Looking For Jesus

[Daveparts]

Living in a mixed marriage religiously speaking, I sometimes find myself perplexed by different theological principals. I was raised as a child a Catholic and like most I left the church but returned to it and what I found when I returned was a diverse culture in hiding. The Pope might decree from Rome but if it was unpopular in Powder Springs good luck with it there. The Pope is viewed like a politician proposing programs some were popular some where not but there was a genuine diversity of opinion in the congregation. There was of course the seriously devout who called on Saint Anthony to help them find their car keys but they were the vocal minority.

Three years ago I asked my priest his opinion of America’s invasion of Iraq and he called it an abomination but explained that the Bishop had forbidden them to speak about it from the pulpit. The Bishop in his attempt to keep from splitting the church had split the church I left and didn’t return. The truth has no master and no need of a minders or overseers, you can’t proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ through a filter so as not to offend.

My wife’s family is Baptist and has belonged to the same church for over fifty years and what has always struck me about it is the uniformity of opinion no diversity or varying levels of faith. I guess my first problem is the American flag on the alter of God. I love God and I love my country but Christ told us to give unto Caesar what belonged to Caesar and give unto the Lord what belonged to the Lord. By putting the flag on the alter of God the message is conveyed that these two are of equal status and you can’t question whether God is right or wrong and if you sanctify the flag and make it equal can you then question the government?

I don’t think those called up to heaven will be asked about their nationalities and those waving flags outside the pearly gates will be culled immediately. But the preacher is a free entity each church is independent, short of preaching outright heresy his subject matter for sermons is wide a field for he has no Bishop to answer to. But he must answer to the Deacons made up of members of the congregation and it’s like a Congressman everyone likes a fire and brimstone sermon demanding repentance just not from their own preacher or every week.

Every week is a special week this Sunday was honoring graduating students, which included my stepson. Two weeks ago it was honoring seniors, which included my Father in law like Sears they have to hold a special every week because the competition is fierce the number of souls is limited and the churches must build the congregation to survive. They must preach about sin, somebody else’s sin for it would be impossible to build a church lambasting the parishioner’s of there own failings every seven days.

A perfect example is the late Jerry Falwell he reveled in speaking about others sins but I never heard him preach about the sin of gluttony. Two hundred pounds over weight his chin disappeared his neck rolls as they squeezed out of his shirt collar yet he liked to point the finger of sinfulness at others. Christ never made a distinction sin was sin gluttony or adultery the only theme Christ hit again and again was hypocrisy and I don’t hear to many preachers dwelling on that one.

My Sister in Laws family switched churches because they didn’t have enough activities for children it’s a tough market out there. I’m not trying to disparage anyone’s beliefs only to point out the differences and anomalies as I see them and that there are plenty to go around. The Catholic’s are seen by many Protestant denominations as guilt mongering a faith of making you feel bad about your self. This parallels modern American society’s theology of speak no evil a Doctor Phil mentality where by we shouldn’t call fat kids fat they’re gravitationally challenged. Handi capped is handicap able and when the neighbor tells you his son is in the gifted program at school you don’t know if he’s retarded or a genius.

Catholic’s are taught that the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) is an article of faith and reminded that Mother Teresa and the Pope took confession every week. To me a least this is the fundamental difference Catholic’s look at the suffering Jesus on the cross to remind us of the price he paid while protestants look at the empty cross he is risen and gone to heaven all is happy no suffering. Catholic’s see baptism as the starting point and then you are confirmed and then expected to follow the tenets of the church to take be able communion.

To the Baptist’s baptism it is the finish line you are saved and part of the A team and Satan can’t touch you now one bath saves all. Like the Catholic’s they are expected to follow the tenants of the religion but never again will they be asked for any further soul searching about their own personal activities. Especially by a minister trying to build the church attendance and please the Deacon’s. Not that the Preacher is self-serving or intentionally avoiding subjects of controversy.

It’s just human nature to band into groups and look down our noses at those not in our group Republicans think Democrats are stupid Democrats think Republicans are stupid. The Army thinks the Navy is stupid so what do those who feel confident that in their profession of faith think? They see the mote in your eye not the log in theirs safe and warm in a cocoon of total agreement they are like the rich in the country club the subject of helping the poor rarely comes up.

The Preacher in the Baptist Church is a fine man I have no difficulty with him as a person out of respect for my wife’s family I have not explained my theological differences with him but I came close this Sunday. The theme of the sermon was how we can tell we are in the last days. After he read the letter that the church had received from George and Laura Bush thanking them for their kind letters of support we sang a hymn and he began.

In the last days mankind will be self absorbed they will cease to care about their fellow man and will love only money even to the point of detriment to their own kin and countrymen. The anti Christ will rise and he will be worshipped like a God and he will stir up turmoil among the nations of the Earth. He will break agreements and start wars he will be reckless and headstrong proud and boastful and won’t take advice from anyone. As I shook my head in disbelief he began to speak about prayer warriors a term I find patently offensive that the Prince of peace the one who advised us to turn the other cheek and love our enemies would ever employ warriors.

Then he went on to explain how in the last days the anti Christ would be successful for three and a half years then things would begin to turn against him. And that the clergy would be corrupted as I listened I wondered about the cost of a white cane with a red tip.
Did he really think Satan was going to approach him and say, “Hi, I’m Satan and I know I’ve received a lot of bad press but you can trust me this time.” Or would Satan appear as a wolf in sheep’s clothing saying. “You can trust me I think just like you do.” Or maybe it would be better if we didn’t talk about this at all so as not to offend. I wonder how much a gross of white canes would cost?

The ministry of Jesus Christ offended so many at the time that they had him murdered over it. He offended government and the church hierarchy he lambasted the rich and the powerful his home was with the despised the poor and the powerless. He went into the temple and tore down their moneymaking schemes and in the sanctuary of the temple called them hypocrites to their faces.

It occurred to me that all these people of all the denominations some how had the idea that when Christ returned he was going to stop there first. To save them from their well fed two-car middle class existence that their love of God and country made them close to the lord’s heart. I asked myself, When Christ returns where will he go first? Aids clinic’s no doubt to America’s jails and prisons and America’s ghetto’s inhabited by the ignored.
He would be busy for quite a while he would have much to do among Americas neglected and I doubt he would get around to visiting the churches until he was ready to give eyesight to the blind.