Check your shoes before reading, friends-if I step on any toes, I hope you're not wearing sandals.
First and foremost, a group called the "American Family Association" is doing a bit of toe-stepping of its own, and I am kinda against it. Kinda.
They are Christians behaving very nicely. They oppose many of the same things I oppose, cherish many of the same ideals I espouse. Good guys. White hats. Big smiles.
But I have to get in their business a bit. Hear me out.
The AFA is big on calling out corporations for doing stuff Christians oppose-Sears was (according to AFA) selling pornography on their website, Home Depot is pushing Gay marriage, and they think that maybe, just maybe, Lady Gaga is nuts. (I just threw in the last one-she's goofy)
Well and good, AFA. Call them out. Shout it from the rooftops.
But
Then they call for Christians to boycott the nasty corporations. Wait-what?
Is that the purview of Christians?
Are we to punish someone who is not a Christian for not following Christ? For being worldly in their own world, within which we are merely sojourners?
Can we demand that corporations adhere to Christian morals? Punish if they do not? (hint-they won't. They are incapable of doing right, being righteous.)
I never gave it much thought until listening to Tod Friel's "Wretched Radio" He is the one who suggested that such economic blackmail as AFA is formenting against corporations is a Christian form of Shariah Law. We don't like it when Muslims attempt to make us live by their laws, so...
Lets go to the Bible. The prophet Daniel served under three administrations honorably. When his personal religious space was invaded, he stood strong. But he didn't tell any of the rulers of Babylon that they had to toe the line and worship his God. He didn't tell them to stop carving the fertility totems or he'd organize a work slowdown. He lived for God in an ungodly place.
As do all Christians.
Here's a funny sidenote-Tod Friel? the Wretched Radio guy? AFA carries his program through their American Family Radio. Funny that.
My bottom line-I live for God, try to do right. But I don't fault the world for being worldly-if Sears and Home Depot were people, members of my church, THEN they would be called to adhere to Godly standards, as our church statement of faith details. But they are of the world, and not under our church discipline.
"But wait, Doug! I'm promoting Christian values when I attempt to make a corporation stop being so evil!"
Okayfine for you-and good luck with that. Maybe next you can empty the ocean with a teaspoon.
So Doug, how about you? You're a sinner with a Sears card in your wallet. I've seen you at Home Depot!
Yup and yup.
Here's what I think. I'm against abortion, so I wouldn't EVER encourage a woman to go to an abortion clinic.
I'm against alcohol consumption, as I see the heartbreak of alcoholism destroying lives...so I don't drink, and don't encourage others to drink. Those are just two of the two of the moral judgements by which I live my life.
But I can't demand that my friends stop drinking because I know it is wrong. That's not my place. That's not for me to decide...for them.
3 comments:
Bye the way-boycotts don't usually work. They may make the ones boycotting feel that they are doing right, but they have virtually no effect on the corporations.
At one time, the country went 'dry' as Christians were able to browbeat the government into doing something about all that booze destroying lives. Our government isn't really set up to be a moral force-"Prohibition" begat rum running and gangsters getting rich and quite vicious. Before Prohibition, they were penny ante protection thugs shaking down candy shop owners. Rum running even made Joe Kennedy rich and powerful-which begat Edward Kennedy having enough power to obstruct morality for decades.
I keep it simple. I don't drink.
Somehow the breweries struggle along without me.
To avoid all the companies and corporations the AFA has and is boycotting, one would have to live as the Amish, I think. The other problem with the AFA is that, according to a former employee, they're unscrupulous.
"AFA preaches the Gospels, but uses broad stereotypes to pigeonhole an entire community of individuals. I will not tell you what is in the hearts of these people, but I will look at the evidence.
If AFA believes they are trying to help people, they are sorely misguided. As stated by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, "an ounce of help is better than a pound of preaching." The tactics employed by AFA, such as writing down the license plates of gay individuals, is anything but Christian. Such acts blemish the bride of Christ. Thus, what are we left to conclude? I will let your readers decide."
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1159
- James
Fair enough, James. Good to see that you're still internetting-I thought you gave it up for Lent and then forgot whom you lent it to.
It comes back to the heart of the post:Christians live for God; we shouldn't expect the ungodly to act righteously. Rather than getting all energized about homosexuality, for example, I try to learn more of God. I know what He thinks of homosexuality, so it's a moot issue for me.
I argue against alleged "gay marriage" because I know what God thinks of the issue, according to Scripture. But because a group of Christians are up in arms about Home Depot's decision to recognize 'life partners' or whatever, I'm supposed to join a boycott of Home Depot? Nah.
Bringing it back to basics: If a member of my church is sinning, whatever the sin-it comes under church discipline. We go to the member and encourage him or her to stop sinning. If such an individual refuses, we can put them out of the church. They can go across the street to another church, and many do.
But the world is not under our church discipline.
But James, the situation will change dramatically when Christ returns and rules the world from Jerusalem. The entire planet will be under His discipline. I look for that Day.
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