August 12, 2004
A very Republican friend from church just emailed me: “Somehow Christians are being led down a dangerous path.” The reference was not overtly political, but a lot of believers are beginning to feel the same, and often the political connections are very clear. Here’s a recent anonymous post from another site that represents many posts I’ve seen on different forums, emails I am receiving, and some comments left by visitors to this site. Is it too strong?
…it is time to take the word Christianity away from Right Wing Pharisees and crack pots and give it some dignity, and real meaning. I am very much a follower of Christ. I was once a very radical Christian, but now I wince when I say I am a Christian, because I know I will be associated with the very people who have erroded the reputation of Christ in our society. It truly hurts to know that Christians are being type-cast as hateful, greedy republican mean spirited people.
When I was part of a church we ministered in prisons, bars, mental wards, and anywhere we felt called. We did not stand up and preach. We talked one on one quietly with understanding of what people went through. We were not judgmental, or hateful because people had problems. When my church changed to it’s current hateful form, I left. I will not be a follower of some hypocritical movment that patterns itself after the pharisees. I am a Christian. I am not a republican. The republican platform is mean spirited, cold and without charity.
We are driving people away from the churches, and I think it’s for the wrong reasons.
Some of the comments visitors to this site have left are better than the original posts or articles — I hope you will take time to browse them. (See the “comments” links at the bottom of all blogposts and on most other pages. And add a comment of your own!) There is deeply felt concern among us for what is happening to the Gospel and the church in America. There should be. “Somehow Christians are being led down a dangerous path.”
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