Last night, I was shown a broadcast of Kenneth Copeland's that was about politics. Preaching politics from the pulpit seems to be the thing these days. Pastors have crossed the line from preaching about the moral and spiritual issues of abortion and gay marriage to actually taking down a whole party platform bit by bit and using the Bible to do so.
In the last few elections we have heard everything from you can't be a Christian and vote Democrat to now if you are a Christian and vote for a Democratic candidate you will be cursed by God. Here are just a few of the finer points made in the show ...
Poor people are poor because of spiritual matters. Basically, they aren't right with God so they are poor because if they were right with God they would be prosperous. And, no matter how much you help the poor, if they aren't right with God then they will always be poor ... spiritually and financially.
Having social programs to help the poor is unbiblical. Because being whiny, greedy, and selfish is so much more righteous. We have one of the greatest nations on earth and even claim ... at times ... to be a Christian nation, but yet there are Christians who cannot stand for one dollar of their money to help with veteran benefits, disabilty benefits, feeding the poor, helping parents with daycare so they can work, feeding and housing children, etc. But, we are supposed to believe they will be so much more generous when the offering plate comes around.
Plus ... it is perfectly okay for the government to be used to end abortion and stop gay people from getting married ... but when it comes to caring for the poor ... well, Jesus never meant for anyone to do it in the most efficient way possible. No ... he meant for churches as institutions to be crippled under the need. Many, many churches help feed the poor and none of them can feed them all ... or help pay their heating bills ... pay for their kids to go to the doctor and get basic healthcare ... etc. But, we are more than okay to abolish the welfare system and watch them starve and die while we try. Hoorah for us!
Elderly people are wrong to live on Social Security. There is no where in the Bible that the word retire can be found. Therefore, it doesn't matter if you are 102 you are still to be working and you are to work until you die.
Abortion and gay marriage are the main two things God cares about. Period. Caring for the poor, a mandate straight from Jesus means nothing in comparison. Loving your neighbor as you love yourself means nothing in comparison. Taking care of the creation God made us stewards of ... means nothing in comparison. It is all about abortion and gay marriage.
You support your candidate's platform. If you vote for someone then you support their entire platform and you will be held accountable before God for whatever that candidate does. In other words, if your candidate is pro-choice then you will be held accountable for every abortion that occurs while that candidate is in office. So, you are aiding and abetting the murder of babies.
Now, I have to stop here because this one really bothered me and I want to turn that one around. Because you see, if that premise is true ... that I am responsible for the sins that occur because a politician I supported is for something and that makes me for something ... then won't Bush supporters be accountable before God for every bullet, every bomb that killed an innocent human life during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Seriously. Innocent lives are lost during war. It isn't only the bad guys that find themselves dead.
On that same premise, will Bush supporters be accountable for every lie George Bush has told ... every dollar that came up missing? If John McCain is elected and he decides to cheat on his wife again ... will his supporters be held accountable before God for his adultery since they know he has cheated before? What about all the lies that has been told about Obama? Will his supporters be held accountable for his and Palin's continued need to stir up anger and hate with half-truths and unfounded allegations? What about all the hypocrisy? Will their supporters be accountable for all of that?
I am sure they will answer that it doesn't apply to them. No ... as long as you are against abortion and gay marriage ... you have your "get into heaven free card" and that is all that matters.
If you don't vote you are just as guilty as if you voted for abortion and gay marriage. That is right. If you look at both of the candidates and decide that neither one stands up for your Christian beliefs in their entirety ... or you don't believe you need to worry yourself with man-made politics because your home is in heaven and you have your mind set on heavenly things ... then you are just as guilty in the eyes of God if some pro-choice candidate gets voted in. Reserve your seat in hell now.
To say that I am disgusted would be an understatement at this point. I have never in my life seen such a bastardizing of scripture since I was 15 years old in a "holiness" church and was told that if I didn't wear dresses and no makeup that I would be held accountable before God because I was making men lust after me. The fact that there are Christians out there so desperate to promote a political party that they would even let some of this stuff cross their lips is way too reminiscent of idolatry in my opinion.
So remember folks ... vote Republican or go to hell. If you don't believe me ... ask some of these Conservative Christians (or otherwise known as apologists for the Republican Party) and I am sure they can show you in the Bible so you can see for yourself.
JWs can use the bible to show you that the dietification of christ is wrong and that there isn't any hell either. I know people who can use the bible to suggest that smoking dope is okay. Lots of people use the bible to say things that aren't true. The problem is christians aren't using discernment. They are being sheeple and doing as they're told.
Hello.
I've been watching Copeland broadcasts on and off for 25 years and I've NEVER heard him do a political broadcast. Can you direct me to a link where I can watch what you saw?
Thanks.
Joe
I went to his site to see if I could find what I watched on DVD last night and it appears that I saw two different broadcasts back to back.
http://www.kcm.org/media/index.php?p=media
Both shows are listed:
Pray, Obey and Vote for Righteousness
Kenneth Copeland and David Barton
The Righteousness of a Nation
Kenneth Copeland and David Barton
Once again, I'm reminded of what C.S. Lewis wrote in "The Screwtape Letters" about the phenomenon he called "Christianity And." While advising his nephew on how to best tempt the human "charge" said nephew was meant to snare into Hell, Screwtape suggests that he find some cause or something that the person believed in passionately and begin to link it to Christianity as much as possible. The goal was to eventually blur the lines between Christianity -- most notably the gospel message -- and this cause until the human would begin to confuse the latter for the former. The elder demon contended that this approach was quite effective in leading many a human astray.
I know many people like those you describe in this blog, and almost every one of them is a fan of C.S. Lewis and cherish him as one of the greatest theologians in modern times. In light of that fact, I often found it odd that they never considered Lewis's discussion of "Christianity And" and reflected if they might not be falling for such a tactic themselves.
We humans can truly be blind sometimes, I think.
Thanks. I'll check it out right now.
Jarred ... I think you have hit upon something! I have never read that book. I admit I haven't read much of C.S. Lewis' work except for The Chronicles of Narnia. I think I am going to have to check that out. :)
Joseph ... you are welcome. :)
I've just watched both programs and, as I suspected, there was not one instance of what was suggested in your aptly named "rant." It seems as if you just assumed things you would find in there and wrote about them.
What I heard was scripture. I heard nothing about politics. I heard, "Pray and vote and seek the Lord on all issues."
I heard passing mentions of "socialism," with statements like, "It didn't work then, or a hundred years ago and it won't work now..." (I don't entirely agree: it was NEVER TRIED. Like true "free enterprise" captialism really has never been tried)
What I heard was, "you have to take care of the poor." That the poor should be taken care of by individuals and private institutions, not the government. That individual responsibility to the poor determined there care and as Christians we are all responsible.
I heard mention of the American Institute of Philanthropy who is the watchdog of philanthropic organizations, and a good source of information when determining to whom to give.
I did not hear the words, "being greedy, whiny, and selfish, is more biblical."
The rest of this comment has been deleted. While I am not opposed to anyone disagreeing with me, I will not be called names on my own blog. Insulting me on my blog is a no-no. You are more than welcome to do so on your own blog and feel free to do so. But, here ... I expect you to use the manners your momma gave you. - Angel
I did not hear the words, "being greedy, whiny, and selfish, is more biblical."
That was my commentary on what they were saying ... and what I hear coming out of so many of the brethern who happen to be Republicans. Their premise is in bold. The rest of it is my summary on what they had to say about that and some of what I think about what they had to say.
It wasn't all biblical ... unless you mean taking one verse out of the Bible and using it to confirm what you want it to. As a commenter said, even the Jehovah's Witnesses can do that.
And, it was just as I said ... them using the pulpit of Kenneth Copeland to promote Republican politics. I watched all 49+ minutes of it (according to the DVD player being used) and from start to finish it was taking the two issues of the Republican platform and claiming they were more biblical and then going through the Democratic platform and claiming they weren't ... or if they were ... they were of lesser importance to God.
You are free to disagree with me and agree with everything they said, but that doesn't change what they said. Some of what they said was true, some of it was nothing more than partisan politics.
I did not hear the words, "being greedy, whiny, and selfish, is more biblical."
That is how you see them saying we need to do away with the welfare system. I don't think Joseph understood that.
What I don't understand about all this is how is it unbiblical to have a welfare system? They say we should care for the poor and agree the bible says that then have issue with how we do it via the government. I haven't read where it says in the bible that the government assisting in the care of the poor is unbiblical. I would agree with a commenter in another thread and say it is called governing.
I agree with you about the basics of those broadcasts. You would have to be dumb not to know which political party they were talking about and how they felt about them. That whole curse thing really got my attention!
I agree they were with Copeland, the two weeks of shows with David Barton, ending this week. They mention specific issues, taxation, global warming, etc. He did the same thing when he had on Huckabee for a week of free advertising. How is he getting away with this?
I meant to say they were political broadcasts with Copeland and David Barton, absolutely political broadcasts. No question about it. Using the cloak of religion. How does he get away with this?
I don't know but I think they need to lose a little thing called their tax-exempt status.
I just read this article no more than an hour ago:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/october/22.150.html
Considering who the author is, I was more than mildly surprised at what I took as an even-handed approach. As to the videos? Let the things go.
Christianity and Water is another way that Lewis put it - I first ran across his stuff in Mere Christianity, and if I were going to be the disciple of any other man, it would be him - his method of teaching is low-key but (for me) irresistibly entertaining and enlightening.
B ... when you find how it is unbiblical to pay into a welfare system to help feed and house the poor ... you let me know. I haven't found it in my Bible yet.
Anon ... I don't know how any preacher gets away with that and I think it is wrong on more than one level. First, it is emotional and spiritual blackmail. Second, it is playing fast and loose ... and violating the law.
Thanks for the link, Rick. It actually made me feel better to see that at least someone is trying to be even-handed.
As for the videos ... when I even think about them I get irritated. I am sending you email.
I'll be honest. I thought that there was no way those videos could be taht bad. I was definitely mistaken. I don't see how Joseph didn't hear "one instance" of what you wrote about because they spoke on every "premise" you wrote about and a few more.
That was something.
all i could think was i am glad i don't watch kenneth copeland. that was pitiful.
Angel, email replied to...gotta go to bed (2 AM wake up call for a brief stint at work tomorrow). Remember - none of us are alone in this. Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
I think you hit the nail on the proverbial head when you said it is emotional and spiritual blackmail.