I saw a ‘public forum’ letter in a local Iowa paper written by a pastor.
It made me uneasy.
A few years back, I probably would have applauded the letter.
Today, it makes me kind of cringe.
Not because I don’t agree with the pastor’s views on the topics… but because I fear that his writing this letter will only serve to ‘empower the base’ of his community politically, while isolating his church from many people that they should, in fact, be trying to reach.
I know it’s a fine line… but people that have a different opinion on gun control and abortion need Jesus as much as those who have a conservative tilt to their politics.
Bottom line: I think many people who read this article (which is full of exageration at points… like when he says the president has said that he would support aborting his own grandchildren) will look at who wrote it, and the church associated with the person, and vow to never, ever set foot there. It jades their perspective of that church, that pastor, and yes… Jesus.
Not a good thing for the Kingdom.
Am I WAY off base here? Read the letter from Darran Whiting and let me know your thoughts…
I had the opportunity to listen to President Obama speak last week on the subject of gun control. He called upon various people, including pastors, to speak up and say “enough is enough.” Since the president called for me to do so, I am going to do what he has asked.
Enough is enough. It is time for all patriotic Americans to write to their representatives and tell them to tell President Obama that they are going to reject his unconstitutional proposals. They need to tell him that the 2nd Amendment does not exist to protect hunters and gun collectors. It exists to protect private citizens not only from criminals, but from an oppressive government.
The representatives in Congress need to tell the president that if he is so concerned about the lives of innocent children, then he should outlaw abortion. Last year, approximately 1.2 million babies were aborted in this country, of which anywhere from 500 to 5,000 would be considered “partial-birth” abortions (the difference being based upon how “partial birth” is defined).
Unfortunately, the president has already gone on record as saying that he would support the aborting of his own grandchildren if they were conceived as a result of rape. So if he doesn’t care about his own grandchildren, I doubt that he would care about anyone else’s kids.
Our representatives need to tell the president that in 2010, 127 children under the age of 11 were killed by firearms. However, the same year, 211 children under the age of 14 were killed by drunk drivers. Perhaps if the president were concerned about children he would ban alcohol.
Almost every mass shooting in recent history has taken place in a “gun free” zone, which has allowed the killers to do their deeds without fear of being shot themselves. Perhaps if the president really cared about children, and adults, he would stop banning weapons in public places, and start encouraging law-abiding citizens to carry weapons and use them to protect themselves and others.
Enough is enough. And the 2nd Amendment is not the only issue.
It is time for people who claim to be Christians to start voting like Christians. Stop voting for politicians and a political party who question the existence of God, who stand for abortion, sodomite marriage, death panels, and confiscating funds from those who do work and giving them to people who don’t, and who stand against Israel, against the rights of Bible-believing churches to speak out for the Truths of the Scriptures, and against the rights of parents to raise their own children according to the dictates of their religious beliefs. Enough of the assaults on our Constitution.
More important, however, enough is enough for those who sit back as angry as I am but do and say nothing about it!
[Darran J. Whiting, the pastor at Liberty Baptist Church in Marion since starting the church in 1996, submitted this column as an individual viewpoint. Comments: Mail to him at1105 West 14th Ave, Marion, IA 52302.]
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Well Todd you’ve done it again!
Another hot topic. I can’t really disagree with the basic premise of some of this Pastor’s points. However, the intensity of anger and judgmental statements does concern me.
I’m not against being passionate about one’s convictions, and it’s obvious this pastor is very passionate.
But if our churches are defined by “issues”, “morality”, “political” positions we automatically marginalize everyone else who doesn’t agree, or at least does not share the same perspective or platform.
Case in point: Jesus certainly should have stood up for the horrible way women were treated in his day.
Or the unfairness of the poor and crimes levied against people just trying to exist.
There are a host of social issues Jesus, perhaps, should have addressed, but he didn’t. Why?
I believe because the Kingdom is not about what’s going on, on the outside, but on the inside. Change the heart of a man, and the outside will begin show change.
From my perspective the church of the 20th and now 21st century has been about let’s change the outside conditions. Change the laws (which some do need changing), change society (and it does need changing), change our moral compass (and it does need changing).
But somehow delivering blistering sermons, letters, and hate filled rhetoric doesn’t seem to be getting the job done.
We seem to be all about the “message” forgetting “we” are the message. People, Christians, believers are the message. It’s what they “do” that makes the difference not what comes out of their mouth. We all talk a good line, but the world is sick of the rhetoric. Where’s the reality of Jesus’ love in the world?
Todd, I read your poll of the Roe v. Wade law. Pretty mixed and even divided by believers. Wouldn’t that say something that these issues are far more complex and deeper than just a blanket black or white?
Personally I think we’ve lost our way as believers. We’ve settled on issues and belief systems and not the heart and soul of Jesus.
The transforming Love of Jesus doesn’t seem to be the topic of conversation or desire. It seems we’re too filled with anger and fear over these issues. Yes they are hard, complex, disconcerting, frustrating and confusing issues,
If we are trying to solve them apart from the Grace, Love and Forgiveness of Jesus.
I stand with all of you in this mess, and I confess that my anger, so far, has solved absolutely nothing. Except to give me heartburn, a headache and to marginalize the very ones Jesus has called me to love.
I don’t have an answer, but I do offer a way. Let’s get back to Jesus, and His teachings and words.
Blessings in your pursuit of Him, and bring His Love to our world.
James
Very well said!
How I long for the day when churches will be known for what we are FOR rather than what we are against.
AMEN!!!!
I must state first, that I am a Canadian. Our gun laws are much stricter then US gun laws. I am also a Christian and a pastor. I can identify with much of what Darryl speaks about regarding abortion. What mystifies me is the equating of abortion with gun control! I have watched as good Christians have stood and said, as Darryl did, that to be a good Christian is to defend the second amendment, protest abortion, hate homosexuality, and vote for people that think likewise. When I read how Jesus conducted himself in the face of opposition, I see none of that. I hear, turn the other cheek, walk a mile, give them your coat as well. I tell you, I am glad I didn’t vote in November, because I might not be classified a “good Christian” If i had.
Thanks for your perspective Rod, very insightful and needed.
James
I can find nothing in Scripture that connects to supporting the second amendment in any way. I can produce scripture otherwise like, “Not by might (guns), nor by Power (politics), but by my Spirit says the Lord. Possessing a combat magazine for an assault weapon is not an Eternally Granted Right.
Life change does not come through the enactment and/enforcement of laws otherwise Paul’s arguments in Romans about the ineffectuality of Law to make repairs and fix things makes NO SENSE.There has never been a crime-free time in human history except for a few minutes before the eating of the forbidden fruit. The message that changes EVERYTHING is GOOD NEWS, not the preservation of the Constitution of the United States nor the Bill of Rights. The Gospel message is flourishing just fine in extremely repressive situations in other parts of the world. It does not need any man made structures like Constitutions to protect it because Jesus promised that if we devoted ourselves to spreading the Gospel that He would be with our efforts to the end of the age(Matt 28:18-20. The world is going to hell in a hand-basket and our job is to urge people to climb in the Ark, to save themselves from this a depraved and perverted generation…like Peter preached on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:40). Why are we devoting even one scintilla of effort to the ‘might and power realms’?