Haggard disappoints, reminds

Ted Haggard reminds us of our frailty as humans. He is a man of extraordinary gifts and leadership ability, and has obviously served Evangelicals well. On the other hand he demonstrates for us the disappointment when a leader falls.

God takes a great risk entrusting His good name with us; this is a sobering reminder. By entrusting the preaching of the gospel into our hands He is placing it into sinful, though redeemed, humans that do not always stay on track. I’m reminded of 1 Cor 10:12 "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall."

I’ve been reading a number of blogs and message boards; the "ungodly" are having a field day. They are dancing over Ted’s demise like it is the party of the century. The left, liberal, Democrats and gay crowd are grouping Ted and the religious right with Republicans and attempting to make this an Election Day issue. It is unfair, yet we Evangelicals have set ourselves up for this. By involving ourselves so deeply and loudly in American politics those who do not share our views feel like we are dragging America into another medieval age where the Church rules through the government. (See UTube video below for fairly Scientism slanted interview)

While I believe we need to ensure that "family" is protected; I’m not sure that gay marriage is the Heaven-ordained issue that should consume all our precious resources. How about school vouchers, for example? I’m tired of paying taxes to support public schools and then paying to send my son to a Christian school.

Ug. Not good. Christian leader charged with immorality

I was just browsing the news wires before heading off to bed and saw this one. Haggard is charged with a gay affair for the past 3 years. If true it is devastating, if false it is...devastating. If true it is another example of do as I say, not as I do... If false it's just evil. (Here is CNN.com on it, and Fox)

Obviously I have no way of knowing, but to me it seems a bit fishy. Election year does seem to bring out the bizarre, especially where politics and immorality meet. I highly doubt the charge personally. We'll follow it so see if that is just wishful thinking on my part.

I was very impressed with how the church will handle it. A prearranged procedure kicks in that starts with the Haggard stepping aside while the independent board investigates. They have full authority to take action based on what they find. That really does help preserve credibility for the church and for Evangelicals in general.

Update Friday:

• Some indiscretions? "Forgive us this day our indiscretions..." Hmmm.
• Voice expert takes a look, er....listen
• Oh, that meth. Uh, ya, well I bought meth. Oh ya, and I remember when I said I didn't know him, well, I bought some meth from him. Bah. I don't believe this guy any more. He said he didn't know the guy. Now he says he knows the guy because he was referred to him by a hotel for a massage. Which hotel? Can't say for sure. But what the **** would a Christian leader need a massage from a gay prostitute in a hotel? Does anyone not believe that he didn't have sex and didn't actually use the meth? Pass the coolaid please.
  

Do I "Keep" the Sabbath?

Friday was an exciting time as a child. At the ring of the bell the school halls would explode with children eager to escape to a weekend of friends and fun. We would pile onto busses or into cars with a cheerful and light attitude. School was out and we were free. The weekend was here at last.

But for we who grew up in the Seventh-day Adventist church, Friday was like the fall colors. The freedom and the peace of Friday evaporated into the enslavement of the Sabbath. We enjoyed a taste of joy for those short hours before sundown, only to put life on hold until the following sundown released us again. Well we knew the verse that told us we should consider God's Sabbath a delight, but we found no delight in it. Televisions went cold, and radios were tuned to the Adventist or Christian stations. Record players droned some hymn or there would simply be the silence of boredom to herald the end of another week and the beginning of limbo.

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Now if Andrews could just improve their weather

Grats to Andrews University. Enrollment is up and they are now T3 national. I still say they'd do better if they move the whole campus to, say, sunny Florida?

Let's Boycott America

The Southern Baptist Convention is at it again. This time they're calling for a boycott of Walmart because of their decision to form an alliance with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. While I believe that organization is designed to attempt to force gay policy on business, now Walmart is caught between a "rock" and a "hardplace".

What gets me is that the SBC has their pet issues, and ignores all others. Catholics get crazy about birth control while SBC gets wound up about homosexuality. Forget that Walmart gave $2.5 million to help rebuild after Katrina and has given $17 million plus another $3 million in merchandise. According to their press they gave $245 million last year alone. True, it could be argued that this is simply good business practice.

On the other side, I don't see SBC getting crazy about the fact that Walmart is pushing all their purchasing and manufacturing offshore to China. In fact, an organization can do just about anything and not draw their condemnation until they hit on a pet issue, most likely homosexuality.

I so don't support the gay agenda, and I'm fairly fundamentalist about the Biblical teaching about it. However, I recognize that America may be "One nation under God" but it is a secular nation that regards freedom highly. If the SBC wants to call for leglislation to ensure religious freedom for themselves, how about they support freedoms that they may not agree with?

Hello? God, is that you?

Another South American (as in, conservative Catholic region of the world) has been appointed as "prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy". That is the person who is responsible for priests around the world and as a watchdog over church finances.

While all this is well and good, one line did catch my eye:

'I am at the Pope's complete disposal,...When the Pope calls, it is the voice of God I hear.'

Surprising? Naw. But a reminder to protestants that a good Catholic hears in the voice of the pope the voice of God, when he speaks Ex Cathedra of course. Gee: most of us can't even get our kids to take us that seriously...

Personally, the only "voice of God" I take exceedingly seriously is written in the Bible. Any system of thought must have some sort of authority and method of discovering truth. The only safe source of Christian doctrine and dogma is that which can be established from or harmonizes with antiquity. It is the only way credibility can be established. Anything "new" must be subjected to the existing authority. To suggest that a new voice has authority because they (or she) is chosen by God should raise alarms. The formula for Scripture is from the Word to the believer who has the Spirit of God as illuminator; It is not from the Word, through the qualified interpreter to the believer. The interpreter is the Spirit of God not some new voice.

This applies (among others) to Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, and yes Adventists.

Religious freedom II

Warning! Seventh-day Adventist editor warns of threats to religious freedom. Of course, this has been the standard sales pitch of Liberty magazine editors for as long as I can remember.

Of course, this could be an example of limiting religious freedom. The members were protesting what they felt is fraud and, frankly, a lousy pastor. Toss 'em out for singing :). Well, Ok, if they were out of tune certainly they should have been removed. But charge them with tresspassing?

Oh, and isn't this the pot calling the kettle black? An Adventist evangelist warning Christians to avoid being misled by false doctrines?