Declared Affection for Caesar
A whole lotta Christians of some renown have gathered to issue an official proclamation of their desire to continue to do things their way no matter how much the federal government hints that they comply with them. It's called the "Manhattan Declaration," and it says three key things.
One, we won't refuse to yell against abortion. Two, we won't refuse to yell against same-sex marriage. And three, we won't refuse to keep yelling. That last one was really an insistence on religious freedom, but what it really means is that they want to keep doing their thing and at the same time keep getting nice tax breaks for being otherwise good obedient tax-exempt non-profit congregations.
Sadly, if these people were truly heeding Christ's words they wouldn't have to make such a proclamation.
All they'd have to do is live out Christ's words.
They'd then blow away so many people that seen in all His glory would be Christ, instead of a batch of official looking fancy suits sneering about how against bad things they are.
At the very same time as all this churchly stuff is happening, the United States Senate is continuing to slam universal health care into legislation. Never mind that so few know how many more novel forms of human sacrifice will be accomplished with this, even fewer comprehend that as much as so many conservative libertarian types screech about how gruesomely socialist it is, they are actually revealing how much they put their faith in Caesar to do precisely what he is doing.
"Huh?" you may certainly scream from every orifice, "Are you saying those who say the most loathsome things about Obama and Reid and Pelosi for ramming this down our throats actually like those guys?"
Indeed I am. The fact is, after the shouters are all finished getting paid nicely to shout down all bad things they will go home and from the privacy of their own office they will cheerfully send Caesar a nice big check for checking their own sinful proclivities. If they didn't extend generous tribute to Caesar, they would be in gross violation of their signed contract, or perhaps... perhaps...
They might just be authentic followers of Christ.
Those who are abandoned to Christ form communities in which all are taken care of, everyone using their God-given gifts to the fullest including those of providing optimum medical attention to any who need it. They would not only be extending that kind of vibrant mercy to others but the love they would have for one another would be so profound that all would live with the greatest, deepest, most magnificent joy and from that would many others be drawn to Him simply because they want that.
It is even better.
Those kind of people cannot die.
Sure their bodies may give out, yeah, got that.
But because they are held by Christ they will never die. So they have nothing to lose. They've also already gained everything. So...
No need to sign up for or have anything to do with Caesar's medical plan in whatever form it is presented.
No need to shout down abortion because anyone beholding the way they love would know the truth about nurturing the preborn.
No need to shout down same-sex marriage because anyone witnessing true love in action would be wholly convinced of its rich verity, and live accordingly.
No need to cower and spittle platitudes about "religious freedom" because freedom from sin by the blood of Christ has already been granted and no other piddly freedom means anything. God then fully empowers one to live to love no matter what happens, and that is the most bountiful adventure of all.
I see and read too much about whiners who wag their fingers at Caesar for infecting them with more socialism when that's exactly what they want. I see and read too much about pusillanimous "Christians" who pound their chests about how great they are at shouting down bad things when they just want others to see them and their flowing robes shouting loud pious prayers in the middle of town.
I so revel in seeing and reading about those who just want to love Christ by loving others right now, right there, right really...
Oh, it doesn't have to be just a glass of water for a thirsty man--it can be an eloquent treatise at a top university.
Just something that's real, and Christ.
That's all.
One, we won't refuse to yell against abortion. Two, we won't refuse to yell against same-sex marriage. And three, we won't refuse to keep yelling. That last one was really an insistence on religious freedom, but what it really means is that they want to keep doing their thing and at the same time keep getting nice tax breaks for being otherwise good obedient tax-exempt non-profit congregations.
Sadly, if these people were truly heeding Christ's words they wouldn't have to make such a proclamation.
All they'd have to do is live out Christ's words.
They'd then blow away so many people that seen in all His glory would be Christ, instead of a batch of official looking fancy suits sneering about how against bad things they are.
At the very same time as all this churchly stuff is happening, the United States Senate is continuing to slam universal health care into legislation. Never mind that so few know how many more novel forms of human sacrifice will be accomplished with this, even fewer comprehend that as much as so many conservative libertarian types screech about how gruesomely socialist it is, they are actually revealing how much they put their faith in Caesar to do precisely what he is doing.
"Huh?" you may certainly scream from every orifice, "Are you saying those who say the most loathsome things about Obama and Reid and Pelosi for ramming this down our throats actually like those guys?"
Indeed I am. The fact is, after the shouters are all finished getting paid nicely to shout down all bad things they will go home and from the privacy of their own office they will cheerfully send Caesar a nice big check for checking their own sinful proclivities. If they didn't extend generous tribute to Caesar, they would be in gross violation of their signed contract, or perhaps... perhaps...
They might just be authentic followers of Christ.
Those who are abandoned to Christ form communities in which all are taken care of, everyone using their God-given gifts to the fullest including those of providing optimum medical attention to any who need it. They would not only be extending that kind of vibrant mercy to others but the love they would have for one another would be so profound that all would live with the greatest, deepest, most magnificent joy and from that would many others be drawn to Him simply because they want that.
It is even better.
Those kind of people cannot die.
Sure their bodies may give out, yeah, got that.
But because they are held by Christ they will never die. So they have nothing to lose. They've also already gained everything. So...
No need to sign up for or have anything to do with Caesar's medical plan in whatever form it is presented.
No need to shout down abortion because anyone beholding the way they love would know the truth about nurturing the preborn.
No need to shout down same-sex marriage because anyone witnessing true love in action would be wholly convinced of its rich verity, and live accordingly.
No need to cower and spittle platitudes about "religious freedom" because freedom from sin by the blood of Christ has already been granted and no other piddly freedom means anything. God then fully empowers one to live to love no matter what happens, and that is the most bountiful adventure of all.
I see and read too much about whiners who wag their fingers at Caesar for infecting them with more socialism when that's exactly what they want. I see and read too much about pusillanimous "Christians" who pound their chests about how great they are at shouting down bad things when they just want others to see them and their flowing robes shouting loud pious prayers in the middle of town.
I so revel in seeing and reading about those who just want to love Christ by loving others right now, right there, right really...
Oh, it doesn't have to be just a glass of water for a thirsty man--it can be an eloquent treatise at a top university.
Just something that's real, and Christ.
That's all.
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