Is God Punishing America? Part 2

UPDATE to Part 1: In balance and in respect to my thinking Christian friends - Comments from an Ordinary Everyday Christian in response to the wave of RRU hysteria regarding God punishing America.

It is my hope that the majority of Christians have a greater sophistication than is displayed in Part 1 of this article. People who call themselves pastors and yet use not the fear, or "awe" as it may better be translated, of God, but the Fear of Punishment to keep their flocks in line and donating to the church coffers have no valid claim to the title of Reverend or Pastor. In my humble opinion, they are shameful hucksters robbing the people who follow them of the full love of God by teaching fear and hate. Jesus taught us to have the perfect love of God in our hearts. What is the greatest commandment? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And the second is like the first: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" - Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 22:34 - 40

When asked, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus responded with the story of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritans were hated and despised by the Jews. In this parable a Jew is waylaid by robbers, beaten and left for dead along side the road. A Jewish priest passed by and did not stop. A Levite also passed by looking the other way and ignoring the man's cries for help. But when the Samaritan came by the man, he stopped and dressed his wounds and took him to a inn for care and paid the innkeeper for the man's expenses.

What was the point of this story? Show mercy even to those who spitefully misuse and abuse you. The Samaritan had the least reason of all to help the Jew beside the road, but he showed the love of God to him anyway. The Samaritan understood who is a neighbor. Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."

The Radical Right wants no neighbors but has only a desire to see the world around them plunged into the burning fires of hell so that they alone may dwell in God's heaven. What would you hope Jesus would find you doing if he returned today? Hurling hatred and abuse towards people with alternate life-styles? Or would you rather be living your life dressing the wounds of those in need and living in the way of the true love of the Saviour?

In my humble opinion, Jesus did not bare the burden of our sins, endure a night of endless beating and vile abuse, hang on a cross until death and utter as his last words, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" in order to raise up a church filled with people pointing angry fingers at the world around them longing for an Armageddon to destroy the world so that they would not have to live with the "sin" of their neighbors. This is just a guess, I think Jesus had in mind that we would pray for the sick that they might be healed, feed the hungry, and take care of orphans and widows in their time of need.

A modern day version of the Good Samaritan story might go like this: Pat Robertson is the man robbed and left at the side of the road...John Hagee passes by but is on the way to the airport heading out to host a conference titled: Armageddon, the impending War against the Apostate Church. He can't dare miss his flight so he gives his condolences to Pat and goes on his way.

Then Rod Parsley passes by, but looks the other way because he is on the way to a Morning Talk show on Fox News to discuss why America must revoke all clauses in equal rights laws which include allowances for sexual orientation because in reality as everyone should know, this is actually granting "special rights" not equal rights. He would miss the air time if he stopped. He is sure that help is on the way and that Pat's faith will carry him through.

Next along comes Congressman Barney Frank. Congressman Frank has many important committee meetings today and a planning meeting with his staff. However, seeing Pat Robertson laying hurt and in need beside the road, Mr. Frank pulls out his cell phone, calls his secretary and has his meetings rescheduled and offers his regrets to the committee chairs. He pulls over, calls 911, and takes care of Pat Robertson waiting with him, offering him water, until the ambulance arrives. Pat Robertson has been robbed of his wallet, so Barney goes with Pat to the hospital to insure that the finances are in proper order and that Pat is given the care he needs.

Days later, Barney calls Pat to inquire about his recovery. (Hagee and Parsley have been swamped with conferences and talk show appearances and haven't had time to call. But each did instruct their secretaries to send a "get well" card.) Pat is so thankful for Barney's concern. Pat now recognizes that he can show God's love toward Barney and it is up to Barney to talk to God about his personal life. Pat has also been starting to consider whether the erratic weather patterns we have been experiencing may actually be caused by an overload of CO2 as a result of pollution and not really God's judgment. Now this is fiction right? But how do you explain this:



Good Samaritan image along with other beautiful religious art images can be found at Breadsite.org


Buzz it up

Is God Punishing America? Part 1

UPDATE 12/12/2010: Review of this article revealed that three videos originally attached had either been removed from the internet, You Tube had censored the posters account, or the owners had added security so that only members of their website or organization could view them. The videos supported the fact that extreme right-wing people believe God does today destroy cities because of sinners and that they view God as the source behind terrorism toward the United States. I don't know if my humble blog had anything to do with the videos being banned, removed or hidden, but it shows that this topic is almost too controverisal to remain public. That only supports my point that extremist views of the religious right are dangerous and we cannot simply ignore them.

Comments two days after September 11, 2001 while America is in shock and mourning:


God is America's Terrorist

The 9-11 attacks and Katrina disaster were both attributed to God's judgment on the US. John Hagee, Ron Parsley, and the late Jerry Falwell have taught this way of thinking to hundreds of thousands from their pulpits...and Hagee and Parsley recently endorsed John McCain's 2008 presidential bid. (UPDATE: McCain has since rejected the endorsements of Hagee and Parsley amidst an uproar from the main stream media, the Obama campaign and the Catholic Church. McCain had called for Obama to reject the views of his pastor of 20 years, so it was an obvious open door to question McCain's endorsement from Hagee and Parsley. In another commendable action, Hagee sent a letter of apology to William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for the statements he has made in regards to the Church.)



The "religious" right has successfully used marriage equality which they put in terms of "traditional family values" as an issue to energize their voter base in past elections - the 2004 election being a prime example. Just a few months before the 2004 election, marriage licenses were being issued to hundreds in San Francisco and gay marriage was made legal in Massachusetts. However, while the gay & lesbian community was celebrating, the "religious" right successfully used this issue to scare their voter base to come out and vote. Why does this work?
I attribute this to evangelical churches preaching fear and hatred of liberalism and homosexuality from the pulpit. Adherents to right-wing Christian churches believe that liberalism and homosexuality are on the move to destroy America and that God will punish America if homosexuality becomes accepted in the United States. (http://www.christiancoalition.com/ and http://www.renewamerica.us/ will affirm this statement.)
This is extreme, but it is in our America and there are many more groups like this in varying degrees of extremity.



The radical right expects something similar to the Biblical Soddom and Gomorah to happen because of legal gay marriage. I expect the Faux News Network to play heavily on this fear with their usual hobgoblin fashion. As scary as it may be, they have millions of minions watching every day.
Hagee endorsed John McCain...did he also ADVISE George Bush?

Is this why we diverted our troupes to Iraq rather than completing the mission in Afghanistan?
Listen to the end of the clip to hear John Hagee talk about a little revelation of his own in which God is the one who mysteriously created the voting anomalies in the 2000 election to Bush's favor. Good to know our God would tinker with the vote of the people, according to Hagee.



John McCain:"I am honored and proud to have the endorsement of Pastor Hagee..."



My point is that if we don't want McCain as our president, we need to be mindful of what we do between now and the election. Don't give any ground to those that would diminish our freedoms. We have to understand how the political system works and how the games are played. We need to be strategic and we need to focus on getting a Democrat in the oval office so that we can rebuild the freedoms we have lost or have never had because of discrimination.

We need a better America than we have had for the eight  W years . The world is watching and waiting and also hoping for a better America. We can do it. We can change America. You know what they say about freedom...just because a battle has been won you can never let down your guard. The cost of freedom is eternal vigilance. A battle has been won, but the war is still being waged.

Whatever you do, do not be apathetic, do not sit by silent. Be brave, be bold, get active.

Buzz it up