SIGH

I’m just a common place parish pastor. I try as best I can to help people grow in the grace of God, spread the Good News to others, and reach out in compassion to people in need. I have a fair understanding of theology and a very good understanding (I think) of Scripture. I know what I believe, reject some beliefs as completely inconsistent with Christianity (reincarnation, for example), but acknowledge that there is a broad scope of beliefs that are embraced by Christians who I consider brothers and sisters even if we aren’t 100% in agreement.

It grieves me, then, to see so much virtual ink spilled online by Christians who deny that most other people who bear that name are indeed Christians. The last couple of weeks I have fallen into a number of strange sites devoted to telling people what’s wrong with other people who claim to be Christians. The issue is almost always Biblical truth, but what the proponent really means is their particular version of Biblical truth.

I ran across one site, which I will not identify, that has long lists of people and groups that are heretical. I wasn’t surprised to see Mother Theresa on the list, for these people usually declare all Roman Catholics as heretics, nor was I surprised to find Norman Vincent Peale, Robert Schuller, and Rick Warren on the list, but was surprised to find numerous conservative Christians included among the heretical–Donald Wildom, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertson. Billy Graham is a heretic as is C. S. Lewis. Martin Luther also falls into the heretical class.

You will do well to mark that Alcoholics Anonymous is heretical, and so is self-esteem, martial arts, Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE), psychology, Christian rock, and hypnosis. And Christian Schools are heretical. Why some have put on sinful musicals like Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music, Hello Dolly, and Oklahoma. And, gasp, Bob Jones University even allowed the “Don Cossacks,” to perform on campus. They are a Russian dance troupe! And it has an art gallery that has religious art!

Oh yes, a warning: you’d better not have a mid-life crisis because that’s heretical also. I have to say a list that condemns palmistry, the Institute for Creation Research, and the Salvation Army is might comprehensive. It’s probably a good thing that Andrew, Philip, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus and some of the other Apostles never wrote anything or they would have been declared heretical as well. I think the only two people who are counted as Christians are the husband and wife team that run this site (which-must-not-be-named), and I don’t think they’re entirely sure about each other.

The final straw was Christmas. Naturally Christmas was condemned as pagan, but when the carol “Silent Night” was also put on the condemned list, I quit. Of course “Silent Night” must be an evil, heretical song because it was written by a Roman Catholic priest, but it was also rejected on the basis of its first word, “silent.” Where in the Bible does it say the night was silent? It doesn’t, so this beloved carol must be heretical. And “O Come, all ye Faithful” is heretical. It calls Jesus “King of Angels” and says he was born in the morning. More heresy. Give me a break!

Given these nutso views about who’s going to Heaven, I think I might prefer Hell. As a Lutheran I am pretty sure that’s where I’m supposed to wind up, but I will enjoy being there listening to Martin Luther preach, C. S. Lewis tell stories, and hearing Father Joseph Mohr sing Stille Nacht on Christmas Eve. And then we’ll all sing “O Come, all ye Faithful” accompanied by a Salvation Army band. The Devil, who hates the joyful noise of music sung in praise of the Lord, will probably kick us out of Hell.

“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7).

May the Lord bless you on your journey and greet you on your arrival (in HEAVEN).

Wayne








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