How evangelicals won a war and lost a generation

[Billy Jingo]

How evangelicals won a war and lost a generation





On March 24, World Vision announced that the U.S. branch of the popular humanitarian organization would no longer discriminate against employees in same-sex marriages.

It was a decision that surprised many but one that made sense, given the organization’s ecumenical nature.

But on March 26, World Vision President Richard Stearns reversed the decision, stating, “our board acknowledged that the policy change we made was a mistake.”

Supporters helped the aid group “see that with more clarity,” Stearns added, “and we’re asking you to forgive us for that mistake.”

So what happened within those 48 hours to cause such a sudden reversal?

The Evangelical Machine kicked into gear.

[Bob Loblaw 3.0]

If World Vision wants to become just a charity organization without any claim of Christianity, I doubt that most evangelicals would have much of an issue with that. But when they present themselves as a Christian organization, they'd better figure that most Bible-believing Christians will have a problem when they're not doing what the Bible says Christians should do. I seriously doubt that most Christians who withdrew their money from World Vision just stopped helping poor children, they probably moved it to Christian charities that follow Biblical principles while helping the poor. Christianity is supposed to primarily be about saving souls, everything else follows that.

[Billy Jingo]

If World Vision wants to become just a charity organization without any claim of Christianity, I doubt that most evangelicals would have much of an issue with that. But when they present themselves as a Christian organization, they'd better figure that most Bible-believing Christians will have a problem when they're not doing what the Bible says Christians should do. I seriously doubt that most Christians who withdrew their money from World Vision just stopped helping poor children, they probably moved it to Christian charities that follow Biblical principles while helping the poor. Christianity is supposed to primarily be about saving souls, everything else follows that.

I think using poor children as pawns in a petty political argument is less than biblical. And I seriously doubt, regardless of the outrageous rationalizations for those who hate homosexuals, such actions comport with Mark 12:31.

[Michele]

I was having a deja vu moment thinking this had already been posted. But after I went to the link, I saw that it was written back in March and remembered that my nephew posted it on his FB when it came out.

I wish Christians would realize they're not going to know God by a charity, a church, a church leader, or an opinion column. Stop being spoonfed, open the Word and stay in it.

[Michele]

Christians can disagree about what the Bible says (or doesn’t say) about same-sex marriage. This is not an issue of orthodoxy.

Unfortunately, no they can't as evidenced in this thread and others.

[Billy Jingo]

I wish Christians would realize they're not going to know God by a charity, a church, a church leader, or an opinion column. Stop being spoonfed, open the Word and stay in it.

Faith without works is dead.

[Novaheart]

If World Vision wants to become just a charity organization without any claim of Christianity, I doubt that most evangelicals would have much of an issue with that. But when they present themselves as a Christian organization, they'd better figure that most Bible-believing Christians will have a problem when they're not doing what the Bible says Christians should do. I seriously doubt that most Christians who withdrew their money from World Vision just stopped helping poor children, they probably moved it to Christian charities that follow Biblical principles while helping the poor. Christianity is supposed to primarily be about saving souls, everything else follows that.

That shows redundancy.

[Michele]

Faith without works is dead.

Works follows true faith. You can't buy your way into heaven with works anymore than you can with money. You also can't truly fulfill taking care of the poor by voting or showing up in a church and tossing money into a basket. It's called "works" for a reason. It should be up close and personal. Not lazy and detached.

[Bob Loblaw 3.0]

I think using poor children as pawns in a petty political argument is less than biblical. And I seriously doubt, regardless of the outrageous rationalizations for those who hate homosexuals, such actions comport with Mark 12:31.

And part of loving your neighbor is doing everything you can for their salvation. An organization that presents itself as Christian has a responsibility to set an example of following all of God's commandments.

Luke 6:46

[Billy Jingo]

And part of loving your neighbor is doing everything you can for their salvation. An organization that presents itself as Christian has a responsibility to set an example of following all of God's commandments.

Luke 6:46

I think giving to the poor is a pretty good example. If hating homosexuals is a better example to you, well, there it is.

[Gingersnap]

I don't really care what World Vision does. Sexual morality is part of wider Christian morality. No one can judge the Final Destination of anyone but we can all view behavior and respond to it. The Bible treats homosexuality as it does other proscribed sexual behaviors. We're all inclined to proscribed behaviors. We all fall short in one or many areas.

But we don't all confess that our failures are really our strengths. Adultery isn't really healthy. Fornication doesn't actually build better communities and stronger families. Playing with animals sexually isn't really compassionate.

There are thousands of charitable organizations that do excellent work while maintaining an orthodox view of Christian life. There are also thousands of secular charities for those so inclined.

The Church may well have lost this and subsequent generations but not because of gayness. Since there is no social downside to sin of any kind now, there's no upside to the goats mingling with the sheep. The goats are going their own way (as they have in the past). Christianity got too comfortable with the World. Now the World is very comfortable with itself.

[Billy Jingo]

The Church may well have lost this and subsequent generations but not because of gayness. Since there is no social downside to sin of any kind now, there's no upside to the goats mingling with the sheep. The goats are going their own way (as they have in the past). Christianity got too comfortable with the World. Now the World is very comfortable with itself.

The church (broadly) in the United States allowed itself to be identified with transient political concerns and now finds itself in Tocqueville's trap. It finds itself defending evil and attacking empathy. And those who may have come to love it are now disgusted by its behavior. It no longer has an answer to human suffering and is not the bearer of the Good News. It's just another political hack.

[phillygirl]

The church (broadly) in the United States allowed itself to be identified with transient political concerns and now finds itself in Tocqueville's trap. It finds itself defending evil and attacking empathy. And those who may have come to love it are now disgusted by its behavior. It no longer has an answer to human suffering and is not the bearer of the Good News. It's just another political hack.

I think you're right. The real question is, what is evil and what is empathy.

[Gingersnap]

The church (broadly) in the United States allowed itself to be identified with transient political concerns and now finds itself in Tocqueville's trap. It finds itself defending evil and attacking empathy. And those who may have come to love it are now disgusted by its behavior. It no longer has an answer to human suffering and is not the bearer of the Good News. It's just another political hack.

Nope. The issues with the Church are the result of widespread cultural shifts that were in play long before the rise of any 'Christian Right' effort. Most Evangelicals are not even part of that movement - at least as evidenced by their actual voting behavior.

In the never-ending push to be 'relevant', many mainstream churches simply have nothing to offer that isn't identical with non-religious self-help guides. They teach exactly the same thing as any New Age guru - be nice and the Universe will be be nice back.

Why study or attend inconvenient, sometimes dull meetings to get that message?

[Bob Loblaw 3.0]

I think giving to the poor is a pretty good example. If hating homosexuals is a better example to you, well, there it is.

I love the way liberals try to neutralize people they disagree with by saying they “hate so and so”. I’d say it’s more hateful to present the impression that a person can unrepentantly live in their sin and expect to escape God's judgment. Any Christian that actually reads the whole Bible and tries to follow it knows that God holds us accountable for what we do with His money. There are better places to spend it that will take care of kids and show them a Biblical example of practicing what we preach while doing it.