sometimes the church is embarrassing

I hate this! I remember when I first recognized my need for salvation and committed myself to Jesus' Lordship. It was in the late 70's - the Charismatic Movement was like wildfire. Personally, while I didn't agree with the theology of the Charismatics nor the Evangelicals on the other side, I hated how the Charismatics I knew would make fun of the "frozen chosen". It seemed everywhere I turned there were accusations of Evangelicals being pharisees, blind guides, not "Full Gospel", etc.. While some of the critique of specific theological points seemed right, I just never felt right about the pride I perceived in the Charismatic camp and the mocking nature toward Evangelicals.

These days the shoe is on the other foot - or at least it seems that way to me. Perhaps it's because I'm not hanging around too many Charismatics or perhaps it's simply the combination of who I am reading these days. I don't know ... but what I do know is that the arrogance and deception around it on the Evangelical side is escalating.

TeamPyro now boasts another round of cartoons. Phil Johnson appears center stage with Frank Turk kind of gimping around on the side poking and stirring where he can. Dan Phillips for some reason is silent (I want to applaud Dan for that but I'm not really sure of his position). Many in the crowd cheer them on and jeer the EC gang. A few speak out against this perversity but they are slapped down - interestingly they are accused of not being able to take a joke or not being able to take the truth - the ranting crowd doesn't even know which it is.

Henry (Rick) Frueh tries the soft touch with this analogy to show the sadness of what is happening.

A hungry blind man is led to a table with food by a sighted man. As he begins to eat the food he turns and mocks other blind men who haven't found the table with food as if he had anything to do with finding the food he now enjoys.

I've tried a less soft tact by decreeing this as actions of those deceived by Satan and working to destroy the Church. Neither approach had the desired effect, in fact the circus seems to be all the more encouraged.

I added this to Frueh's analogy.

I like the analogy but it breaks down a bit.

It seems that this blind man at the table mocking the others is so blind that he cannot see that the others are also at the table. And while he certainly has a good meal placed before him, while he is mocking the others he is actually chewing on the scraps while the others are eating well.

This blind man is completely unaware of the riches that surround him. Very sad.

More so, I'm wondering how pleased at this point is the master who provided the meal?

Frueh was critiqued by Frank Turk of course who said that the other beggars were "re-inventing the table". That is not true of all that the cartoon is mocking but Frueh is gracious.

I agree with your observation, it is your methodology I have a problem with. The beggars who are re-inventing the table are DECEIVED. Why is ther never a call for prayer for them? Why is such a serious subject dealt with a creative mocking which is referred to as "foolish jesting".

And the reformed group knows this all too well, you didn't seek the truth, you didn't find the truth, you didn't make a logical assessment, you didn't have any insight to the truth, and the truth you now embrace was BROUGHT to you be God's Spirit all by His sovereign grace.

So, which personal platform gives any of us the right to humorously mock others who God hasn't enlightened as of yet? Teach and preach the Word, yes. Pray and fast for them, yes? Shed some tears of compassion, yes. Speak the corrective truth in love, yes. Thank God for enlightening us, yes.

But to enjoy some dry eyed mocking humor at the expense of the deceived so everyone can get a good laugh at them and simultaneously add some "I'm glad I'm not like other men" attitude is counter productive at best.

Some of the posts here are substantive dissecting of God's Word, some are Biblical confronting of the emergent/seeker/purpose streams, but I just do not get these self serving caricatures. And then a commenter calls for a poster series dedicated to me. Ask my wife, she can provide you with the material you need.

I hope we can pray for our brothers who have been capture in the evil One's web of deception, making fun of them is useless and self serving. Sorry.

My friend Iggy is trying a different tact with a similar situation. I'm going to join him in that endeavor. I intend to hold fast to the point that these accusations are sin but I really want to take a sober, Christ-like approach. Since I believe these to be brothers, then I think Iggy's idea is wonderful. And it is one that a person could embrace for another brother in any circumstance.

So, it's time to stop being embarrassed and to take some positive steps. Let's lift up Christ and His Body with Him.

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