Christians and the USA

[yeahwho]

I just read about the Rev. Gregory A. Boyd of the Woodland Hills Mega Church near St. Paul, Minn. Reverend Boyd urged an end to sexual moralizing and military glorification and said America should not be proclaimed a “Christian nation.” From an article in the July 30th NYTimes (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/30/us/30pastor.html?hp&ex=1154232000&en=fc81bfdd0ee7feb1&ei=5094&partner=homepage) about this movement Boyd details his inner and outer struggles;

Before the last presidential election, he preached six sermons called “The Cross and the Sword” in which he said the church should steer clear of politics, give up moralizing on sexual issues, stop claiming the United States as a “Christian nation” and stop glorifying American military campaigns.

“When the church wins the culture wars, it inevitably loses,” Mr. Boyd preached. “When it conquers the world, it becomes the world. When you put your trust in the sword, you lose the cross.”

hallelujah (y)

[Waus]

give up moralizing on sexual issues...

Does he mean stop trying to legislate issues/morality or just stop taking a stance on them?

[yeahwho]

Does he mean stop trying to legislate issues/morality or just stop taking a stance on them?

As the article goes,

A common concern is that the Christian message is being compromised by the tendency to tie evangelical Christianity to the Republican Party and American nationalism, especially through the war in Iraq.

That particular church (Woodland Hills Church) lost 1000 of it's 5000 members (20%) when he stopped supporting a political agenda in his Christian agenda. So yes he still has the stance of morals and faith based lifestyles, he still is a conservative, he just doesn't believe it is in Jesus or the Churches best interest to combine politics or provide a voting block.

In his six sermons, Mr. Boyd laid out a broad argument that the role of Christians was not to seek “power over” others — by controlling governments, passing legislation or fighting wars. Christians should instead seek to have “power under” others — “winning people’s hearts” by sacrificing for those in need, as Jesus did, Mr. Boyd said.

“America wasn’t founded as a theocracy,” he said. “America was founded by people trying to escape theocracies. Never in history have we had a Christian theocracy where it wasn’t bloody and barbaric. That’s why our Constitution wisely put in a separation of church and state.

“I am sorry to tell you,” he continued, “that America is not the light of the world and the hope of the world. The light of the world and the hope of the world is Jesus Christ.”

He's a bright guy standing up against the co-op of Jesus for political gains.

[Waus]

Word.

I totally agree with that guy. Of course it still becomes tricky when you try to vote on issues based on your morals, and people in your religion tend to have similar morals as you.

[ms.peachy]

Yeah, I read the article online yesterday. Good for him, man. I am quite sure there are plenty of decent, thinking Christian people out there who are deeply disturbed at how their faith is being coopted by the right wing political agenda, just as I am sure their are many secular, intelligent Republicans who are sick and tired of their party being cowed by this marriage to Fundamentalism. I hope more of them start speaking out like this guy.

[yeahwho]

Yeah, I read the article online yesterday. Good for him, man. I am quite sure there are plenty of decent, thinking Christian people out there who are deeply disturbed at how their faith is being coopted by the right wing political agenda, just as I am sure their are many secular, intelligent Republicans who are sick and tired of their party being cowed by this marriage to Fundamentalism. I hope more of them start speaking out like this guy.

Exactly. The faith based political movement of the past 10+ years has reach what I believe is it's peak. GWB is such a dissapointment (by dissapointment, I mean goes against the Bibles teachings) in so many of his decisions that I think the blind may find the Lord again and get the hell out of the political arena. The church has gone where Angels dare to tread. In the process they have also distanced millions of citizens and true patriots with their self righteousness. Christians too.

[abcdefz]

I've never liked the whole Christian = Republican thing, because it promotes a herd mentality and party line that's pretty often in conflict with what Jesus taught.

So: good for this guy.

[D_Raay]

My question is... what the hell took so long?

[Qdrop]

wow, one good christian.

I hope THIS meme spreads.....

[Bob]

ok, but only if i get to see scientologist views in the news, too. after all we all know that L Ron Hubbard is the true savior, we can't have your christian propaganda leading people astray!

[yeahwho]

I see the conservative blogs and pretend newspapers are already jumping all over Rev. Gregory A. Boyd now that Laurie Goodstein's July 31st, 2006 New York Times (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060730/LIFESTYLE04/607300339/1041)article has hit the innerweb's usual suspects.

Newsbusters is usually good at some sort of hyperbole damage control,

Alienate Your Conservative Congregation, Get Praised in the NY Times (http://newsbusters.org/node/6671)

Kind of spooking the "FaithBased Politiburo" now that it's the #1 most emailed NYTimes article. :D

[D_Raay]

Hehe, what poor writing...

Predictably;no less;jab;snotty;slanted;petulant; and of course liberal readers of the NY times; as if liberals and only liberals sit around reading the Times and then roll up a big doobie with it.

Never mind the rational human beings of the country who read the article and maybe found some enlightenment in it.

It seems to be the playbook of the right, courtesy of Karl Rove, to turn an otherwise objective outlook of one man's take on the state of the christian community, and turn it around as if the liberal writer had actually attacked the christian right. To put an agenda on the mysterious liberals' plate where there otherwise was none.

There are no liberals in this country that actually have a voice. The end result of this strategy will only be to create more liberals.

Kind of similar to their strategy against terrorists isn't it?