Pastor Issues Christian "Fatwa." How...Unchristian
Last week, Wiley S. Drake, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, California, and a former
national leader of the Southern Baptist Convention, asked his followers
to pray for the deaths of two leaders of Americans United for
Separation of Church and State (AUSCS). His prayer came in response to AUSCS asking the IRS to look into the non-profit status of Pastor Drake's church after he endorsed Mike Huckabee for president, composing a letter stating such on church letterhead, and again during a church-affiliated internet radio show.
Drake said he endorsed Huckabee because of his religious qualifications as a born-again Christian., which in and of itself is fine. (I've written on Mr. Huckabee's candidacy in the past).
Drake issued his fatwa -- an edict for religious judgment and punishment -- because he was "simply doing what God told me to do" by praying for the deaths of Americans United officials Joe Conn and Jeremy Leaming, whom the pastor calls the "enemies of God."
"God says to pray imprecatory prayer against people who attack God's church," said the indignant Pastor Drake.
In part, his prayer read: "Let his days be few; and let another take his office," the prayer reads. "Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow."
The pastor is quoted by the Los Angeles Times as saying "I don't believe in the separation of church and state and I believe the IRS should stay out of church business." Strictly speaking, Blake is on the wrong side of the law (at least) with his endorsement of any candidate. As tax-exempt organizations, churches are barred from campaigning for candidates. And, needless to say, his statement is contradictory, for if the church and state are indivisible, church finance would certainly be under the purview of the federal government's regulatory authority.
Aside from the legalities, this whole thing strikes me as odd.
Has religious intolerance, and political hubris in the United States developed to such a point that we publicly pray to a loving God to smite these "enemies of the church" over a political candidate?
Doing research for this piece, I came across an article at ChristianityToday.com, by Mark Galli that seems to support Pastor Blake's beseeching The Almighty to perform this act of spiritual vigilantism. The author of the referenced piece goes so far as to group Drake with Jesus, David, and Paul in that each of them at some point uttered a violent, wrathful prayer, asking the Creator to harshly judge one's enemies.
I can figure out what's more disturbing: that a "man of God" would realistically, publicly pray for the deaths of rivals, or that there are people who support him in principle.
Mr. Galli suggests that Pastor Drake's prayers are similar to the wishes of parents of drug-addicted kids, who hope that their children hit rock bottom so that they might come to see God as the salvation and solution to their addiction. "If this is not an imprecatory prayer, I don't know what is," says Mr. Galli.
While a parent hoping to have their child escape the bondage of self-destructive behavior, there is no evil, no desire for pain and suffering, only a wish for the peace and freedom in living a clean life. Further, the issue of life and death at the hand of dangerous substances is far from the pettiness, and abject godlessness of American politics.
While Mr. Galli would have you believe we're uncomfortable with the good pastor, in part because we "no longer have much confidence in the truth of the gospel," and because we "pretty much find it impossible" to tell someone that they are going to face the brutal punishments visited on the faithless, I think we're uncomfortable for a whole different set of reasons.
I find it uncomfortable to tell someone that they will face judgment, but not because they are unfaithful, nor because I'm a coward. I find it disconcerting and unpleasant because I wonder what gives me the right as an imperfect being to curse another. It's uncomfortable because I wonder what I've done -- or will do -- in my own life for which harsh judgment will be rendered. I find it unsettling that someone would pray for the deaths of men whom they do not know, let alone not having even met. Finally, I find discomfort because I remember the admonition of the Book of Matthew, ch. 7 instructing us to "judge not, lest ye be judged." And should I have the temerity to judge, I remember to think of John 7:24, where Jesus tells us to judge others, but to do so righteously.
Asking God for someone to die because he doesn't share your political agenda is far from righteous, and counts as vile, sacrilegious and vain. That one would think they curry that much favor with God because of their political affiliation is the height of arrogance.
I am uncomfortable with the Pastor's actions. I am also saddened that a person with such ignominious beliefs is taken seriously.
Drake said he endorsed Huckabee because of his religious qualifications as a born-again Christian., which in and of itself is fine. (I've written on Mr. Huckabee's candidacy in the past).
Drake issued his fatwa -- an edict for religious judgment and punishment -- because he was "simply doing what God told me to do" by praying for the deaths of Americans United officials Joe Conn and Jeremy Leaming, whom the pastor calls the "enemies of God."
"God says to pray imprecatory prayer against people who attack God's church," said the indignant Pastor Drake.
In part, his prayer read: "Let his days be few; and let another take his office," the prayer reads. "Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow."
The pastor is quoted by the Los Angeles Times as saying "I don't believe in the separation of church and state and I believe the IRS should stay out of church business." Strictly speaking, Blake is on the wrong side of the law (at least) with his endorsement of any candidate. As tax-exempt organizations, churches are barred from campaigning for candidates. And, needless to say, his statement is contradictory, for if the church and state are indivisible, church finance would certainly be under the purview of the federal government's regulatory authority.
Aside from the legalities, this whole thing strikes me as odd.
Has religious intolerance, and political hubris in the United States developed to such a point that we publicly pray to a loving God to smite these "enemies of the church" over a political candidate?
Doing research for this piece, I came across an article at ChristianityToday.com, by Mark Galli that seems to support Pastor Blake's beseeching The Almighty to perform this act of spiritual vigilantism. The author of the referenced piece goes so far as to group Drake with Jesus, David, and Paul in that each of them at some point uttered a violent, wrathful prayer, asking the Creator to harshly judge one's enemies.
I can figure out what's more disturbing: that a "man of God" would realistically, publicly pray for the deaths of rivals, or that there are people who support him in principle.
Mr. Galli suggests that Pastor Drake's prayers are similar to the wishes of parents of drug-addicted kids, who hope that their children hit rock bottom so that they might come to see God as the salvation and solution to their addiction. "If this is not an imprecatory prayer, I don't know what is," says Mr. Galli.
While a parent hoping to have their child escape the bondage of self-destructive behavior, there is no evil, no desire for pain and suffering, only a wish for the peace and freedom in living a clean life. Further, the issue of life and death at the hand of dangerous substances is far from the pettiness, and abject godlessness of American politics.
While Mr. Galli would have you believe we're uncomfortable with the good pastor, in part because we "no longer have much confidence in the truth of the gospel," and because we "pretty much find it impossible" to tell someone that they are going to face the brutal punishments visited on the faithless, I think we're uncomfortable for a whole different set of reasons.
I find it uncomfortable to tell someone that they will face judgment, but not because they are unfaithful, nor because I'm a coward. I find it disconcerting and unpleasant because I wonder what gives me the right as an imperfect being to curse another. It's uncomfortable because I wonder what I've done -- or will do -- in my own life for which harsh judgment will be rendered. I find it unsettling that someone would pray for the deaths of men whom they do not know, let alone not having even met. Finally, I find discomfort because I remember the admonition of the Book of Matthew, ch. 7 instructing us to "judge not, lest ye be judged." And should I have the temerity to judge, I remember to think of John 7:24, where Jesus tells us to judge others, but to do so righteously.
Asking God for someone to die because he doesn't share your political agenda is far from righteous, and counts as vile, sacrilegious and vain. That one would think they curry that much favor with God because of their political affiliation is the height of arrogance.
I am uncomfortable with the Pastor's actions. I am also saddened that a person with such ignominious beliefs is taken seriously.
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Thankfully prayer isn't as causal as starbucks as far as asking and recieving. If it were I would have gotten less ass whoopings as a child and made it through Diff Eq in college. Religious zealotness and idiocy can be found in every faith. Thankfully, still the minority. Annoying and loud, but minority. Go Bears!
Just because the canister is labeled flour does that mean you can't put sugar in it instead??
Just because someone has a title does not mean that they live up to it. You make the title the title does not make you. People have children and they have the title of parents but that does not mean that they fulfill their duty as being parents. In all that you do you should make sure you have a passion for it and that you have been called to do it. Just because someone says "Im the leader of such and such" means nothing!!! It's their actions and way of delivery that make them who they are not what they claim to be!