Hypocrasy or Theology?

Today I posted a cartoon on my facebook page. In light of what recently happened in Newton, CT it was insensitive of me. I have apologized on fb and would take it down if I knew how to.

LET ME SAY IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS; THIS WAS NOT A COMMENT BY ME ON THE CHILDREN WHO DIED OR WHETHER OR NOT GOD SHOULD HAVE, COULD HAVE OR WOULD HAVE STOPPED IT.  It is a comment, I believe, on the current hypocrisy in America when it comes to God.

What surprised me was how the cartoon illicited some extremely intense feelings. That was the purpose of the cartoon. It was to raise a question, to make a point. That's what cartoons have always done. Hopefully they always will. As one of the fb comments read, "I just also think that the point of the cartoon is more about hypocrisy than theology" I do too. Here is the cartoon.

Okay, please keep in mind that this is NOT my statement about Newton. But why did it connect in my mind as making a statement I liked. (Usually I try to stay away from things like this on fb, but without thinking I clicked "share") Well, if you've been following this blog at all you'll see that one of the things I hate most in myself and others is the "H" word. That's right. HYPOCRISY. I hate it. I really, really do. I am not free of hypocrisy, but it doesn't keep me from hating it.

hy·poc·ri·sy

Noun: The practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform; pretense.

Folks, can I be honest with you. Christians are probably the number one offenders in this area. We who claim to honor God and to follow His precepts are the first to rip, tear and destroy each other. Apologies are almost unheard of. Reconciliation, the very thing Jesus came for, seldom pursued. Materialism, self-centeredness, all there. Shame on us!

It doesn't stop with us, the conservative right though. The liberal left is equally hypocritical. (I speak on both counts in general terms) You profess to be environmentalist and you can't stop driving your cars, turn off your power, a/c and heat and halt consumption of products which you KNOW are harmful to the environment and yet you castigate without mercy corporations and third world countries who for opposing reasons misuse, to some extent, the environment. Michael Crichton in his novel State of Fear got it right. Read it, if you dare.

But there is a growing hypocrisy in America that is becoming unbearable. It is this, we claim to be a "nation under God and in whom we trust in" but the reality is that we don't want God anywhere near us most of the time. We have taken God out of public schools. We have taken Christ out of Christmas. Now there's an hypocrisy of gargantuan proportions. You who don't want symbols of Christmas displayed on public grounds or others to use the words "Merry Christmas" and yet continue to celebrate a holiday that has God at it's origin. Huh? You want tolerance for yourselves, but won't extend it to others. For those of us who believe in Jesus, no matter how offensive you may find him, leave us alone and allow us to celebrate a holiday that is meaningful to us. It was ours first.

But I digress. I challenge you, before you get offended at the cartoon above to take some time and study history. I believe that you will find that as every great civilisation of the past has risen and fallen, it's demise has been accompanied by a deterioration of the moral standards of it's society AMONG OTHER THINGS. I do not know which comes first. I do know this, as the morals of society decline, so crime rates (including murder) rise, devaluation of life and family, of honesty and ethics decline as well. This decline becomes evident in; corrupt politicians and officers of the law, corporate greed, divorce rates, pregnancy of unwed mothers resulting in single parent homes, legalized abortion and euthanasia, etc. Does this sound familiar?

So here are two questions. Is our society in decline as evidenced by a decline in social morals? Is there hypocrisy  in America when it comes to "claiming" God when we need Him, but doing away with him when we want to live our lives different than His laws teach?

I want you to know something about me. My heart breaks when I see the pictures of those little children who died. But my heart also breaks when I see children who have lost parents due to divorce, when I see children without enough food to eat or clothes to wear. When I see children who have been abused by sexual predators. Or bullied.

We can get all up in arms about arms (gun control), but why don't we get all worked up about the things I just listed? Do we really care that much? Are we hypocrites? 

We can't change what happened last week, but you and I can get radical about changing the lives of a child who is suffering from the things I listed above.  

Your comments are welcome.

Does It Matter What We Believe?

I've been asking the question, "Does it matter how we live" in past blogs. Now I want to ask the question, "Does it matter WHAT we believe". In Christian circles "what" we believe is called "doctrine". Everyone, Christian and non-Christian alike, has doctrines that they believe in. And these doctrines do actually determine how we live our lives to some extent. Don't believe me?  Here's a doctrine I have seen on a bumper sticker that many Americans live their lives by...Christians and non Christians. "He who dies with the most toys wins!" You say, "Well that's just a joke". No, I'm afraid it isn't. It is the doctrine of materialism in it's crudest form.

Other doctrines, i.e. live and let live, do unto others as you would have them do to you...or the reverse, do unto others as they do to you.  Kill'em all, let God sort'em out, life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you'll get, the early bird gets the worm. All of these funny little sayings are actually reflections of our beliefs. Doctrines. And while no single doctrine typically orders our entire life, there is no doubt that they color our perceptions and hence, directly impact the way we think, act and react.

From a Christian perspective doctrines are either true or false. Biblical or unbiblical. It is possible for Christians to have differing views on doctrines and neither view be considered false. Take for instance eschatology which is the Biblical study of end times prophecy. There are several differing views on when and how this will happen. Why does this not make one or more of the views false? Because all of the viewpoints agree on one point. Jesus will someday return.

There is a particular doctrine that started in the Christian church about 20 years ago. It has been called the "prosperity doctrine" or the  "health and wealth gospel". I have believed for a long time that it is mostly a false doctrine and I am beginning to believe that it has done more damage to the Christian church and to individual believers than any false teaching that has come along in many years. Why?

In brief, this teaching says that God designed and wants every Christian to be healthy and prosperous.This teaching has at it's core some truth. God never intended us to be sick or poor, but...sin entered the world and with it the curse of disease, death and drudgery. Truth: God does bless, heal and prosper. False: God does not guarantee any of it this side of heaven. Truth: If we give to God and others we will be blessed. False: In doing so God is obligated to reward us in this life.

The damage. I have seen good people who can ill afford it give money to preachers and churches because they have been talked into believing that God will bless them 100 fold if they do. These are often multi million dollar ministries. I have seen people who are ill and have not been healed blame themselves for their lack of faith.

The reality: God does works miracles. He does heal. He does prosper us. I have seen both in my own life, but in order for God's promises to be true, they must be universal. I have traveled enough and seen enough to know that there are Christians around the world who live in places of deep poverty and despair. It is an insult to them and to those great men and women of the past who have suffered, bled and died for their faith when we teach this doctrine which has it's origin in our American lifestyle and world view. A lifestyle that heaps luxuries most of the world can only dream of upon us.

Instead, I believe that God has given His church the responsibility to feed and care for the poor and the sick. In so doing we show God's love to others, especially when it cost us. I have been reading an excellent book that should be required reading for all pastors and thinking Christians. It is written by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert, titled When Helping Hurts, alleviating poverty without hurting the poor...and yourself. In it they take a serious look at why the Church should be involved in poverty alleviation and why so much of what we do actually hurts those we want to help. I think the welfare system here in America would benefit by applying many of these principals to their own programs.

So does what we believe affect how we live? You bet your bottom dollar it does! Are you gonna' give your way to riches or are you going to give of you riches? Do you follow Jesus' example, he who gave up the glory and riches of heaven to be born as the poorest of the poor, in a manger, so that he could reconcile us to himself? Or do you live like a king? We live our lives based on what we believe in. And that's a fact!

Note: This very brief look at the health and wealth gospel does not do it justice. I am no theologian. Greater, more intelligent men than I have argued the validity of this doctrine. I can only tell you what I see and how I see it. It's up to you to decide.