Bloghardt's Reflector

In the Church, we are very aware of Phariseeism.  This isn't just hypocrisy, it's disjointed morality.   In Holy Week, we saw the Pharisees plan and execute the murder of the Lord of Glory.  To accomplish this, they bribed Judas to betray Jesus.  Then, when Judas realized the horrific nature of his sin, these same church leaders jumped back and said, "We can't help you.  That money is blood money.  You are on your own." 

“But... you are the ones that gave me the thirty pieces of silver...”

Today's Pharisees are on a witch hunt.  The witches aren't in Salem.  It's not magic that makes a witch.  What makes a witch today is a racist comment - any comment taken or heard as a racist comment.  Most of these comments - horrific as they are - are usually made in jest or ignorance.    Very destructive is the tongue.  Our tongue shows that our religion is worthless.  It cannot be tamed.

Today's victim is Imus.  He's just the latest to put his foot in his mouth.  He'll be forgotten tomorrow or he'll agree to go get some counselling.  A shock jock in sensitivity training - now that's funny!

Open mouth, insert foot.  Woops.  Imus is fired.  A man who made his living with humor that was right on the edge, fell off.  What he said was horrific and degrading.  Yet, I wonder if it is the words of a hip hop song.  Would that surprise you?  Google and see....

It's America's newest commandments:  Thou shalt not make a racist remark.  Thou shalt not make a sexist remark.  All the while our culture has found it's way into the toilet.  Marriage has become the next step in a relationship - first you hook up, then you are monogamous, then you live together, get engaged and then you get married.  You may hop off the train at any time for any reason - and the gender of the individuals is optional (MM,FF, MF).

We've grown, we've adjusted to it.   We are so cultured that when I teach the confirmands that the Scriptures say that it is unspeakable for a women to be with a woman, they shake their heads, "Have you seen it?  It's just mesmerizing, Pastor."

Where'd they pick that up from?  Porn.  That's what the internet is - the largest resource for free porn in the universe.  And the girls have caught on - straight girls make out with their friends solely to get the boys they are interested in to catch their eyes. 

I'll drop the "A"-bomb.  Abortion!   We call them a "fetus" now.  That helps us not feel a twang of guilt as we dispose of them.  Better to have the baby murdered than for our lives to be inconvenienced at all by a kiddo.  We've got it reasoned it out and justified as we slaughter millions upon millions of little babies each year. 

Welcome to America!  But don't worry, we have the racists under control.  We've got them fired.  Someone put up an American Flag and start talking about freedom of speech and religion.  We got the witch in our hunt and "Ding dong the witch is dead..."

Offended yet?  I offend myself. I cannot think of a more scandalous message than the Faith which confesses that Christ is the only way to the Father. Yet, this is the faith into which I am baptized, believe, teach, and confess.

Well, hold on for a second.  What happens when the Church's message becomes what the world calls “racist?”  When the words “You crucified the Lord of Glory” become antisemitic? What happens when a pastor calling a practicing homosexual to repentance becomes what the world calls “a hate crime” What happens when the freedom of speech extends to everything but the Gospel? 

Yes, I know.  It sounds extreme.  We've advanced far past persecution.  We are a tolerant people. 

But, do this experiment - if I'm wrong, then no harm done.  Talk to a friend of yours who doesn't go to church about Christ.   Don't mention the word "God."  Talk about "Christ" and the "Father" and the "Lord."  Watch them shutdown.  Watch them smirk.  Watch them tell you how unloving and unkind you are.  They'll mention hate... 

Yes, I know. Such talk is backwoods. The stuff of gun-carrying people who live in Texas. The type that wear camouflage to church.

I quoted Voltaire yesterday.  He said that "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Today, more and more there are things that you not only can't say, but that the witch hunt will get you for opening your mouth to say it. They'll get certain people anyway...

This is our struggle in the Church. We have a freedom of speech and religion in America. What happens when my faith requires me to say something that is going to make someone uncomfortable? 

In the Church, we are aware of persecution. It can be as the Roman historian Tacitus tells us about the Emperor Nero crucifying and setting Christians ablaze to be used as street lights or it can be the deafening silence of a message that isn't allowed to be proclaimed..

“You... you crucified the Lord of Glory. Your sins did that. Mine too. But the One who died for the sins of the world has risen from the dead – for you, for me, even for the world. Your sins are forgiven in Christ.”

Tell someone today while it's still legal in America ...

Give me a break. Sounds like you're beef is with capitalism, not tolerance, seeing as how Imus lost his job because his sponsors didn't like his comment, not because of the comment itself. Note how long it took for him to get fired -- it was only after his sponsors pulled out that he was fired.

So, I'll be waiting to read your diatribe against capitalism next, dear Bloghardt.

Don't worry. The First Amendment protects your freedom of religion -- always has, always will. That's what separates us from Canada and Sweden, dear luvable, and it's why any bill that begins in Congress like this will ultimately fail.

So, don't worry. You can continue to preach against gay love, just like other churches are still free to preach against mixed racial marriages or against "Those Jews." Your message will still be protected well into the future.

If you really want to see what persecution is, try visiting Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, or some other nation that doesn't have the Constitutional protections we have. I'm sure when you compare what real persecution is to what you have to deal with today, you'll be ashamed you even attempted to use this word to describe what you deal with.