Adam and eve not Adam and Steve” or “God speaks through the KJV“. I can hear the thunderous applause accented by a loud chorus of amens. The juices were flowing and as the preacher threw out raw meat, like lions at a kill, we growled and showed our orthodox teeth and gleefully devoured every morsel. It was quite a feast! And after the service we filed out stuffed full of what we came for. Yes, those were the days alright. We were in the culture war and we were keeping our powder dry.
Well somehow I drifted to what some would categorize as the left. Of course we know that is erroneous since God is ambidextrous. But I have noticed that I can no longer enjoy a good pulpit slugfest like I had in the past. It has lost its sparkle. I found my heart becoming more compassionate toward those in bondage to sin. Bashing the lost and clumping people into categories no longer gets my juices flowing. Wow, what happened to me.
I guess I must apologize to the fundamental crowd. I guess I must hang my head and admit, like the cowardly lion, I have lost the vim and verve necessary for membership in the rabid moral crowd. Getting caught up in the red meat crowd just doesn’t appeal to me anymore. Let my identify certain issues that have escaped from my orthodox portfolio.
* I am no longer afraid of the gay agenda. (Right there qualifies me for a stake burning!)
* I can learn from many translations of scripture. (Uh-oh, release the hounds!)
* I do not revere the founding fathers. (Yes, I am a communist!)
* I do not vote. (Well, I have shirked my Christian duty!)
* I no longer break fellowship over eschatology. (Yes, they have revoked my pre-trib credentials!)
* I am not interested in changing the culture. (I am abandoning my grandchildren!)
* I believe women can wear makeup and pants. (Talk about blurring the lines!)
* I don’t celebrate the Fourth of July. (What’s next - Christmas?)
* I do not celebrate Christmas. (OK, now I have become just another heathen!)
* I believe in taking the Lord’s supper every Sunday. (Soon I will be moving in Ted Kaczynski’s cabin!)
* I have a desire to see Rosie O’Donnell be saved. (I know, God does not agree with me!)
* I do not sing hymns exclusively. (I guess I must like death metal praise!)
* I love Muslims. (That means I believe God is in all religions!)
* I no longer support war. (I am now a complete wuss!)
You see what I mean? Oh how I have drifted. And if those things disqualify a person from being a conservative (whatever that is) then I must be a liberal. I am now the enemy! But I can honestly say I am not bothered by it. I just desire to be like Him, and in that endeavor I quote from Robert Frost, I have “miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep”. Many, many miles.
Posts
17 comments:
Oh, and how I thank the Lord Jesus Christ you drank the quasi-liberal kool-aid!
Look, you and I both know you ain't no liberal -- and neither am I. But I know exactly what you mean, brother! I used to be one of 'dem 'dare fundamentalists meself.
You know what broke from it? I took a long, hard look at myself in the spiritual mirror and concluded that I am a sinner (like the rest of the world) who has placed his faith in Jesus Christ to save me from myself, from my sin, from the wrath of God -- that God graced me and regenerated me solely by faith in His Son.
King James didn't save me, and neither did the GOP. I won't be votin' for Obama or walking in any Gay Pride parade any time soon. But I sure ain't no card-carrying fundamentalist either.
God bless you, man of God.
Thanks William! You now have been exposed! :)
We appeared almost un-American this past 4th of July. No flag, nothing. It doesn't get better at Christmas. The neighborhood is lit up brightly and we have our outside garage lights on (they are required to be by the HOA). A bit understated I would stay.
Wow! I didn't realize how many heathens read this blog!
Are you suggesting that God is greater than MY characterizing Him in human political terms ?
Or that He uses the word "liberal" in its true meaning of "generous" (and not the Republican perversion of the word as "evil") when He says HE is liberal...and I must be too ?
Or (the biggie) that my insistence I'm a "conservative" Christian is only self-vaunting pose, since "liberal Christianity" that rejects Biblical truth is NOT Christianity at all ?
Are you saying I can NOT read my own small-minded human political prejudices into God's word and His character ?
LOL. AMEN, brother !
In Jesus, Steve
You continue to be good brother in Him, Steve.
If wanting to see Rosie O'Donnell saved is a liberal, What if you prayed for President Obama and the First Lady to get saved or Nancy Pelosi.
I've read your list and OH MY! I maybe a liberal or becoming one.
I've been reading your blog since the end of May or 1st of June. Some of it I find humorus and some we used to say in church steps on my toes. I appreciate all of it.
Thank you
I'll never forget the time I told my mother that I loved gays because Jesus lived them too. She accused me of being liberal with gay desires (lol.) it's not easy being a true Christian-Noel
Let's get this straight once and for all. God doesn't love gays, or muslims, or anyone who rejects His Son, and neither should we. If He truly loved them, he wouldn't send them to hell if they were to die today. If He loved them they wouldn't need to repent and believe in Jesus because His love for them would grant them immediate access to the Father without the need for repentance.
To claim that God loves evil is blasphemy, and to believe that somehow God loves the sinner and hates the sin is the blasphemous teaching of Gandhi. God doesn't separate the worker of iniquity from his iniquity apart from Jesus.
Why do so many "Christians" have a problem with the Biblical fact that God hates workers of iniquity? God hated Esau. David hated those who hated God with a perfect hatred... and David was the apple of God's eye! God's hatred for evil doers is ever present in the Old and New Testament and He isn't returning to earth to give everybody a big hug and tell them He loves them in spite of themselves... He's preparing for war right now and He's returning to do battle with His Sword!
I certainly don't plan to stand before God and have to explain why I was praying for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, or Elton John, or Richard Dawkins. They are not "lost" because they have indeed heard and rejected Jesus. The "lost" are those who have never heard the Gospel.
It should be our DESIRE that all should repent, but to say we love those at enmity with God is heresy.
Ah yes, you are not a liberal. You must define the word "world" as "few". And you do not understand the nuance of metaphor in the Hebrew, such as "Esau have I hated".
jesus loved Jerusalem and desired to gather them like chicks, but they would not. But I understand your perspective, perhaps you are a Calvinist?
Hey Rick
I'm with you till you get to #4-8-9.
The jury is still out on #13-14. I pulled out of organized religion long ago when they turned Jesus into Santa Claus and pushed the cross out the door.
Nothing like a good slug fest with a bunch of straw men.
I could have swore the new testament said to love your enemies. We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedNess in high places.
Well if you're going to hate THOSE workers of iniquity, will you also hate Republicans who follow the Mormon religion and "Christians" who are racist?
Hi Rick,
I've only just read your post quickly and appreciatively but am responding post haste regarding your response suggesting a contributor might be a Calvinist. Even though I agreed with all you said, please note that I am actually a Calvinist. I too left the church for a decade until I found a faithful, and Reformed, congregation with whom to worship the Lord Jesus Christ. Please do not think that my theology and loving the lost are incompatible.
No problem. I do visit some reformed sites and I have reformed friends. They are willing to sift through my occasional Calvinist rants. I haven't had one in a while. Hmm...
God may be ambidextrous, but the mark is on your right hand, or middle of the forehead. Your safe, from that sin at least! -)
Post a Comment