NBC Special: In God They Trust
Last night on NBC in an in-depth report on the rise of evangelism, Tom Brokaw reported that there are 70 million evangelical Christians in the United States and illustrated how rapidly the movement is sweeping the nation. The number of non-denominational mega churches has tripled in the last decade, and there has been a noticeable increase in their political involvement, especially in the areas of abortion and gay rights.
Evangelical Christians generally believe the Bible is the word of God, that salvation occurs through Jesus Christ, and that Christians should spread the gospel. It's hard to take issue with any of these premises. But the way evangelicals are using their spiritual beliefs to change the political landscape of the country is utterly disturbing, and so narrowly focused that anyone who doesn't share their view becomes ostracized.
In this NBC special, evangelicals insisted that they are not political. While their attitudes and actions are decisively political, they believe that they are simply people of faith responding to the goodness of scripture and doing their best to hold Americans to a higher moral standard. They see nothing wrong with edging out opposing views--those views which they consider to be misguided or morally incorrect--and this has major political ramifications. Their intentions are good. They're doing it because they love God, and it's great that they have discovered that God can have such a profound impact upon their everyday lives. But they don't seem to recognize that God is also able to work in ways that are unfamiliar to them. I don't consider the path that they have chosen to be wrong. It's what works for them. I just wish they would give me the same courtesy. Evangelicals may not be part of a full-blown religious crusade, but their desire for everyone to experience God as they do is stifling, and it leads to public policy that favors a very narrow portion of society.
Conservative Christians approach politics with a certainty that they know God's will. One product of that is the general attitude that standards in our culture are eroding and sin is encroaching on our society at an alarming rate. This is a fear-based attitude. It's as if they are America's watchdogs and when they sense danger they must warn the country of a full-on attack. They call for all "Bible-believing Christians" to stand up for what is right, yet their definition of what exactly a "Bible-believing Christian" is, is so narrow that it excludes a good portion of God's family; namely the liberals. The phrase "gay Christian" is certainly not in their vocabulary or understanding.
There are thousands of gay Christians in the world who have reconciled faith and sexuality and quietly own their faith on a daily basis, and therefore the narrowness of the evangelicals has very little power over them. But there are other gay men and lesbians out there who have not yet grown past judgment and homophobia, and who can become severely damaged when they hear rhetoric like this from evangelicals. This is why the scope of the evangelical influence must be balanced out. Even though evangelicals seem certain of it, they do not own Christian thought, and they should not be given the national podium without equilibrium. There is another side to the story and we must do our best to represent that truth.
One conservative pastor uttered a phrase on the NBC special that made me laugh out loud in disbelief. He said in mid-sermon, "I will raise my voice against America's tortured and angry homosexuals." He obvoiusly doesn't know me, or any of the thousands of other gay Christians in the United States. "Tortured" and "angry" are hardly adjectives that can be used to describe us. I would probably insert contemplative, loving, and healing. We are finding love and peace despite the obstacles, and as we do we are healing from the effects of this type of judgment and homophobia.
Pastor Ted Haggard, President of the National Association of Evangelicals and the pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, had the most soundbites sprinkled throughout the special. At one point he said he thinks evangelicals are as diverse as the American population, which hardly seems to be the case. Although I would venture to guess there are a few homosexuals among evangelical Christians, they are certainly not widely accepted or validated as gay Christians. Our society is a diverse mix of Christians, Jews, Bhuddists, Hindus, atheists, and others, so a group of evangelical Christians by its very nature would not reflect this diversity. And it goes without saying that evangelicals would consider the homosexual population to be a fringe group not integral to society. This is hardly an accurate reflection.
When he was asked whether or not evangelical Christians were moving toward a religious takeover of moral thought, Pastor Haggard said of evangelical Christians, "We're defenders of freedom and liberty for all. We're interested in electing the proper judges and leaders because we believe we are right, but so do the other groups. It's a wonderful country." Evangelical Christians are not defenders of freedom and liberty for all. They are defenders of freedom and liberty for those who believe as they do.
It's funny, but in some respects I would be more comfortable with a powerful group of agnostics than with a powerful group of Christians. Although I find truth in Christianity, agnostics tend to grant people the freedom to be who they are, and they don't seem expect others to define morality as they do. They are more tolerant of differences and they are willing to change their mind as they grow and discover new knowledge. Shouldn't this type of attitude define Christians as well? Shouldn't we have enough faith in God to allow others the freedom to discover God in ways that are different from our own? And shouldn't we be willing to re-examine our own beliefs as we grow closer to God?
Evangelical Christians have a powerful voice and they outnumber most special interest groups within Christianity, but they are not representative of all Christians. "In God they trust" is not in question. But their attitude of moral superiority leaves little room for the rest of us, and this is what we must challenge. The landscape can change. And it will as we claim our faith with more energy and with deeper conviction. In God we trust.
Evangelical Christians generally believe the Bible is the word of God, that salvation occurs through Jesus Christ, and that Christians should spread the gospel. It's hard to take issue with any of these premises. But the way evangelicals are using their spiritual beliefs to change the political landscape of the country is utterly disturbing, and so narrowly focused that anyone who doesn't share their view becomes ostracized.
In this NBC special, evangelicals insisted that they are not political. While their attitudes and actions are decisively political, they believe that they are simply people of faith responding to the goodness of scripture and doing their best to hold Americans to a higher moral standard. They see nothing wrong with edging out opposing views--those views which they consider to be misguided or morally incorrect--and this has major political ramifications. Their intentions are good. They're doing it because they love God, and it's great that they have discovered that God can have such a profound impact upon their everyday lives. But they don't seem to recognize that God is also able to work in ways that are unfamiliar to them. I don't consider the path that they have chosen to be wrong. It's what works for them. I just wish they would give me the same courtesy. Evangelicals may not be part of a full-blown religious crusade, but their desire for everyone to experience God as they do is stifling, and it leads to public policy that favors a very narrow portion of society.
Conservative Christians approach politics with a certainty that they know God's will. One product of that is the general attitude that standards in our culture are eroding and sin is encroaching on our society at an alarming rate. This is a fear-based attitude. It's as if they are America's watchdogs and when they sense danger they must warn the country of a full-on attack. They call for all "Bible-believing Christians" to stand up for what is right, yet their definition of what exactly a "Bible-believing Christian" is, is so narrow that it excludes a good portion of God's family; namely the liberals. The phrase "gay Christian" is certainly not in their vocabulary or understanding.
There are thousands of gay Christians in the world who have reconciled faith and sexuality and quietly own their faith on a daily basis, and therefore the narrowness of the evangelicals has very little power over them. But there are other gay men and lesbians out there who have not yet grown past judgment and homophobia, and who can become severely damaged when they hear rhetoric like this from evangelicals. This is why the scope of the evangelical influence must be balanced out. Even though evangelicals seem certain of it, they do not own Christian thought, and they should not be given the national podium without equilibrium. There is another side to the story and we must do our best to represent that truth.
One conservative pastor uttered a phrase on the NBC special that made me laugh out loud in disbelief. He said in mid-sermon, "I will raise my voice against America's tortured and angry homosexuals." He obvoiusly doesn't know me, or any of the thousands of other gay Christians in the United States. "Tortured" and "angry" are hardly adjectives that can be used to describe us. I would probably insert contemplative, loving, and healing. We are finding love and peace despite the obstacles, and as we do we are healing from the effects of this type of judgment and homophobia.
Pastor Ted Haggard, President of the National Association of Evangelicals and the pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, had the most soundbites sprinkled throughout the special. At one point he said he thinks evangelicals are as diverse as the American population, which hardly seems to be the case. Although I would venture to guess there are a few homosexuals among evangelical Christians, they are certainly not widely accepted or validated as gay Christians. Our society is a diverse mix of Christians, Jews, Bhuddists, Hindus, atheists, and others, so a group of evangelical Christians by its very nature would not reflect this diversity. And it goes without saying that evangelicals would consider the homosexual population to be a fringe group not integral to society. This is hardly an accurate reflection.
When he was asked whether or not evangelical Christians were moving toward a religious takeover of moral thought, Pastor Haggard said of evangelical Christians, "We're defenders of freedom and liberty for all. We're interested in electing the proper judges and leaders because we believe we are right, but so do the other groups. It's a wonderful country." Evangelical Christians are not defenders of freedom and liberty for all. They are defenders of freedom and liberty for those who believe as they do.
It's funny, but in some respects I would be more comfortable with a powerful group of agnostics than with a powerful group of Christians. Although I find truth in Christianity, agnostics tend to grant people the freedom to be who they are, and they don't seem expect others to define morality as they do. They are more tolerant of differences and they are willing to change their mind as they grow and discover new knowledge. Shouldn't this type of attitude define Christians as well? Shouldn't we have enough faith in God to allow others the freedom to discover God in ways that are different from our own? And shouldn't we be willing to re-examine our own beliefs as we grow closer to God?
Evangelical Christians have a powerful voice and they outnumber most special interest groups within Christianity, but they are not representative of all Christians. "In God they trust" is not in question. But their attitude of moral superiority leaves little room for the rest of us, and this is what we must challenge. The landscape can change. And it will as we claim our faith with more energy and with deeper conviction. In God we trust.
posted by Jen Austin at 12:47 PM
5 Comments:
hey fellow sister in christ...here's a word for u..Proclaim the Lord's name boldly for we can claim bloggin for the Lord and well...and i believe its not by random chance i left this comment here but rather this is all in God's perfect plan!!!
so continue to procalim God's Name
AMEN
Jen ... beautiful and well-said, as usual. Your words and thoughts always strike a chord with me. Thank you for who you are and what you do! :-)
Very good blog, Jen....you know what I think is funny...the evangelical and christian right have this agenda to fight against immorality, which I don't think homosexuality falls under, they never mention consumerism as a problem in America and selfishness that has changed our family values. Those 2 reasons alone cause us to spend less time with our children to teach true morals and values. Instead it teaches them OUR wants are more important than OTHERS needs. And the reason they don't mention this politically is because no politician would get behind it and it would have too large of an effect on capitalism.
I spend a lot of time reading scripture, not just the little, out of context "proof texts" that get thrust upon me by those trying to prove a point, but the whole Bible.
What continues to perplex me when I watch, read, and hear the moralistic ranting of the extreme evangelical movement is what I don't hear them talking about.
As I continue to read scripture, the central theme that I see over and over (far more than issues of sexuality which are actually quite rare) is that of God's interest in the poor and the oppressed. Thematically and substantively, the Bible shows God’s concern not for morality, but for justice and kindness and love. As written in one of the Bible’s earliest prophetic writings, the book of Micah, 6:9:
He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
If the Bible is the literal word of God, even if one were to have a moral issue with homosexuality (which I think misses the Bible’s point) it would seriously need to be put on the back burner when every three seconds someone on our planet dies because they simply don’t have enough to eat. As an earlier comment pointed out, we would be concerned about consumerism and how it affects our brothers and sisters around the world. If we truly were convicted that the Bible is the word of God, even if we couldn’t find our way to embrace gays and lesbians as the true children of God that they are, we would have to put our moral outrage on that issue aside for a while and spend more time being horrified by the lack of aid being offered to victims of the earthquake in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.
I love it when I am told to “read the Bible.” I love the idea and I will continue to read and I will continue to see God as a loving God who loves the whole creation and wants nothing more than for us to love it as well.
There are a few gay evangelicals out there (I am one of them and I personally know several others). People like Ted Haggard make it difficult for me to worship at the church I prefer because I have to endure several political sermons every year. I am there to worship and learn about God, not feel condemned and ostracized. The Bible should be the focus instead of the false views of America they hold. They need to go back and study history because our founding fathers were not all evangelical Christians like them and families in the 50's did not look like Leave It to Beaver.
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