In my dotText blog, I concur wholeheartedly with Jim Wallis’ observations about how the Dems are blowing it with their religious “squeemishness”.
In my dotText blog, I concur wholeheartedly with Jim Wallis’ observations about how the Dems are blowing it with their religious “squeemishness”.
Many devout religeous people will vote Republican because there are virtually no pro-life Democrats. Democrats also seem more willing to support the promiscuous lifestyle and the homosexual agenda.
Additionally, I believe the social gospel is flawed. The verses used to support it (Matthew 25:34–40) are speaking of the body of believers and not the whole world. In general, the churches that preach the social gospel have depreciated preaching about sin and repentance. Jesus never told us to feed and clothe every creature, but to “preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
Chris,
I couldn’t disagree more. It seems you’re trying to “worm your way out” of the responsibilities we have to “feed and clothe”. What about “the least of these” passage? Is Jesus not CLEARLY saying that this is somewhat important?
I also happen to be “pro-life” on the issue of abortion, but I am also “Pro-life” on the issue of war. I don’t think it is consistent to be either-or, but some prefer to do it that way.
To me, to say “Preach the gospel” cannot be done in isolation or without an accompanying care for basic quality of life. To separate “gospel” from actually doing something about the plight of the people to whom this is supposed to be “good news” is not only ineffective, but misses the point of why Jesus said we must minister to the whole person (by talking about “preaching” AND responding in a Jesus-like manner so that those to whom we preach can also say “I was hungry, and you fed me”. Jesus goes on to say that if we don’t do this for the least of these, then we aren’t even willing to lift a finger to help Jesus himself.
I cannot separate the two, and Jesus took great pains to emphasize that the two CANNOT be separated. This is the main flaw of the “Republican, conservative Christian, “gnostic” heresy of being for proclamation without the accompanying Social ministry.
Dale
I can’t go along with that. The one about Jesus ‘ use of the word “brothers” as “believers” is a first for me. I can’t agree. Also, Maslow simply recognized how certain “basic” needs are going to reign at the top of the list as long as any at the bottom of the list are not met. This is somewhat of a “lesson for evangelism”, since we can’t expect someone who is starving to hear the gospel if we won’t feed them.
No, to me this seems like a “restricted” reading , and one I can’t agree with, nor does it seem to fit the person of Jesus as I know him.
Dale