God Against Obama: Dobson, Osteen, Corsi, the Evangelicals Strike Again
Evangelicals have a problem: they want to involve themselves in politics -- for instance by praying that the Obama speech at the Democratic convention is rained out, as James Dobson of Focus On the Family called for. Some evangelicals are embarrassed by such antics. What can they do? Nothing because their theology acknowledges no central authority. Evangelicals don't "do" structure. They don't do government, or bishops or tradition. They just do "me" and "I" never we. So their individualistic and narcissistic village idiots-Dobson, Robertson, Osteen etc.-are in charge by default.
The whole point of Evangelical Christianity is a consumerist-oriented do your own thing approach to Jesus. This is a departure from historical Christianity centered on a liturgical tradition that had to do with faith lived in community and beliefs defined by tradition, not the individual pastor standing in front of the congregation holding forth according to whim. But evangelical "worship" is nothing but grandstanding. It's all about the sermon and the pastor's personality. I know. I was once one such "personality," Evangelical big-time flash-in-the-pan leader egomaniac, until I got out in the mid 80s.
Evangelicals reject all traditions and structures, other than their very own personalized interpretation of the Bible, so there is no there, there to appeal to. Evangelicals can't police themselves or call one of their own a nut for the same reason that the village idiot smearing himself with excrement can't point the finger at another idiot wearing his pants on his head and call him crazy. Each has a "personal relationship with Jesus." So maybe Jesus told that guy to put his pants on his head!
Evangelicals get direct messages from God. So who needs tradition, let alone government? That is why Evangelicals are opposed to all structure. They hate government, and they hate the idea of bishops telling them what it means to be a Christian. They hate the idea of health care for all that might involve someone (other than voices in their heads) telling them what to do. And they want the "right" to own guns, raise kids on myths and own that SUV and believe that more drilling for oil will bring down the price of gas. They also want God to speak directly to them, never mind a community of faith. And God seems to tell them weird stuff. So today's crazy person is tomorrow's best selling Rick Warren or Victoria and Joel Osteen. And how can they be crazy? Look how big their churches are! They measure up to the only real Evangelical creed-the ability to make money and be successful in commercial terms.
Evangelicalism is a series of personality cults masquerading as religion. (As I demonstrate in detail in my book CRAZY FOR GOD-How I Grew Up As One Of The Elect, Helped Found The Religious Right, And Lived To Take All -- Or Almost All--Of It Back.) That's because Evangelicals say they believe in "sola scriptura" in other words the Bible only. That works out fine until they start arguing about biblical interpretation. Each pastor and individual becomes their own pope. That turns pastors into nothing but glorified entertainers, wherein the hottest ones pull the biggest congregations. Success-measured in attendance and dollars-becomes the metaphor for spiritual wisdom. Dobson rakes in millions, so God must be on his side! Joel and Victoria Osteen have 40,000 members of their Houston "church" so they must be sane, even if co-pastor Victoria allegedly assaulted a flight attendant over a spilled drink and paid the fine to make the incident "go away."
The Historic Church by contrast never held the Bible up as a magic book that could solve all your problems but rather regarded the Bible as just one element of a liturgical tradition based on community, worship and participation. It never was about the hyped-up spoken word in the mouths of hyped-up "personalities," it was about community. It never was about grandstanding entertainment, but about a liturgy that was the same wherever you went within Christendom; up until the church split in 1054, into Western and Eastern churches and then the later fracturing of the Reformation followed by the era of Protestant chaos and lastly American-style Evangelical every-man-for-himself insanity.
So ... when some fruitcake like a James Dobson comes along and his organization calls for rainmaking to spoil the Obama speech, or the egomaniacal cult leader Victoria Osteen co-pastor of the biggest mega sect in Houston, allegedly assaults an airline flight attendant, there's not much other Evangelicals can do who are embarrassed by their pet-buffoon-of-the-moment, other than to wring their hands. That's because Evangelicalism is really just another version of American individualism and the entertainment industry wherein "freedom" is interpreted as the right to be a consumer and choose one's favorite products from ski mobiles, jet skis, a trip to the Bahamas, a new-car or joining a the local mega church of the moment. Victoria Osteen today, Rick Warren yesterday, whatever wanders in tomorrow, with a book deal and nice way of talking.
Evangelicals can't criticize other Evangelicals' idiocy. After all with a few exceptions, they are all waiting for Spaceship Jesus to take them away, have declared evolution a lie, are anti-culture, art and life, and don't believe in global warming, are still saying that Iraq was behind 9/11, and want to attack Iran with what is left of our overstretched military that their born-again, Evangelical Low IQ frat-boy in the White House systematically has put at risk.
Since the Evangelical right wing movement cannot speak with a prophetic (let alone single) voice, because it has become the consumer/entertainment culture, it's left with turning itself into a public joke and/or nuisance much as a spoiled three-year-old at a birthday party will insist on getting attention by throwing pieces a birthday cake across the room. So Evangelicals have played spoiler and (with a few notable exceptions such as Richard Cizik) led the charge against the environmental movement, against doing anything about global warming, against reforming health care, against caring for our military and now against Senator Obama. They are the people turning the anti-Obama screed Obama Nation into a national best seller, and never mind it's by the same proven opportunistic "Swift Boat" liar -- Jerome R. Corsi -- who was totally discredited for his lies in the hatchet hate job he did on John Kerry.
The Evangelicals are accustomed to supporting liars. They supported George W. Bush again and again because he played footsie with them on abortion, Jesus, and gays. And now most Evangelicals are out to stop Obama, America's best chance for a fresh start in a world grown understandably sick of us.
The Evangelical mask is wearing thin. Sure, there are some Evangelicals who want change but for the most part the fools that put George W. Bush in the White House are now reduced to trying to get Jesus to rain out Obama. That's because they have no answer for the America they have betrayed.
Evangelicals are reduced to throwing fistfuls of "cake" instead of answering uncomfortable questions such as: why have you Evangelicals supported the torture of prisoners of war? And why have you Evangelicals led the charge on defending a rape-the-earth Republican Party in hock to the oil companies?
With no answers, better to just try and rain on the other guy's parade.
Frank Schaeffer is coauthor of HOW FREE PEOPLE MOVE MOUNTAINS-A Male Christian Conservative and a Female Jewish Liberal On A Quest For Common Purpose and Meaning. He is also author of CRAZY FOR GOD-How I Grew Up As One Of The Elect, Helped Found The Religious Right, And Lived To Take All (Or Almost All) Of It Back
Follow Frank Schaeffer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/frank_schaeffer
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Ya think you might want to wait till there's a verdict on the Osteen case, or at least until someone other than a flight attendant makes the claim? According to today's news, 3 out of the 3 passengers that testified today don't support the plaintiff's claim at all. Your extremism and black/white thinking in the article is worse than those you criticize. I don't recall the Osteens' making any political comments or endorsements- why are you lumping them in here. Kooky, but not in a harmless way. Please, get your facts straight.
The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be
preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
How any thinking person can associate with, and support the political objectives of these evangelicals is totally beyond me. So called "fiscal conservatives" who keep company with these people in the GOP are deluded if they think they can be kept in check. It is high time that secular people who believe in American principals pushed back hard on these crackpots.
politicians love religion because it keeps the rabble in line... they literally think religion is necessary for society to function..
Praying for Denver '08 to be flooded is super-egotistical.
The Evangelicals, for the most part, show a lack of faith, if anything. Any time you need to try disprove science with the bible, you're displaying a lack of faith. They feel they need to prove the spiritual through the physical.
Well, Mr. Schaeffer; Once again I find myself asking; "Why is it that this guy, Schaeffer, can so clearly put into words the very thoughts bouncing around inside my head? I find myself watching for your words....a
My greatest fear is that we will awake to four years of Sen. McMoreofth
Frank, You're right to point the utter subjectivity of the religious beliefs of Evangelical Christians. However, wouldn't you agree that theirs is but one example of the problem shared by all Protestants as a result of their approach to God through "Faith Alone" and "Scripture Alone"? As such, couldn't the same criticisms be levelled against the mainline members of the National Council of Churches as well as against Obama's own Trinity Baptist?
By identifying "all Protestants" are you saying that Catholics, Jews and other people of faith are somehow immune to similar idiocies?
In the context of Christianity, the "idiocy," as you call it, of complete subjectivity is something peculiar to Protestants. Although I'm sure Protestants would resist the formulation, the Protestant notions of private interpretation of Scripture and unmediated, "personal relationship" with Jesus are ultimately rejections of the concepts of community and tradition. Attempts to uphold some sort of "Protestant orthodoxy" (e.g., expelling "heretics" from church membership) end up being arbitrary, since all of the literally thousands of differing Protestant sects were founded on privatized revelation and/or scriptural interpretation independent of the authority of the Catholic Church. You may think Catholics (and members of Eastern Orthodox churches) are "idiots" for believing what they believe, but you should be aware that they have a very different relationship to community and tradition from what Protestants have. For a Protestant, something is true, merely because he sincerely believes it to be true. Joel Osteen, Jeremiah Wright and Gene Robinson can all lay equal claim to the Protestant mantle.
Classifying all Evangelicals as the same is wrong.
Rick Warren is not in the same category as Dobson, etc. Warren took heat for inviting Obama to an AIDs Conference in 2006.
Compassion Form Sat CNN at 8 PM Eastern, Warren, Obama, and McCain.
Evangelicals supported the torture of prisoners of war?"
My mainline church:
Methodist Wants Bush - a Methodist - impeached 2006
Jim Winkler, General Secretary, United Methodist Board of Church and Society has been "very" vocal in his opposition to the war in Iraq.
"These are actions far more serious than a failed land deal on the White River or a sexual indiscretion with a White House intern," Winkler said, comparing Bush to Clinton, whose impeachment was never urged by Winkler's agency. Had the Iraq war been led by John Kerry or Al Gore, Winkler surmised, the "Limbaughs and Gingriches of the world would be screaming for their impeachmen
http://www
Belated Truth Telling Scott McClellan http://www
Jim Winkler
Iraq War 'Unjustifiable', says Bush's Church Head Oct, 2002 (Dick Cheney's church)
Bush's Methodist church launched a scathing attack on his preparations for war against Iraq, 'without any justification according to the teachings of Christ'.
http://www
Tell President Bush United Methodists Do Not Torture!
http://www
I don't allege that all Evangelicals or all Protestants were of one mind about the war or any other issue, but only that there is no principled Protestant basis for criticizing the moral or religious conclusions of other Protestants. Compare this to the Catholic situation, where there were many Catholics in the U.S. who (embarrassingly) argued in favor of invading Iraq prior to March 2003 and who have supported the invasion and occupation wholeheartedly since. Yet, when Catholic neo-con eminence Michael Novak tried to argue in Rome that Bush's Pre-emptive War was consistent with traditional Catholic Just War teaching, he failed miserably, because Novak's (and other's) "private revelations" about morality did not comport with the Catholic Church's objective standard. Obviously, the objective teaching of the Church does not prevent individual Catholics from ignoring that teaching (be it on war and peace or on a myriad of other issues), but it does provide a clearly delineated standard, which is the product of tradition and community.
This should be read by everyone, he hits the bingo number all of if lines up, American Christianity per the Evangelical are all over the map and saturated with hypocrisy. They have hurt this nation and their needs to be a reformation to diminish them and put them in their place.
I was with Mr. Schaeffer right through his diatribe on Evangelicals till he clubbed in Obama, Corsi and Kerry. It is true that the Evangelicals are nutcases and very extreme in the ideology. One may even call them "American Mullahs". Just like the Mullahs want their Countries to be run by the laws of the "Shariat", left to the Evangicals
Now for Obama. How can a Man sit in the pews of a Church for 20 years without being affected by its teachings? The teachings of hatred for the Country they live in, for preachings of victimization that were discarded over 40 years ago and of radical Black seperatism. Pastor Wright married Michelle and Barack and baptized their kids and he was Obama's "spiritual mentor" who Obama "could not disown as much as he could disown his own Grandmother and the Black Community". A month later, Obama completely disowned Reverend Wright and left the Trinity Church subsequently! How is Pastor Wright and his associations with the likes of Farrakhan any diffferent from say a Dobson or the late Falwell? Ideoligically speaking, all of them are extremists!
Now for Corsi and Kerry. After Kerry lost 2004, the "swiftboaters" offered a million bucks to anyone who could disprove their claims against Kerry. As facts emerged, Kerry took up that challenge but till date has not disproved anything!
Reverend Wright is a good man. The church is fully racially integrated. If you don't hate the evil that the USA (any every other country) has done, you are immoral. You can love your country, but not everything it does. Guilt by association is BS. Are all parole officers evil?
Kerry handily proved his case, but why would anyone expect conservatives to keep their word?
You are not being fair to mullahs. I think they actually believe their religion and are trying to practice it.
Evangelicals, especially the leaders, are not Christians. They take shreds of the bible to justify their self-centered behavior, and to justify their hatred of others. They are offended by Christianity, so they have stolen the label and apply it to their twisted, sinful way of life.
WHY do so many people assume that EVERY sermon was FILLED with what we heard played on an endless loop? And even those were taken out of context? Go listen to some of Rev. Wright's OTHER sermons.
As to what the difference is -- DOBSON actively agrees and espouses these divisive statements -- such as 'praying for rain'. DOBSON said that on his radio show.
Please find me an example of Senator O HIMSELF saying something that could be considered in the same vein? It's very possible to listen to someone and take away the good while discarding the bad. BO seems to be demonstrating that in word and deed.
"That's because Evangelicalism is really just another version of American individualism and the entertainment industry wherein "freedom" is interpreted as the right to be a consumer and choose one's favorite products from ski mobiles, jet skis, a trip to the Bahamas, a new-car or joining a the local mega church of the moment. Victoria Osteen today, Rick Warren yesterday, whatever wanders in tomorrow, with a book deal and nice way of talking."
Damn well said, and I do regard myself as Christian, but it has nothing to do with these fascists and fruitcakes! i wish they would all crawl under a rock and take their evil minds with them.
"Some evangelicals are embarrassed by such antics. What can they do?"
Well one thing they can do is to speak up and speak out about it. So often when one of these evangelical leaders says or does something and goes off his rocker, you get relative silence from his peers. They're afraid to stand up and speak the truth about each other for fear of reprisals or whatever, and do a disservice to the cause of Christ by their cowardice and/or hypocrisy.
George Barna, the Christian consultant, often writes about how today's evangelicism encourages the individualism you mention. He did the recent poll showing that Christians support Obama this time around.
Christians yes, evangelicals, no...
It's a shame that the people who should read - and absorb the full implications of - this post will never read it. They would refuse to read it because they cannot tolerate the imposition of truth into their warped belief system. I'm talking about full-on evangelicals, biblical literalists, and Christian reconstructionists. These people are dangerous to any democracy, because they want to see a Taliban-like system imposed on everyone. The price of freedom remains eternal vigilance.
Or we could choose one who believes in peace and the end of wars. Under his leadership our economy will grow strong again, he will bring our soldiers home and they too will grow strong again. And if there be any super power who would think to topple us on our land. A mighty army will go forth and topple their power and their economy, And when our soldiers return home in victory they will gather their children and look lovingly into their eyes knowing that their future will be bright, and in their hearts a message into the Lord Our Father in Heaven will be engraved, Which will say…Yes, I Am My Brothers Keeper.
I my self have chosen peace and the end of wars…but look not on to my choice but unto your neighbor and your children and your love ones and then make your own choice.
If you choose not the one or the other then there also is two thieves one to the left and one to the right cast your vote for one of these. But be sure to cast your vote so that you may be counted.
Yes, I am my brother’s keeper
Glory to God in the highest, for he so loves the world that again he sends a savior.
I am a Republican, and proud of it. But first and foremost I am an American, and proud of it. I love my brethren with all my heart. Black, white, skinny, fat, tall, short, rich, poor, hateful and loving, I bow down to the Lord and pray Blessings and Mercy for all.
the best part is "But first and foremost I am an American".
Let's see you are your brothers keeper, bluej315. You are acting like a keeper in a mental institution, in reality. Why don't you bathe & clothe you brothers. You could also clean up the mess your brother(s) in Christ made & try to show your brother(s) that wallowing in their mess & flinging gobs of their mess at others isn't tolerable conduct for an adult. The Bible provides instructions on doing this with love. I think some call it Christian Charity.
What makes you proud to be a Republican? Is it their dedication to balancing budgets and creating surpluses? Is it the fact they focus their attention and resources on average Americans not on corporations? Is it because they promiise to never be a party that nation builds? Is it their dedication to a smaller more efficient government? Is it the allegience to the constiution and rule of law? Is it their belief people can make better decisions about their lives than the government? I truly am curious what exactly makes you proud to be a Republican?
Most Republicans are not his/her/their brother's keeper. I see no evidence of that whatsoever in the actions of this administration of the "I got mine" hoodwinking greedmongers I happen to know.
As rain falls on the just and the unjust and the sun shines upon the just and the unjust. So it is good to pray for all thy brethren.
Two have been chosen, but it is for us to vote for which one to lead. Never has an election been so important in our generation as this one. For our choices are as such.
One who believes in war and the continuation of war, He who will lead us into three wars whiles a forth war brews, and when this Super power drops the bombs upon our land and upon our people.
We will be toppled and our economy will be toppled and the children of God who live in the land will be scattered their voice will no longer having the strength of one. And their mission to feed and cloth and care for the needy and poor around the world will be unfulfilled.
An excellent article on many of the characteristics of Evangelical Christianity. I live in the south and close to one of these mega-churches and know many people who attend. Many of them are good, decent people but seem to be easily led by charismatic preachers. They seem to hold many conflicting opinions about the teachings of Christ on the one hand but can be very racially bigoted on the other. They hold blind opinions on gays, abortion and for some reason do not believe in Global Warming. They view all politics and politicians through a religious lens and are not open to reason or facts.
I am not saying members of other religions are any better but agree with Franks, observations.
Thank you Mr. Schaeffer for years and years I have been watching and listening to snippets of the evangelical conversation. Ii have seen the crazy stuff they preach, I have heard what they teach and I have seen the result of the evangelical brainwashing. I have noticed that not fifteen minutes goes by without an appeal for money or an outburst of intolerance occurs, Repeatedly I have listened to the youngest of evangelicals speak of their horrible sins and that they are the reason Jesus died. Their leaders profit from Jesus, they profit from hate, they profit from intolerance and they profit off the ignorance of their followers;
These individuals have hurt the natural progression of our country and made it harder for us to reach the ideals our founding fathers set forth with their greed, incompetance and outright hypocrisy. But now finally the American people and followers of these selfish men are waking up to the fact these people do not preach the gospel as Jesus supposedly did but rather pervert their interpretation in order ot remain in power and profit off the blind faith of others.
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