Sunday, December 30, 2007

Whatever happened to this thing 'The Gospel'

So I walked into my home to discover my brothers were watching 'Jesus Camp', luckily for me the movie was half done at that point. I sat down to join them in watching this film and I basically want to vomit over all of America. And so, as I sit here watching this film on Christianity in America (and I would argue not simply a few radicals) I ask myself, "What has happened to the Gospel? Where is it?"

They have this guy 'preaching' at these kids about abortion. Encouraging to scream out to God and 'plead by the blood of Christ' that abortion would be ended. Here is a suggestion, how about instead of looking to have laws changed and hope for an immediate miraculous healing of all social ills why don't we as Christians care for these women and men who seek abortions. Why don't we care for teenage mothers, for women with addictions, and for the other people who seek out abortions. There is far more to the gospel than simply demanding morality being legislated.

These kids are brainwashed with warfare language. They are regurgitating this language about being God's warriors who are waging war on the Devil. It is scary when Jr. Highs are talking about how they desire to be martyrs and how God it when people are willing to be martyrs. This glorification of martyrdom is disgusting. Do these white, suburbanite, Americans know many people who have lived through persecution, people who face death because of their faith? Do they even know people who come from countries where wars have happened, where they are happening?

Lets start reading the Bible again, free of political agendas. Let us start actually reading the Bible. Lets admit that America is not God's chosen nation. Lets admit that we are not the deliverers of salvation, that we are not the people who bring about the grace of God.

I wish that Dietrich Bonhoeffer were here today. I think he would seriously have some ball busting words for people.

2 comments:

Mark said...

i would also add that i wish jesus were here today. But I guess he kind of is. thats reminds me of that quote.

"One reason why we Christians argue so much about which hymn to sing, which liturgy to follow, which way to worship is that the commandments teach us to believe that bad liturgy eventually leads to bad ethics. You begin by singing some sappy, sentimental hymn, then you pray some pointless prayer, and the next thing you know you have murdered your best friend."
-Stanley Hauerwas

Anonymous said...

The nice thing is that there's still hope for America, or at least hope for those trapped inside. It seems like there are more and more people who are beginning feel nauseas about it all. I figure God can work through that kind of sickness in powerful ways.