Emerging into What?
The “emerging church” movement follows the lead of the collapsing culture of the late 20th century, discarding invariable truths and precepts of God for the self-serving subjectivity of man. Brian McLaren is one of the movement's preeminent leaders, and we show how this “new” church movement is just another brand of false Christianity, supplanting faith with anti-Christ philosophy honoring false gods such as Allah and denying the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s neighbor sent him an article by the “emerging church” movement teacher, Brian McLaren:
Hi Paul, Any thoughts on this:
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/15/my-take-its-time-for-islamophobic-evangelicals-to-choose/?hpt=hp_c1
Paul’s reply:
Hi Jim!
Thanks for sharing the article and your question.
McLaren writes: “The greatest threat to evangelicalism is evangelicals who tolerate hate and who promote hate camouflaged as piety.”
If that isn’t a description of Islam – tolerating hate and promoting it as piety – I don’t know what is.
“No one can serve two masters. You can’t serve God and greed, nor can you serve God and fear, nor God and hate.”
McLaren is quite mistaken on the last point. There are many things God hates, and those who serve Him will hate them as well. He hates lies, for example, and there isn’t a bigger lie than the Islamic religion, which falsely claims to originate with God, but hates Him. That, I assure you, He hates, as do we.
“LORD, don’t I hate those who hate You? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies” (Psalms 139:21-22 HNV).
“The broad highway of us-them thinking and the offense-outrage-revenge reaction cycle leads to self-destruction. There is a better way, the way of Christ who, when reviled, did not revile in return, who when insulted, did not insult in return, and who taught his followers to love even those who define themselves as enemies.”
Isn’t McClaren describing Islam, which lacks the way of Christ? I’m not defending nominal evangelical Christianity, which is full of falsehood and error, but I have yet to see an evangelical Christian strap on a bomb and go blow up some Muslims or start a riot at the Egyptian or Libyan embassy. What revenge is this mad fellow talking about?
Doesn’t it occur to McLaren (and his readers) that by this statement, he is admitting Islam reviles Christ and defines itself as His enemy? So what’s wrong with pointing this out, letting people know the truth about hateful Islam? Doing so isn’t hateful, except as perceived by the politically-religiously correct who are indignant because they’re afraid of Muslims and afraid of condemnation of Islam, because it condemns their presumptuous religion, as well. Too bad for them that they hate the truth and won’t be corrected.
McLaren finds fault with Walid Shoebat as an expert on Islam. I’m not very familiar with Shoebat, but is McLaren an expert? Does he know what he’s talking about? Certainly not. He should listen and learn from people who do know something firsthand, like Wafa Sultan, a Syrian woman and psychiatrist who isn’t a convert to Christianity, but who tells the stark truth about Islam, a tyrannical ideology parading as the “true religion.” Or Ayaan Hirsi Ali, an African woman and former Dutch parliamentarian who has experienced and describes the barbarity and treachery of Islam.
McLaren’s ears are closed because he thinks himself so wise. Therefore he serves as a “useful idiot” for the cause of Islam. He takes offense at the movie clip lampooning Muhammad and Islam (which, despite its atrocious quality and obvious buffoonery, makes many true points), but why isn’t he rather offended by Muhammad’s criminal exploits, misbehavior, and copious lies that provide material for lampooning?
Why isn’t McLaren outraged by the blasphemy of Muhammad and his infernal religion, Islam, with its so-called “holy book,” the Koran, and its call to subjugate everyone under “Allah”? Why doesn’t McLaren stand up and identify the Muslim scourge?
Why doesn’t McLaren repudiate the central tenet of Islam, which denies Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and is Lord of all? Why does he instead give tacit approval to the lie that Christ is inferior to the corrupt and unrepentant sinner, the “Prophet” Muhammad? Muhammad essentially says, “The Lord must bow down before me,” and McLaren doesn’t so much as object, as he bows down to Muhammad.
McLaren honors Muhammad, the anti-Christ, because he’s another anti-Christ, putting himself above God. McLaren is a self-righteous, do-gooding fool who doesn’t believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, despite claiming to minister in His Name. That makes McLaren a wolf in sheep’s clothing, not even having the sense to know he’s a wolf while promoting other wolves that have no problem baring their teeth in public and ripping everyone to shreds.
What do you think, Jim?
Paul
Jim’s response:
Hi Paul, Thanks for the response. An opponent’s deadliest weapon is his opponent’s fear. When I read these articles it’s obvious to me that fear motivates religion. Jesus taught how to lead a fearless life and escape these fear-based religions. To me, it’s pretty simple…it’s just not easy. See you in October, Jim
Paul’s reply:
“And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to Him, ‘Then who can be saved?’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God’” (Mark 10:26-27 ESV).
I hear you, Jim. It’s not only “not easy” to lead a fearless life like Jesus, it’s impossible. Who can forsake everything and boldly speak the truth to everyone, knowing it’s leading you to be abandoned by all and crucified? After that, you’ll raise yourself from the dead.
That’s what we’re up against trying to be like Jesus. Thank God He’s made the way for us, because He IS the Way. It wasn’t simply poetic words Jesus spoke when He said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6 MKJV).
Everyone is afraid of death (maybe not the physical death, but certainly the death I described above). Jesus Christ overcame death for our sakes.
“Since then the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same; that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death (that is, the devil), and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15 MKJV).
Looking forward to seeing you when you get back, Jim. Stop by any time.