Episode 11--They think we are hypocrites!

Hello, Civilla Morgan here! Welcome to episode 11 of the Not Just Another Religion and Politics Podcast! Thank you for tuning in! So here’s the deal: 

I want this podcast to speak to people, not yell at people. Whether you are a Believer or not, a Christian or not, I want this podcast to be so plain in its language, that even if you have never stepped into a church, you will get this. You will get who Jesus is, and you will get what relationship with Him could be like, despite what people--Christians and non-Christians, try to do to get you to turn your back. Come along with me. I promise it will be a really cool experience!  

Let me start by saying that I always say this podcast was created for everyone-the  Believer and non-Believer alike. But in this episode, I want to speak to those who profess to the world that they are Believers.

 Christians: the world sees us as all the same, as hypocrites or as the light and salt of the world. They don’t know anything about, they don’t see any difference between, and they don’t care about The Religious Right, the Methodists, or the Baptists. They don’t care about the COGIC--Church of God in Christ, or the Nazarene or Holiness churches; just to name a very few. 

A handful may realize that there is an obvious difference between the ‘religious right’ and other Christians, but for the most part, they just care about what they are seeing in the news. You know, the news where they see children, some as young as infant age, being snatched from their parents at the Mexico/US border, while some in the religious community post on social media that ‘well they need to come here legally.’ 

Of course in a perfect world, people should arrive properly at the front door. But wouldn’t you be happy if a country had a plan B for you if you were running away from war, gangs, rape, and torture? 

Recently, my pastor had a discussion with pastors of color, I listened as he described how computers have a default system, and that humans do as well! His analogy really hit me, and I’ve been seeing and hearing examples of default setting responses ever since. I did not realize that ‘well they should have come here legally’, or ‘well they should not have resisted while being arrested’, was a default setting, but it makes absolute sense! 

What is your default response when you are not experiencing life the way someone else is?     

As a Believer, is your default response that of a Believer? Does everyone you hang out with look like you? Do you just tolerate the people who do not look like you at your church? Do you even have people who do not look like you at your church?

Furthermore, are you growing in your relationship with Jesus, or do you go to church, and then when you get home you talk about ‘they’ and ‘them’ around your family and friends?    

Everything I am about to discuss in this episode is backed up by scripture, and all of those scriptures are documented here in the show notes.

You will see in the list of scriptures that are asked as Believers to pray for our government. Nowhere in these scriptures does it say that we are supposed to be gung ho for a political party above our relationship with Jesus and above our relationship with our brothers and sisters of every race and color.   

As a Believer, a Christian, did you pray for all prior presidents or just the ones in your political party? I’m sure you know this: it is much easier to pray for someone you like, and with whom you agree, at least in most of his policies. One day I will be able to say ‘his or her policies’. But for now, it is ‘his’.  

I will go further and say it has been very difficult for me to pray for our current president. Why? Well, I have this fear in the pit of my stomach that he wants to see a race war in this country. I know that 

2 Timothy 1:7 says ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’  

And I know as Believers we have to trust that God knows what is going on. He is in control. He sees. 

But then I think about how America barely survived the Civil War. 

That war pit brother against brother, and friend against friend. 

I’ve put a link to a very detailed website on all things Civil War in the show notes. Please check it out! It is an awesome site, and I literally bumped into it. I found out some things I did not know. It is so important especially in these times, to know history, the real history. 

I want to stay on topic, but listen to this:

 ‘ Stand Watie, a member of the Cherokee Nation, was the highest-ranking Native American on either side of the conflict after earning the rank of general.’--on the Confederate side. 

Whoa!

But to get back on task here: 620,000 people died in that war. I pray to God that America never sees anything like that again. 

 

But as I look at the images crossing the television screen, people being murdered on video, people of all colors and creeds marching for justice and change, and people standing outside their homes with shotguns because they feel ‘threatened’ by said marchers/protesters. We have never been down this path before! 

Look, regardless of which party you belong to or agree with, you should be praying and asking God not to let this country fall apart! We should all be able to agree with that at a minimum! And reminder: Jesus did not belong to a political party. In fact, remember, he had a real problem with the way the Pharisees did life.  They were always coming for Jesus. You know people like that, you have probably experienced someone like that, for no apparent reason, they were always trying you, talking about you, setting you up for failure. That’s how the Pharisees treated Jesus. 

Is that how you would like to be known, as a Christian? Like a Pharisee?  

There are people who believe I am embellishing and exaggerating about my fears. Why? Because they are not living my life. You see, life is very different depending on one’s race and color. And when we do not understand each other well enough, when we prefer to go to our defaults, then we end up just going back to our corners like boxers in a boxing ring. 

As Believers that is not at all what Jesus had in mind.  He was thinking more like 

‘And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.‘--Hebrews 10:24-25. 

As Christians it is not about ‘them’ and ‘they’, it is about us, no matter what we look like. 

Now here is where I may lose some of you, Believers or not:

‘Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.’--Romans 13:1. 

‘Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.’

--1 Peter 2:17. 

‘First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.’--1 Timothy 2:1-2.

 

‘Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.’--Titus 3:1-2. 

 

Soooo, as Believers, we are supposed to respect and pray for every president in the white house! Yes!  

 

Even after reading those scriptures though, you may still ask: how have Evangelicals, aka the far right, fallen for someone so completely unlike Jesus? One word: Agenda. I believe those who call themselves Believers and still defend the indefensible do so because they think God needs their help to get someone on the Supreme Court or to get certain laws enacted. I have news for you: God does not need anyone’s help. 

A few years back I watched the granddaughter of the Rev. Dr. Billy Graham being interviewed on CNN. She said something that really struck a chord with me, and I remember yelling at the television ‘Yes! That’s it, I agree! 

She said: 

‘My president does not have to be a Christian, I just don’t want him held up as the poster boy for Christian evangelicals because he does not represent most of us.’--Jerushah Armfield, Granddaughter of Reverend Dr. Billy Graham.  

Now obviously I am not a white evangelical, but I am a Christian and I believe we are supposed to believe in the same God, the same Jesus, and the same basic tenets of Christianity: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’  Do you remember being taught that in Sunday School?

 

The world is watching how we behave toward the world and toward each other. They think we are hypocrites.

How is it OK to cage children and separate them from their parents? 

Is that like Jesus?

Christianity is not about politics, it is about character. It is about compassion for our fellow human beings, morals, a soft heart, and a soft answer. 

Jesus visited with everyone, he loved everyone, he cared for the heart of everyone. He was not a pretender. If He were it would have shown in his speech, in his actions, in his instruction. The heart can’t help but show through the best facade.  

Did Jesus ever take a tone with people who did not agree with Him? Every time I see a cabinet member talking to the press they tighten up like they are getting ready to fight. Every president, their cabinet, their press secretaries, have had to field tough questions from the press.  Why is this administration so different?

Recently I watched as the president attended a rally at a church in Arizona. I was so ashamed to see the response from the crowd of young people when our president used racial terminology to describe the virus that has caused us to be in the midst of a pandemic. I mean really? Church folk? Is this how we are supposed to behave? Is this Jesus like behavior?

Look, as difficult as it is, I will continue to pray for the leaders of our country. I am going to ask you to do the same. Maybe if more of us were praying instead of fighting and disagreeing with each other  things might be different. 

'We are in flux, and the people that can help are the believers.'

Scriptures:

 

• 2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV 

 

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Episode Takeaways:

 

https://notjustanotherreligionandpoliticspod.podbean.com/mf/play/g4ttbe/Not_Another_Ep5_Final.mp3

 

https://childlessnotbychoice.net/bonus-episode-privilege-its-like-a-blanket/

 

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/civil-war-facts#:~:text=Approximately%20620%2C000%20soldiers%20died%20from,war%20performed%20by%20William%20F.

Closing commentary:

Don’t forget, I would love to hear from you on the question: 

‘Who is God?’ 

Episode outro:

Well, thank you for tuning in. Let me know via social media or by email if you have feedback. I would love to hear from you! You may email me at [email protected]. Please give me 24 to 48 hours to respond. And don’t forget to check the show notes for the sources used for this episode. 

 

Episode quote:

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."--Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Until next time!