the sins of the father

WWdN reader Chris C. sent me a worthwhile follow-up to my post Seriously. What would Jesus do?

In that post, I said:

I sincerely hope that the Christian Coalition, Focus on the Family, The Family Research Council, and the rest of those organizations don't speak for the majority of Christians . . . and I sincerely hope that a lot of Christians will read that article and repudiate what their so-called leaders are suggesting.

Is stopping two people who love each other from getting married really more important than feeding and clothing a family who need help, especially during Winter? What would Jesus do?

There's an op-ed at CNN today, written by Jay Bakker (son of Televangelist shysters Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker) and Marc Brown (not the famous MC Brown of Buzznet, but a member of Bakker's Revolution church) where they address the same thing:

How was Christianity co-opted by a political party? Why are Christians supporting laws that force others to live by their standards? . . . when did the focus of Christianity shift from the unconditional love and acceptance preached by Christ to the hate and condemnation spewed forth by certain groups today? . . . Regardless of the origin, one thing is crystal clear: It's not what Jesus stood for.

His parables and lessons were focused on love and forgiveness, a message of "come as you are, not as you should be." The bulk of his time was spent preaching about helping the poor and those who are unable to help themselves. At the very least, Christians should be counted on to lend a helping hand to the poor and others in need.

[. . .]

Christians are called to love others just as they are, without an agenda. Only then will Christianity see a return to its roots: Loving God with all of your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself.

It's interesting to me that Jay Bakker, who was raised by televangelists who never met a scam they didn't like, has now founded his own ministry which teaches "unconditional love" for everyone. There's something about the sins of the father here, but I'm having a hard time pulling the words together, so this meta-commentary will have to suffice. You get what I mean though, right?

I'm not religious, and I don't need religion in my daily life, but I completely respect that there are people who derive great peace and meaning from various religious teachings. As a corollary, I also have nothing but contempt for the so-called spiritual leaders who prey upon those people for their own personal financial or political gain. (In this respect, Benny Hinn and James Dobson are on the same rocket to the center of the Sun, when I'm king of the world.)

CNN is running this commentary and associated story because Bakker will be featured in a reality series. As a rule, I hate reality television, but in this case, maybe Jay Bakker can be some sort of anti-Dobson, and show a large audience that religion in general and Christianity specifically doesn't have to be about excluding or controlling people.

Comments

[Nika]

You made more sense than you realize. Christianity should be about love and the good qualities in people. Try living in Utah for a while. The religion of the majority controls the amount of alcohol we can have in our cocktails (one ounce of the "main" liquor and up to one full ounce of a "flavoring" liquor) to when we can buy a car (no auto sales on Sunday). It was also deemed necessary to amend the state constitution to define marriage between a man and a woman. What happened to unconditional love? What happened to turn the other cheek?

No wonder more and more young people are falling away from religion, they are taught to be hippocrates from childhood.

Thank you for some insight to this growing trend.

[zevhonith]

As a non-Christian who thinks Christ had some pretty great ideas, I absolutely agree with your points. Additionally, I *strongly* urge you to watch "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" if you have any interest at all in documentaries - not only is it just *really* well made, but I think it'll also give you some insight into the Bakkers, and Tammy in particular. Having seen it, I'm not even remotely surprised that her son started a church based on brotherly love - it's what she's been aiming for all along.

[JohnD]

Hi Wil:

Check out The United Church of Canada's new website, http://www.wondercafe.ca

The EZ Answer Squirrel was featured on CNN last week!

[MCeeP]

Ironically, I just read an article about him. He is pro-gay marriage, and has had issues with his dad about it. Jim had said "the church won't accept you for this" and he said "well, they never did accepte me". Paraphrased cause my memory is teh suck. But you get the idea. He seems like a pretty good guy to me actually.

[namedpipe]

I think you're being overly harsh on Tammy Faye. She has become very much about unconditional love. She had a show with Jim J. Bullock and he they are still friends.

http://www.planetout.com/entertainment/news/?sernum=1050

[CHV]

I read the Jay Bakker piece in question, Wil.

I thought it was a good step in reclassifying Christianity as an actual religion (slash) philosophy based on Christ's actual teachings versus a holy political action committee (via the likes of Jerry Falwell and James Dobson) complete with its own evangelical corporate structure.

[wendyloohoo]

As a current practicing Catholic (and I do mean practicing in the sense that I participate not only in Mass but other church functions. But also in the sense that I am human and not perfect, therefore I need to practice).

One thing that constantly annoys me is that there are people like Jerry Falwell, but yet I don't feel right judging him either. While I am no where near perfect I do my best to follow the 'judge lest ye be judged' principal. I do wonder about people that say they have contempt or judge others that position themselves poorly in relation to relion, as Jerry Falwell does in my opinion.

Does judging him or others like him really make any sense in the religious aspect? I don't endorse his philosophy, but I can't judge him for it, he will be judged at a later date. It is a very hard thing to embrace and I struggle with it all the time. But I am just saying that it is something to think about.

I do try to find solace in the fact that while religion is global, in practice it is very personal and very local. You do what you can in your area and pray for those that you cannot help. In the end you can only control your actions, and that is what you are accountable for.

[Morph]

I think the comments on that article are just as interesting, if not more so, than the column itself. The complete missing of the point by some of those folks is astounding.

[jslicer]

Morph, is it really that astounding? It's that attitude that has given rise to the evangelical corporate right that these guys are seeking to sink back into obscurity. While I can agree with unconditional love for everyone in the human race, human instinct is a bitch to overcome and if someone feeds that troll, they'll continue to live on and it will take hard work to overcome. Good work, of course, but still hard work.

[jt99jt]

I don't comment here as often as I used to.. Haven't been to teh soapbox in forever.. However, after reading this post I had to make a comment..

I actually went to a very conservative christian school and studied youth ministry.. Years after college I ended up leaving the church. I believe i have a pretty unique perspective on the church and religion in general. I am like most christians a republican, however the older I get the more I see some of my beliefs shift occasionally...

Most Christians believe that they have discovered the path to eternal life. That is mainly what x-tianity is about. Of course there is loving our creater and a god who died for us in there as well, however the main benefit of living a x-tian life is the attainment of eternal life. People who typically find this end up feeling very good about themselves as they have something that not everyone has.. eternal life. Well whenever someone possess something of value, they tend to look down upon others who don't possess what they have. I think this is the reason why so many force their beliefs' on others or at the very least scoff at those who don't live the way they do.

The funny thing is that the bible preaches against this very same concept.. In several places men are told not to judge each other (with exception to wanting to genuinely help someone) and to let God be the ultimate judge. I think a large amount of x-tians understand this concept. The sad thing is that the ones who don't understand it are the outspoken, demanding minority. It gives the rest of x-tianity a bad name. It's sad..

JT

[zorak163]

It sounds like we have similar views about religion and it's place in the world around us. I am an atheist but some of my closest friends are very much believers. They are also good, non judgmental people who do not hold things like my sexual orientation against me.

Unfortunately there are a lot of other people who call themselves Christians who can't get past labels and seek to condemn me. One of my friends often tells me that "if Jesus were alive today he would be hanging out with the outcasts and people like you." That statement would probably make the judgmental Christians cringe.

[Mad Monk]

I'm a United Church minister in Canada - and I'm 33 years old, like Jesus' age when he was snuffed out. *ducks*

A great book that talks about these things is Sam Harris, "The End of Faith." Fan-frickin-tastic read (he's an atheist by the way) and I think it should be mandatory reading. He's also done a new book, "Letter to a Christian Nation"

Check him out folks, he's onto something.

www.samharris.org

[Mad Monk]

I should also tell you that I'm a minister in a very liberal church (we do same gender marriages-equal marriage) and most of the clergy are Guinness drinkers as far as I can tell.

*sip*

[ste3ve]

I'd like to second (or third) the recommendation for "The Eyes of Tammy Faye". Though the Bakkers bilked a lot of people out of a lot of money, Tammy Faye was one of the first celebrities to visit AIDS wards, and she hugged and kissed the patients when others wouldn't even go into the rooms without masks and gloves.
She may not have been the sharpest crayon in the box but she exhibited more "christian" values than Falwell, John Paul II, and Billy Graham combined.

[AngelGypsy]

I just wanted to point out that Tammy Faye and Jim should not be lumped into the same category. Jim Bakker may very well be the things you said, but what I've seen of Tammy Faye over the last few years shows that she is very much about love and forgiveness and taking care of each other, and is very pro-gay. I'm sure that her son is just following HER example and ignoring his father's.

[johninoz]

Although I an atheist, some of my christian friends call me very spiritual which is kinda interesting...

Perhaps rather than being hung up on trying to agree on "what it's all about" maybe we could agree that we all have the ability to contribute to a more compassionate and caring community ?

[coeli]

I am a Christian, and I find myself in opposition to nearly everything said by Dobson, Falwell, and that ilk. (And incidentally, I am a Democrat, and much amused by an earlier poster's contention that "most Christians" are Republicans. Not true of the circles I move in!)

I am tired of being "represented" in the public eye by people whose words and actions are utterly at odds with Christ's teachings as I understand them. It's actually easier in, say, geek circles for me to come out as bisexual than to talk about my faith. When the subject does come up, I try to explain my beliefs, but the preconceptions are so negative I often feel on the defensive.

The Christian groups that best reflect my views seem nearly invisible to the general public. Yet they do great work with a wide range of social justice issues around the world. I think the difference between these groups and the better-known conservative groups is one of priorities. They don't tend to emphasize evangelism as much as feeding, clothing, and fighting for the rights of those who need it. For one example, check out the Methodist Federation for Social Action (http://www.mfsaweb.org/).

[HPunster]

I think Harlan Ellison once wrote something like "If Jesus met a Jesus Freak, wouldn't Jesus freak?" or words to that effect.
I like to ask myself "What would Zeus do?" cuz the answer is usually "have as much sex as possible".

[love2all]

Pardon me, I haven't been commenting often, but it's not how often you comment, it's how you... um... yeah, something like that.

Anyway, I used to be a Christian – I grew up Cathoic and stayed that way for 18 years. But after a lot of thought and research, I now consider myself agnostic. A few years ago, I even used to be gung-ho for the “good” Christians and ignore the ones that made all the rest look bad. And now... you know, I’m not even SURE anymore. Is Christianity really that great? Does it really help? I think people just feel a need to... FOLLOW something, honestly.

If one were to follow the teachings of Jesus (and I don’t think he’s God, just one of the great mystics), you know, I don’t think that’s such a bad thing. Lots of good lessons can be learned from some of his teachings. But the rest of the bible.. well, look at it from my point of view - from my extensive studies on Christianity, it’s not only a religion that is borrowed from older pagan religions (including the immaculate conception and the resurrection ), it has been embellished, misinterpreted, censored, mistunderstood, added to, and written predominantly by men. MANY different men. Men who are fallible and inaccurate. It is also a book filled with (condoned) murder, bloodshed, incest, rape, polygamy, and hate.

I really don’t want the wrath of Christians by saying all this but jeez, you know, to me there is something much more reasonable than a 2,000 year old book that claims the world began 6,000 when science FAR proves otherwise. And that, my friends, is common sense and doing things in the name of love, not hate.

I’m not saying there isn’t a god. I think there is some kind of higher power beyond this flesh, blood and bone that we all have in us. I’ve had too many strange occurrences happen to me: ghost sightings, voices, out of body experiences, etcetera to think that we are flesh and that is it. But I’m extremely open-minded. If there is a god/gods, I don’t think we have to believe in him/her/it. We need to just be the best person we can be and think independently. Far too many wars, jihads, holocausts, murders, etc have been waged in the name of religion.

People need to stop with this “pack mentality” and start thinking with their OWN brain, not the zombified brains of others who were told by others who were told by others... It really gets to be a game of telephone after a while.

[love2all]

I meant, 6,000 YEARS ago. Damn this beer I'm drinking.

[Mad Monk]

*raises Guinness glass with Love2All*

*agrees with JohnD about EZAnswer Squirrel* <-- that's the church I belong to, where EZ is!

Too funny...world is a small place.

[Izlosst]

"are on the same rocket to the center of the Sun, when I'm king of the world"
Excellent!Hilarious!
I love your writing sir.
I'm an atheist and I am always astounded by the hatred espoused by various "Christian" organizations. I rarely find much issue with the teachings of Christ. You can really sum almost all of it up in the line "love your neighbor as you love yourself." If people would just treat other people with love and respect, as all of the stories of Jesus teach(except when he totally lost his temper with the moneychangers, but really, who doesn't lose their temper with bankers?),well, ya know, it would be better. And stuff.

[Nate]

I know nobody (nobody) wants a big religious debate here. But I have to comment on a few things:

Christians are called to love others just as they are, without an agenda. Only then will Christianity see a return to its roots: Loving God with all of your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself.

This is a rather unfair misinterpretation of Jesus' message. Most people who talk about "what Jesus stood for" don't realize what an uncomfortable and strage figure Jesus was. (At least as presented in the Gospels.) He in no way advocated loving people without an agenda--he advocated loving all people with the agenda of bringing them into holiness. Jesus himself went around constantly demanding repentance of people, threatening them with what would happen if they didn't bear fruit, and zapping fig trees.

His message was certainly not simply "come as you are, not as you should be. Consider his exchange with the woman about to be stoned for the accusation of adultery. He disperses the crowd by saying, "Let he among you who is without sin cast the first stone." Great line, certainly. Then he turns to the woman and says, "Go, and sin no more." Somehow we always forget that last line.

It may be true that Jesus was only "a great mystic" and that he represents but one of many ways to be a better person, but his words in the recorded texts we have are far too sharp and contradictory for anyone to claim that he said that about himself.

Anyway, weren't all the reports that Evangelical Christians were split right down the middle in terms of Democratic/Republican voting this last election?

[Calphool]

I was just reading Nate's old comments here, and on the whole, I think he makes a valid point. Jesus' message is more complex than "come as you are, unconditional acceptance, etc." However, if you boil it all down into its essence, I think anyone who is treating the texts fairly can see that essentially that's the foundation upon which his teachings stand. Unconditional acceptance, followed by a call to examine the way you're living from the perspective of "dying to yourself." All great faiths have a similar call to denying the self. This is exactly where many "Christianists" (I like that word... very clever) go off track.

It's always way easier to see the problem with the other guy, so they get together and start wringing hands about what this guy or that guy or this group or that group are doing, rather than actually being the salt and the light themselves.... and that's at least partially because it's hard work... and that work has a name, it's called "discipleship." It's far too much fun to go for cheap grace... "God makes me feel good about myself, so I'm subconsciously better than you." they say to themselves. What they miss is that this is absolutely not coming from God. Usually, if reminded about this, a real Christian will realize his mistake and agree with you... everybody rants from time to time, right?