Church and State Leadership: Following Up
A few weeks ago I wrote about poor church-state leadership from Christians, specifically Robert Jeffress. I am finding him more and more frustrating (Moore frustrating?).
More recently he spoke out against the NFL players protesting during the National Anthem. Now, before we go any further, I want to say I do not particularly like the protesting during the Anthem. I do think it's disrespectful to the country, regardless of what the protestors say. I believe most of them aren't intentionally being disrespectful, but that does not change my opinion that the result is, in fact, disrespectful.
However, I'm not all that bent out of shape about it. I'm a white guy who grew up in a white neighborhood, went to a predominantly white college, and am raising my family in a mostly white community. I have not experienced what it is like to be a minority in any real sense. It's not my kids trapped in a failing school. I'm not up late at night worried my son is the next fatality. I have never walked into a courtroom with a statue of someone who literally led a war to keep me in bondage staring me down. While I do not like the protests during the Anthem, how can I fault someone for using the stage they have to bring awareness to some very real issues?
And at best, I think church leaders should at least be neutral. We do not serve that flag or this country in any way similarly to how we serve the church and Jesus Christ. "Amazing Grace" should hold more reverence in our hearts than "The Star Spangled Banner." Again, the least the church should do is stay out of it.
Yet here is Jeffress...again.
Jeffress says these protestors should be thankful they are not in North Korea, where they would be shot in the head for not bowing down to the state. Here's the thing: What he said is true. Someone who wouldn't show reverence to the NK flag would probably be either thrown in jail or killed. A lot of things get you thrown in jail or killed in NK. So the question is why did Jeffress say this? He is an alleged pastor, whose responsibility is to lead people to Christ and teach them more about Jesus. How does this help? Why serve the kingdom instead of the Kingdom?
Honestly, if Robert Jeffress were in NK, I do not believe he would be shot or jailed. For a Christian, that's an insult. I do not believe he would be a dissident. Rather, if this behavior here in the United States is any indication, he would do what he could to merge whatever Christianity he has with the religion of government. "'Citizens blaming the Supreme Leader for starving to death should be thankful they are not in the United States where the government does not prioritize caring for the needs of its people,' said High Faith Leader Robert Jeffress-un."
Robert Jeffress has become an embarrassment. I once believed "the religious right" could be reformed and re-prioritize their focus. I no longer believe that.
More recently he spoke out against the NFL players protesting during the National Anthem. Now, before we go any further, I want to say I do not particularly like the protesting during the Anthem. I do think it's disrespectful to the country, regardless of what the protestors say. I believe most of them aren't intentionally being disrespectful, but that does not change my opinion that the result is, in fact, disrespectful.
However, I'm not all that bent out of shape about it. I'm a white guy who grew up in a white neighborhood, went to a predominantly white college, and am raising my family in a mostly white community. I have not experienced what it is like to be a minority in any real sense. It's not my kids trapped in a failing school. I'm not up late at night worried my son is the next fatality. I have never walked into a courtroom with a statue of someone who literally led a war to keep me in bondage staring me down. While I do not like the protests during the Anthem, how can I fault someone for using the stage they have to bring awareness to some very real issues?
And at best, I think church leaders should at least be neutral. We do not serve that flag or this country in any way similarly to how we serve the church and Jesus Christ. "Amazing Grace" should hold more reverence in our hearts than "The Star Spangled Banner." Again, the least the church should do is stay out of it.
Yet here is Jeffress...again.
Jeffress says these protestors should be thankful they are not in North Korea, where they would be shot in the head for not bowing down to the state. Here's the thing: What he said is true. Someone who wouldn't show reverence to the NK flag would probably be either thrown in jail or killed. A lot of things get you thrown in jail or killed in NK. So the question is why did Jeffress say this? He is an alleged pastor, whose responsibility is to lead people to Christ and teach them more about Jesus. How does this help? Why serve the kingdom instead of the Kingdom?
Honestly, if Robert Jeffress were in NK, I do not believe he would be shot or jailed. For a Christian, that's an insult. I do not believe he would be a dissident. Rather, if this behavior here in the United States is any indication, he would do what he could to merge whatever Christianity he has with the religion of government. "'Citizens blaming the Supreme Leader for starving to death should be thankful they are not in the United States where the government does not prioritize caring for the needs of its people,' said High Faith Leader Robert Jeffress-un."
Robert Jeffress has become an embarrassment. I once believed "the religious right" could be reformed and re-prioritize their focus. I no longer believe that.
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