A couple of days ago The Wartburg Watch received a very harsh comment which condemned the evangelical church. My first reaction was one of defensiveness. How dare he?! Look at how much the church has done for the world. I was about to make a clever comment incorporating various proofs such as the work of William Wilberforce. 

And then it struck me. Last week we covered the story of George Rekers and his hired “Rentboy”, Jo-Vanni Roman. Lydia, a frequent participant on this blog, had commented about how these incidents harm the witness for Christ in the world. She, along with TWW, expressed concern for the pain this incident also caused Roman and how this might have affected his perspective on the faith.

Well, it seems like our Father in heaven may have wanted us to know how others perceive the church, especially those outside of evangelicalism. And the following two comments appeared on the blog, written by the same person.

1. "From these Baptists to the rapists in the Catholic church, we see again and again how few churches preach (or even understand) the message of Christ.  Meanwhile, these churches continue to encourage the rapes and murders of gay children and adults. Hatred is a strong motivator. It helps keep the money rolling in.

If Jesus were on earth today, he would be condemning these churches with full voice. I go to my Greek Orthodox church frequently. Never, in 15 years, have I heard a condemnation of homosexuals. The day I do will be the last day I set foot in there."

2.  "his scandal (meaning George Rekers) is what you find sad? What is sad is that so many churches spew such vitriol into the pews that the minds of those in the communities they serve are perverted. And because of this, young gay people are raped and murdered. THAT is what is sad, not the reputation of rotten churches filling their coffers with blood money.”

 

I have followed a blog known as Ex Christians.net. This blog is not for the faint of heart. It is a blog written for those who have or are in the process of leaving the faith. I have discussed many issues with these folks, and they have taught me much about the pain within evangelicalism. Their reasons for leaving Christianity are many, but hypocrisy is one of the more significant factors.

They watch the faith carefully and document many new stories dealing with pastors and pedophilia, rape, money, etc. It is not pretty. Yes, I know the objections. There are many good things the church does, but they see the negative over the positive. What is so sad is that there are so many negatives. Needless to say, the Rekers situation was discussed. I have reprinted a portion and have provided the link. This week I intend to learn how to hide a link behind a word – I am a techno-peasant…but I digress).

I would like to make one request. If you visit this site, first read and listen for a good, long while before commenting. They have heard every good argument. Many have read all of the apologetics books and some are former pastors. Be kind and be creative and for goodness sake, listen to them. I have been on the chopping block on most occasions.

 

 …”one of the founders of the Family Research Council,  Dr. George Rekers, and one of the leading voices against homosexuality coming from the Evangelical camp has been exposed after hiring a male sex slave from rentboy.com to accompany him on a great gaycation to Europe.  In fact, if my axiom were a mathematical formula, and you worked the whole thing out, the solution would read something like this:  "Therefore, the founder of the FRC must, of necessity, be gay himself, and will someday be exposed as a closeted homosexual, and a perverted one at that."  This is how the formula works when applied to Jimmy Swaggart, to Ted Haggard, and to so many "Family Values" politicians that it's not even fun to count any more, and this is obviously how it will work, nay must work for any and every Evangelical who condemns a certain lifestyle or culture.  You hate what you are.  You obsess about abortion?  Must be because you've had one.  You obsess about pornography?  Must be because you're addicted to it.  You accuse "liberals" of hating America?  You must secretly fantasize about treason and sedition.  Last, but by no means least, you obsess about the "homosexual agenda"?  Why you must have an agenda yourself, and one that includes purchasing the services of a man whore from rentboy.com for your European gaycation.  You hate what you are”. 

http://new.exchristian.net/2010/05/great-evangelical-gaycation-you-hate.html

 

The secular media has now picked up on the Caner story. I predict it will not go well for Liberty University… We will follow Liberty's responses.

So here are my questions.

– When Christians stand against the radical homosexual agenda, do we do it of arrogance, perhaps thinking that we are far more moral than they are? In that case, why are there so many divorces, affairs, and closet homosexual behavior in the church (even among our revered leadership)?

– How many of us know evangelicals who are “addicted” to Internet pornography? What happens to good men like Doug Pittman who try to bring this out into the open? Why was he kicked out of his church instead of the one caught viewing pornography on a church-owned computer on church premises? Why do those pastors caught in this behavior continue to serve as pastors? Why did the Georgia Baptist Convention pass a resolution condemning blogging when Doug was merely trying to get the truth out?

– Why are so many alleged Christians defending Caner’s lies? Just read the blogs exposing his fabrications.

– Why are so many alleged Christians defending Ed Young, Jr.’s outrageous lifestyle (not to mention the prosperity preachers)?

– Why do so many supposed Christians defend Mac Brunson and First Baptist Church Jacksonville, which appeared to be so afraid of the apparent truth on Tom Rich’s blog that they allegedly trampled Rich’s First Amendment rights?    www.fbcjaxwatchdog.blogspot.com

– While Rome is burning, groups such as Sovereign Grace Ministries allegedly allow male teenage pedophiles to continue working with children in a church setting while their big boys live in $700,000 houses and teach women that keeping toasters (or anything else for that matter) on the counter is contrary to proper housekeeping etiquette and may result in husbands being de-gifted. 🙂(Carolyn Mahaney – CJ's wife – is a former Mennonite who absolutely detests counter clutter and expects wives of SGM pastors to tow the line with her peculiar brand of godly housekeeping rules). Egads!!!!

-Why are there so many pedophiles and rapists within the SBC leadership that there is a blog dedicated to keeping track of them? How many Baptists have condemned the Catholic pedophile priests and kept their mouth’s shut about their own issues?         Stopbaptistpredators.org

So many of these same people will spew vitriol on those who live unacceptable lifestyles while defending their own unacceptable behavior. And then many evangelicals will wonder why we are losing membership in the SBC and other denominations and why college students are leaving the faith in droves?

The early church had no Moral Majority and didn't spend time attempting to gain political power. In fact, many of them either served as torches at Nero's dinner parties or were sacrificed in the Coliseum. Many who watched these Christians were startled by their joy and serene spirit as they were tortured and persecuted.

And did those who avoided martyrdom run for their lives? Many ministered to their unbelieving neighbors. They formed "burial"societies. In that culture, the poor who died were thrown over the wall to burn in the city garbage dumps. These wonderful Christians would go to their neighbors, lovingly care for the dead body, and provide a dignified burial. These acts alone caused many to come to the faith. How do we Christians today measure up to the early church in this regard? Not well, not well at all…

So to our commenter, we say we are deeply sorry that we haven’t lived up to our hype. All of us who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ need to repent of our arrogance and hypocrisy. The only solution that I have to offer is Doug Pittman’s quote. “Following Christ, not man.” One day, perhaps, we will be known by our love and good works instead of our condemnations. May God forgive us all.