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[jimwalton]

There has been a lot of talk lately about the radical political extremists, and even the politically pandering evangelicals that seem to be putting political agendas above Jesus’s agenda and creating great divides in the church and great disrespect in the culture for Jesus, the Church, and Christianity.

Here’s an example that showed up on atheist websites and then also on reddit. William Calhoun was one of the crowd at the Capitol riot on January 6. He’s been arrested. He alleged said things like “we are going to kill every last communist, meaning Democrats, who stands in Trump’s way.” He said, “God is on Trump’s side. God is not on the Democrats’ side. And if patriots have to kill 60 million of these communists, it is God’s will. Think ethnic cleansing, but it’s anti-communist cleansing.”

Here are the problems with this.

One, this position is totally unbiblical. There is nothing in the Bible that endorses a single word of what he said.

Two, there are apparently many so-called Christians who agree with him, and therein lies a huge problem.

Three, this unholy marriage of politics, Christianity, and violence has no endorsement from the Bible, God, or Jesus.

Four, atheists are having a field day with this kind of stuff, ridiculing Christians and Christianity. On reddit, the post-er said, They brag about their faith in the same sentence they brag about their crimes. Jesus must be teaching that faith is about murdering others. “Maybe it’s time people like him take the moral advice of atheists considering their church leaders haven’t done them any good.”

While I hope we all recognize this is extreme, we also have to realize that the Church is desperately lost right now.

So here’s what I want to talk about: Has the church lost its way? Let's talk about it.

[Scape211]

Totally agree here Jim. The way the church has mixed the Christian view with a modern political stance can be dangerous. Many seem to shape the interpretation of the bible the way they want and thats often the scary part as they feel justified in their approach.

I also have friends in texas who regularly see the Progressive Christian movement creeping up more and more. This is a belief that has it roots in Christianity, but has dangerously taken out the core of its truth. They will affirm Jesus as a great teacher, but not the only way to God. Most times they focus on oneness and unity, but without a firm foundation of belief in the correct way of doing it. The goal seems to be open to ALL people and walks of life. Christianity does center on this for those coming to Christ, but we affirm that He is the only way - not just one of the ways. Progressive Christianity has molded its way based on what it sees in the world and is conforming to it by being accepting of skeptics, agnostics, other religions, etc. To me, it feels like the Christian version of Hinduism. They want the comfort of Christianity without the judgement of their sinful lifestyle.

Ive seen many famous people (mostly worship leaders) who have had what people call 'deconversion stories.' Were they start to question their faith as a Christian and turn to a lesser faith. In most cases this is Progressive Christianity.

I know we all want to be accepting of everyone, but there is a right and a wrong. 2+2 cant equal whatever you want. And all religions have very different ways of getting the answer. Someone has to be right. No one may know what is 100% right but sitting on the fence to accept all is clearly wrong. Its self contradictory.

All that said, I believe a lot of this has an effect on how Christians and the church have faced the world. Instead of being strong in our convictions of faith and proper interpretation of the bible, we have traded it for conforming to what the world offers to 'make peace' with all people. Jesus often times did make peace with everyone, but also called out sin when it was sin and made it clear what was important. If our focus becomes to just make peace, people can have these wacky views of killing all communists and say they are a Christian. It's bonkers.

I believe the church has focused on a 'self help' model. Things and ways to better ourselves. This is all well and good, but its not the core of our beliefs. Ive found when I ask most people 'why are you a Christian?' the answer can fall all over the place. Some say its the way they were raised, others believe its right but don't know how to articulate why, and others just have a personal experience that changed them. Each of those feels insufficient when faced with how the world views Christianity today and we've lost touch with WHY God is the correct answer and how to express that. To me, it starts here first and then leads us to see and accept the strong convictions of the bible. Then we can firmly stand in the right to know where the line in the sand is drawn in any arena.