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lees1975
lees1975's Journal
lees1975's Journal
January 12, 2024
Preview of a series of articles to come in Baptist News Global from Greg Garrett, senior columnist and professor at Baylor University in Waco, Texas
PRRI polling indicates conservative American Christians — the evangelicals who support Donald Trump, who rail against the rights of women, people of color and LGTBQ persons, and who believe it may be necessary to take up arms to preserve “their” America, an America controlled by white straight Protestant males — have a distorted and dangerous view of reality. They see Christianity and conservative American values as under siege. They imagine white conservatives like themselves are the ones in need of protection, even as the truly dispossessed among us suffer indignities and inequities that I will never know while walking around in my straight white Christian skin.
As Howard Thurman notes in Jesus and the Disinherited, when a people prioritizes security and status instead of surrender and sacrifice, their religion will operate against the marginalized instead of on their behalf, will become part of “a ruthless use of power applied to weak and defenseless people.” One of Tim Alberta’s subjects said this current form of American Christianity dishonors Jesus and prompted him to call for a truer, more faithful American Christianity.
One of my tasks as a theologian is to try to find where and how God is operating in a given moment, to look for the open door, theologically speaking. This I have discerned: God’s liberating presence cannot be located inside white Christian nationalism, within any political movement that demeans, hates and terrorizes its opponents, or alongside any version of the Church that marginalizes or abuses any of God’s children.
The direction of much of conservative, Evangelical Christianity in America is proving to be a cult with a false gospel.
https://baptistnews.com/article/politics-faith-and-mission-a-bng-interview-series-on-the-2024-election-and-the-church/Preview of a series of articles to come in Baptist News Global from Greg Garrett, senior columnist and professor at Baylor University in Waco, Texas
PRRI polling indicates conservative American Christians — the evangelicals who support Donald Trump, who rail against the rights of women, people of color and LGTBQ persons, and who believe it may be necessary to take up arms to preserve “their” America, an America controlled by white straight Protestant males — have a distorted and dangerous view of reality. They see Christianity and conservative American values as under siege. They imagine white conservatives like themselves are the ones in need of protection, even as the truly dispossessed among us suffer indignities and inequities that I will never know while walking around in my straight white Christian skin.
As Howard Thurman notes in Jesus and the Disinherited, when a people prioritizes security and status instead of surrender and sacrifice, their religion will operate against the marginalized instead of on their behalf, will become part of “a ruthless use of power applied to weak and defenseless people.” One of Tim Alberta’s subjects said this current form of American Christianity dishonors Jesus and prompted him to call for a truer, more faithful American Christianity.
One of my tasks as a theologian is to try to find where and how God is operating in a given moment, to look for the open door, theologically speaking. This I have discerned: God’s liberating presence cannot be located inside white Christian nationalism, within any political movement that demeans, hates and terrorizes its opponents, or alongside any version of the Church that marginalizes or abuses any of God’s children.
January 12, 2024
Paul Pressler, the former Texas Appeals Court and circuit court judge who was one of the two "architects" of the "conservative resurgence" settled a lawsuit brought by another man who had accused him of sexually abusing him beginning at age 14, when Pressler was serving as his church's youth pastor in Houston.
And as news about the settlement, which also included the Southern Baptist Convention's executive committee as a defendant, along with Pressler's law partner, Jared Woodfill, currently a GOP candidate for a Texas legislative seat, was put out, all kinds of remarkable facts began also coming out. Such as the fact that church and denominational leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention knew Pressler had a reputation for inappropriate sexual contact with men, specifically younger men, and that three of the churches where he was a member, including two affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, were aware of it, and kept silent about it because they wanted to protect his reputation. Pressler had a lot of power, influence and notoriety in the SBC, for leading a conservative attack on "liberal theology," and they were more interested in preserving their theological stance than they were concerned about the young men Pressler had abused and continued to abuse. So they did what hypocritical conservatives always do in cases like this. They swept it under the rug to protect their own interests.
At least seven other men came forward, saying they were touched inappropriately or abused by Pressler, many of them when they were teenagers or college students during his time as a Sunday School teacher at Houston's First Baptist Church, or that they were sent to his home to work for him by the law firm belonging to Woodfill.
Documents surfaced, including a letter from church leaders at First Baptist to Pressler noting that they were aware he had inappropriate contact with a young man in the congregation, warning him that if word of that got out, it would have the potential to jeapordize the "conservative resurgence" he was leading, and give the libs an upper hand. Privately, they removed his volunteer positions in the church, but told no one about it. So, the very person responsible for bringing the Southern Baptist Convention into the GOP far right wing extremist fold turns out to be a pervert, and his law partner, now running for a political office, an accomplice. Watch how many stupid people still vote for him, or continue to give their favor to Pressler. After all, morality in Christianity doesn't matter, winning fights does.
The man responsible for linking Southern Baptists to the GOP settles a sex abuse lawsuit for millions
https://www.baptiststandard.com/news/texas/firm-said-it-had-smoking-gun-documents-in-pressler-suit/Paul Pressler, the former Texas Appeals Court and circuit court judge who was one of the two "architects" of the "conservative resurgence" settled a lawsuit brought by another man who had accused him of sexually abusing him beginning at age 14, when Pressler was serving as his church's youth pastor in Houston.
And as news about the settlement, which also included the Southern Baptist Convention's executive committee as a defendant, along with Pressler's law partner, Jared Woodfill, currently a GOP candidate for a Texas legislative seat, was put out, all kinds of remarkable facts began also coming out. Such as the fact that church and denominational leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention knew Pressler had a reputation for inappropriate sexual contact with men, specifically younger men, and that three of the churches where he was a member, including two affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, were aware of it, and kept silent about it because they wanted to protect his reputation. Pressler had a lot of power, influence and notoriety in the SBC, for leading a conservative attack on "liberal theology," and they were more interested in preserving their theological stance than they were concerned about the young men Pressler had abused and continued to abuse. So they did what hypocritical conservatives always do in cases like this. They swept it under the rug to protect their own interests.
At least seven other men came forward, saying they were touched inappropriately or abused by Pressler, many of them when they were teenagers or college students during his time as a Sunday School teacher at Houston's First Baptist Church, or that they were sent to his home to work for him by the law firm belonging to Woodfill.
Documents surfaced, including a letter from church leaders at First Baptist to Pressler noting that they were aware he had inappropriate contact with a young man in the congregation, warning him that if word of that got out, it would have the potential to jeapordize the "conservative resurgence" he was leading, and give the libs an upper hand. Privately, they removed his volunteer positions in the church, but told no one about it. So, the very person responsible for bringing the Southern Baptist Convention into the GOP far right wing extremist fold turns out to be a pervert, and his law partner, now running for a political office, an accomplice. Watch how many stupid people still vote for him, or continue to give their favor to Pressler. After all, morality in Christianity doesn't matter, winning fights does.
January 11, 2024
It's become pretty clear that the expectation of the former failed President of the United States, when appointing judges to the federal bench, was expecting that they would eventually do him favors, if and when the time came that he needed their help. It remains to be seen how many of those he appointed plan to return the favor, or how many of them will uphold the law and rule according to that perspective.
We're about to find out just how corrupt our justice system became as a result of his influence and his appointments.
***
Trump has openly stated on more than one occasion that he is banking on his judicial appointments to get him out of the legal trouble that he now faces. He lacks any awareness of integrity and expects that those whom he helped will now help him. He's made it clear, as he files for appeals out of desperation to derail trials that inevitably will lead to convictions and prison time, that he expects the help of those he helped get their current jobs, at the expense of the law. He's getting some help so far, if not in outright ignoring the law, at least in conforming to the calendar he wants.
We're about to find out how corrupt the Trump justice system appointees are.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/01/were-about-to-be-able-to-measure.htmlIt's become pretty clear that the expectation of the former failed President of the United States, when appointing judges to the federal bench, was expecting that they would eventually do him favors, if and when the time came that he needed their help. It remains to be seen how many of those he appointed plan to return the favor, or how many of them will uphold the law and rule according to that perspective.
We're about to find out just how corrupt our justice system became as a result of his influence and his appointments.
***
Trump has openly stated on more than one occasion that he is banking on his judicial appointments to get him out of the legal trouble that he now faces. He lacks any awareness of integrity and expects that those whom he helped will now help him. He's made it clear, as he files for appeals out of desperation to derail trials that inevitably will lead to convictions and prison time, that he expects the help of those he helped get their current jobs, at the expense of the law. He's getting some help so far, if not in outright ignoring the law, at least in conforming to the calendar he wants.
January 10, 2024
It's become pretty clear that the expectation of the former failed President of the United States, when appointing judges to the federal bench, was expecting that they would eventually do him favors, if and when the time came that he needed their help. It remains to be seen how many of those he appointed plan to return the favor, or how many of them will uphold the law and rule according to that perspective.
We're about to find out just how corrupt our justice system became as a result of his influence and his appointments.
Few things in politics fit the definition of corruption better than an attitude of "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine." Expecting special treatment that places one above the law by a politician who appoints a judge is corruption by its dictionary definition. It's unfortunate that lawyers in this country do not have a good reputation, and, in fact, in opinion polls and surveys, lawyers come out just a little better than conservative clergy do when it comes to ranking their integrity as a profession. And from that profession, with a reputation for lacking in integrity, come the judges who sit on the bench and whose rulings affect our lives for decades after their decisions are made.
Trump has openly stated on more than one occasion that he is banking on his judicial appointments to get him out of the legal trouble that he now faces. He lacks any awareness of integrity and expects that those whom he helped will now help him. He's made it clear, as he files for appeals out of desperation to derail trials that inevitably will lead to convictions and prison time, that he expects the help of those he helped get their current jobs, at the expense of the law. He's getting so
We're about to be able to measure the level of corruption in the federal judiciary.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/01/were-about-to-be-able-to-measure.htmlIt's become pretty clear that the expectation of the former failed President of the United States, when appointing judges to the federal bench, was expecting that they would eventually do him favors, if and when the time came that he needed their help. It remains to be seen how many of those he appointed plan to return the favor, or how many of them will uphold the law and rule according to that perspective.
We're about to find out just how corrupt our justice system became as a result of his influence and his appointments.
Few things in politics fit the definition of corruption better than an attitude of "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine." Expecting special treatment that places one above the law by a politician who appoints a judge is corruption by its dictionary definition. It's unfortunate that lawyers in this country do not have a good reputation, and, in fact, in opinion polls and surveys, lawyers come out just a little better than conservative clergy do when it comes to ranking their integrity as a profession. And from that profession, with a reputation for lacking in integrity, come the judges who sit on the bench and whose rulings affect our lives for decades after their decisions are made.
Trump has openly stated on more than one occasion that he is banking on his judicial appointments to get him out of the legal trouble that he now faces. He lacks any awareness of integrity and expects that those whom he helped will now help him. He's made it clear, as he files for appeals out of desperation to derail trials that inevitably will lead to convictions and prison time, that he expects the help of those he helped get their current jobs, at the expense of the law. He's getting so
January 10, 2024
Yesterday's speech by President Biden, at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, was, of course, part of his re-election campaign. But I got a whole lot more out of it than that, by watching it, more than once, and going back to make sure I got the full effect, not only of his words, but of the whole context of his appearance there.
I've been waiting for him to come out swinging when it comes to his campaign, and especially in opposition to Trump. He speaks with clarity of purpose and with a determination that is powerful and visible. Critics of his age and mental state will be disappointed. Not only did he give them absolutely nothing with which to criticize his age and vitality or his mental state, he buried their criticism and proved them wrong. I know, that won't stop the critics, but compared to Trump, who is stupefyingly boring, bumbling and fumbling, he's so much easier to listen to, to understand, focused and sticks to the topic.
Attacking the lies and the crimes head on, up front, is the right thing to do. As James Clyburn noted in his introduction, not a whole lot is being said about Biden's achievements and accomplishments, and not a lot of emphasis is being placed on the crimes and lies of Trump. Why not point these things out directly? More people will hear, and of course, the President does have a bully pulpit. So use it.
The phrase "second lost cause" will get a lot of traction and will resonate with people. That's an excellent phrase that speaks for itself and makes the point without a lot of explanation. I can't ever recall a President of the United States saying, about his opponent in an election, "He's a loser," in a context that was so glaringly evident. I sat up straight when he said it, just a natural part of his complete thought, but wow, what a comment. Not an insult or name calling, just a fact. It must have taken the crowd by surprise, because it took a few seconds for them to take it in, and then respond with loud applause and cheers. Their chants of "four more years" were also heart warming.
Observations about the President's speech at Mother Emanuel
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/01/observations-about-president-bidens.htmlYesterday's speech by President Biden, at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, was, of course, part of his re-election campaign. But I got a whole lot more out of it than that, by watching it, more than once, and going back to make sure I got the full effect, not only of his words, but of the whole context of his appearance there.
I've been waiting for him to come out swinging when it comes to his campaign, and especially in opposition to Trump. He speaks with clarity of purpose and with a determination that is powerful and visible. Critics of his age and mental state will be disappointed. Not only did he give them absolutely nothing with which to criticize his age and vitality or his mental state, he buried their criticism and proved them wrong. I know, that won't stop the critics, but compared to Trump, who is stupefyingly boring, bumbling and fumbling, he's so much easier to listen to, to understand, focused and sticks to the topic.
Attacking the lies and the crimes head on, up front, is the right thing to do. As James Clyburn noted in his introduction, not a whole lot is being said about Biden's achievements and accomplishments, and not a lot of emphasis is being placed on the crimes and lies of Trump. Why not point these things out directly? More people will hear, and of course, the President does have a bully pulpit. So use it.
The phrase "second lost cause" will get a lot of traction and will resonate with people. That's an excellent phrase that speaks for itself and makes the point without a lot of explanation. I can't ever recall a President of the United States saying, about his opponent in an election, "He's a loser," in a context that was so glaringly evident. I sat up straight when he said it, just a natural part of his complete thought, but wow, what a comment. Not an insult or name calling, just a fact. It must have taken the crowd by surprise, because it took a few seconds for them to take it in, and then respond with loud applause and cheers. Their chants of "four more years" were also heart warming.
January 10, 2024
Yesterday's speech by President Biden, at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, was, of course, part of his re-election campaign. But I got a whole lot more out of it than that, by watching it, more than once, and going back to make sure I got the full effect, not only of his words, but of the whole context of his appearance there.
I've been waiting for him to come out swinging when it comes to his campaign, and especially in opposition to Trump. He speaks with clarity of purpose and with a determination that is powerful and visible. Critics of his age and mental state will be disappointed. Not only did he give them absolutely nothing with which to criticize his age and vitality or his mental state, he buried their criticism and proved them wrong. I know, that won't stop the critics, but compared to Trump, who is stupefyingly boring, bumbling and fumbling, he's so much easier to listen to, to understand, focused and sticks to the topic.
Attacking the lies and the crimes head on, up front, is the right thing to do. As James Clyburn noted in his introduction, not a whole lot is being said about Biden's achievements and accomplishments, and not a lot of emphasis is being placed on the crimes and lies of Trump. Why not point these things out directly? More people will hear, and of course, the President does have a bully pulpit. So use it.
The phrase "second lost cause" will get a lot of traction and will resonate with people. That's an excellent phrase that speaks for itself and makes the point without a lot of explanation. I can't ever recall a President of the United States saying, about his opponent in an election, "He's a loser," in a context that was so glaringly evident. I sat up straight when he said it, just a natural part of his complete thought, but wow, what a comment. Not an insult or name calling, just a fact. It must have taken the crowd by surprise, because it took a few seconds for them to take it in, and then respond with loud applause and cheers. Their chants of "four more years" were also heart warming.
Observations about the President's speech at Mother Emanuel this week.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/01/observations-about-president-bidens.htmlYesterday's speech by President Biden, at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, was, of course, part of his re-election campaign. But I got a whole lot more out of it than that, by watching it, more than once, and going back to make sure I got the full effect, not only of his words, but of the whole context of his appearance there.
I've been waiting for him to come out swinging when it comes to his campaign, and especially in opposition to Trump. He speaks with clarity of purpose and with a determination that is powerful and visible. Critics of his age and mental state will be disappointed. Not only did he give them absolutely nothing with which to criticize his age and vitality or his mental state, he buried their criticism and proved them wrong. I know, that won't stop the critics, but compared to Trump, who is stupefyingly boring, bumbling and fumbling, he's so much easier to listen to, to understand, focused and sticks to the topic.
Attacking the lies and the crimes head on, up front, is the right thing to do. As James Clyburn noted in his introduction, not a whole lot is being said about Biden's achievements and accomplishments, and not a lot of emphasis is being placed on the crimes and lies of Trump. Why not point these things out directly? More people will hear, and of course, the President does have a bully pulpit. So use it.
The phrase "second lost cause" will get a lot of traction and will resonate with people. That's an excellent phrase that speaks for itself and makes the point without a lot of explanation. I can't ever recall a President of the United States saying, about his opponent in an election, "He's a loser," in a context that was so glaringly evident. I sat up straight when he said it, just a natural part of his complete thought, but wow, what a comment. Not an insult or name calling, just a fact. It must have taken the crowd by surprise, because it took a few seconds for them to take it in, and then respond with loud applause and cheers. Their chants of "four more years" were also heart warming.
January 8, 2024
Those who don't practice a religion, or who don't go anywhere near Evangelical Christianity need to make themselves familiar with their core theology and doctrine. Rather than relying on commonly held perceptions, the benefit that comes with being familiar with what these people actually believe is the ability to see where their spiritual convictions completely disallow and depart from permitting support for the blatant worldliness and, in their terminology, sinfulness of Trump's brand of politics, and of Trump himself.
When politically motivated, far right wing Evangelicals are confronted with the realities of their misplaced support for Trump, they are faced with the choice of either denying, or completely re-interpreting something they have established as an essential doctrine of the Christian faith, or of setting aside those values and virtues, and compromising their spirituality for the sake of their political beliefs. What they are saying, when they do this, is that they do not believe that God's Holy Spirit is powerful enough to achieve His will in the world, and compromising with evil is the only pathway to success.
The context and framework of conservative, Evangelical Christian theology and doctrine makes one of the best cases, outside of the preservation of democracy itself, for rejecting Trumpism, labeling it the worldly, sinful intrusion into this branch of American Christianity that it is, and refusing to cast a ballot for the man if he happens to survive the inevitable guilty verdicts that will accompany his 92 indictments. The scripture themselves make a good case for labeling Trump as an "anti-christ" by definition. So read on, get familiar with the points and use them as often as you have the opportunity to confront those caught up in this political and religious heresy.
Evangelical Trumpies are condemned by their own conservative interpretations of the Bible.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/01/evangelical-interpretations-of.htmlThose who don't practice a religion, or who don't go anywhere near Evangelical Christianity need to make themselves familiar with their core theology and doctrine. Rather than relying on commonly held perceptions, the benefit that comes with being familiar with what these people actually believe is the ability to see where their spiritual convictions completely disallow and depart from permitting support for the blatant worldliness and, in their terminology, sinfulness of Trump's brand of politics, and of Trump himself.
When politically motivated, far right wing Evangelicals are confronted with the realities of their misplaced support for Trump, they are faced with the choice of either denying, or completely re-interpreting something they have established as an essential doctrine of the Christian faith, or of setting aside those values and virtues, and compromising their spirituality for the sake of their political beliefs. What they are saying, when they do this, is that they do not believe that God's Holy Spirit is powerful enough to achieve His will in the world, and compromising with evil is the only pathway to success.
The context and framework of conservative, Evangelical Christian theology and doctrine makes one of the best cases, outside of the preservation of democracy itself, for rejecting Trumpism, labeling it the worldly, sinful intrusion into this branch of American Christianity that it is, and refusing to cast a ballot for the man if he happens to survive the inevitable guilty verdicts that will accompany his 92 indictments. The scripture themselves make a good case for labeling Trump as an "anti-christ" by definition. So read on, get familiar with the points and use them as often as you have the opportunity to confront those caught up in this political and religious heresy.
January 2, 2024
The Southern Baptist Convention and others have reached a confidential settlement in a high-profile lawsuit that accused a former leader of sexual assault, ending a six-year legal drama that helped prompt a broader reckoning over child sexual abuse in evangelical churches, expanded victims’ rights in Texas and showed that a prominent conservative activist and Texas House candidate repeatedly downplayed abuse allegations.
In 2017, Duane Rollins filed the lawsuit accusing Paul Pressler, a longtime Southern Baptist figure and former Texas judge, of decades of rape beginning when Rollins was a 14-year-old member of Pressler’s church youth group in Houston.
As part of Rollins' suit, at least seven other men came forward with their own allegations of sexual misconduct by Pressler in incidents spanning four decades. The suit also showed that Woodfill, a prominent anti-LGBTQ+ activist, was aware of allegations that Pressler was a sexual predator but continued to provide him with young, male personal assistants who worked out of Pressler’s River Oaks home. Three of the men have alleged sexual abuse or misconduct.
Pressler, 93, is one of the most influential evangelical figures of the last half-century, and is considered the co-architect of the SBC’s “conservative resurgence” that began in the late 1970s and prompted the faith group to adopt literal interpretations of the Bible, align more closely with the Republican Party, ban women from preaching and strongly condemn homosexuality.
Who are the "Predators"? Sexual Abuse lawsuit involving Religious Right Leader, Southern Baptist Convention settled.
https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/29/southern-baptist-convention-sexual-abuse-lawsuit-settlement/The Southern Baptist Convention and others have reached a confidential settlement in a high-profile lawsuit that accused a former leader of sexual assault, ending a six-year legal drama that helped prompt a broader reckoning over child sexual abuse in evangelical churches, expanded victims’ rights in Texas and showed that a prominent conservative activist and Texas House candidate repeatedly downplayed abuse allegations.
In 2017, Duane Rollins filed the lawsuit accusing Paul Pressler, a longtime Southern Baptist figure and former Texas judge, of decades of rape beginning when Rollins was a 14-year-old member of Pressler’s church youth group in Houston.
As part of Rollins' suit, at least seven other men came forward with their own allegations of sexual misconduct by Pressler in incidents spanning four decades. The suit also showed that Woodfill, a prominent anti-LGBTQ+ activist, was aware of allegations that Pressler was a sexual predator but continued to provide him with young, male personal assistants who worked out of Pressler’s River Oaks home. Three of the men have alleged sexual abuse or misconduct.
Pressler, 93, is one of the most influential evangelical figures of the last half-century, and is considered the co-architect of the SBC’s “conservative resurgence” that began in the late 1970s and prompted the faith group to adopt literal interpretations of the Bible, align more closely with the Republican Party, ban women from preaching and strongly condemn homosexuality.
December 27, 2023
The old saying, "even a broken clock is right twice a day," is a good description of how I feel about Republican politics, and politicians. The attraction between Republican politics and Evangelical doctrine and practice is easy enough to see. Both are systems in which promote a privileged class of people benefitting from the power that comes from the collective group and its resources.
Adam Kinzinger grew up in an Evangelical church, Baptist by denominational affiliation, and is currently involved in a conservative, non-denominational Evangelical church, which explains his affinity to Republicanism. However, there are places in Kinzinger's more moderate practice of Republicanism that indicate the effect of a more Biblical, less politically-oriented practice of Christian faith, in his case, than that which is visible in the heretical form of Evangelicalism, blended with right wing extremist politics, which we see dominating the GOP.
Kinzinger says that he voted for Trump's impeachment because of his own faith convictions, something which resonates with my own Christian convictions, based on an orthodox interpretation of the Bible, not on the faddish trendiness of modern megachurch celebrity preachers. It cost him his seat in Congress, and it opened him up to attacks from the likes of self-appointed Evangelical "leaders" like Franklin Graham, who's more a worshipper of prosperity than a believer in Christ.
"I'm going to go out on a NOT limb here: this man is not a Christian," said Kinzinger, and added, "If you are a Christian who supports him, you don't understand your own religion."
Adam Kinzinger says Christians who support Trump don't understand their own faith.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2023/12/adam-kinzinger-gets-this-right.htmlThe old saying, "even a broken clock is right twice a day," is a good description of how I feel about Republican politics, and politicians. The attraction between Republican politics and Evangelical doctrine and practice is easy enough to see. Both are systems in which promote a privileged class of people benefitting from the power that comes from the collective group and its resources.
Adam Kinzinger grew up in an Evangelical church, Baptist by denominational affiliation, and is currently involved in a conservative, non-denominational Evangelical church, which explains his affinity to Republicanism. However, there are places in Kinzinger's more moderate practice of Republicanism that indicate the effect of a more Biblical, less politically-oriented practice of Christian faith, in his case, than that which is visible in the heretical form of Evangelicalism, blended with right wing extremist politics, which we see dominating the GOP.
Kinzinger says that he voted for Trump's impeachment because of his own faith convictions, something which resonates with my own Christian convictions, based on an orthodox interpretation of the Bible, not on the faddish trendiness of modern megachurch celebrity preachers. It cost him his seat in Congress, and it opened him up to attacks from the likes of self-appointed Evangelical "leaders" like Franklin Graham, who's more a worshipper of prosperity than a believer in Christ.
"I'm going to go out on a NOT limb here: this man is not a Christian," said Kinzinger, and added, "If you are a Christian who supports him, you don't understand your own religion."
December 23, 2023
In spite of believing in some absolutes which would seem to lead people in the opposite direction of the kind of sinful worldliness that characterizes Trump's lifestyle and is his personal trademark, behavior which at least one Apostle labels as "anti-Christ," conservative Christians gravitate toward that kind of personality in the leaders they choose for their churches.
Southern Baptists have designed a denominational structure that allows strong, forceful personalities, the kind of people who seek power and use leadership to build their own personal kingdoms, to run the show and bypass the few democratic rules and structures they have in place. Over the past 30 years, almost all denominational practice and policy has been shaped by the influence of two men, one the President of a small, broken down Bible college in Dallas, the other a Republican political operative and appeals court judge in Houston. These men pointed to supposed "liberals" in the universities and seminaries, and convinced the uninformed and uneducated people in the pews to use the backward, provincial governing structure of the SBC to appoint trustee boards to fire people they claimed were liberal and to feather their own nests, along with those of their friends.
The kind of duplicity and hypocrisy this generates is visible in everything these people do. They take a hard line against adultery, but cheer and give unconditioned loyalty to a man who has claimed to have had affairs with literally hundreds of women, at times to openly humiliate one of the three women he's been married to in public, and who not only has not repented of it, as orthodox, conservative Christian doctrine requires, but has openly claimed he has done nothing requiring repentance. And politics and political affiliation has a lot to do with the standards that are applied. Former President Bill Clinton does not get the same consideration, even though he has repented and acknowledged his need for repentance. Baptist News Global has a good story on what's been going on with Clinton's former church in Little Rock, which you can read about in this article:
[link:https://baptistnews.com/article/on-al-mohler-paige-patterson-bill-clinton-immanuel-baptist-church-and-baptist-polity-and-politics/|
"Political Christianity" is a danger to American constitutional democracy.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2023/12/evangelical-apostasy-is-big-danger-to.htmlIn spite of believing in some absolutes which would seem to lead people in the opposite direction of the kind of sinful worldliness that characterizes Trump's lifestyle and is his personal trademark, behavior which at least one Apostle labels as "anti-Christ," conservative Christians gravitate toward that kind of personality in the leaders they choose for their churches.
Southern Baptists have designed a denominational structure that allows strong, forceful personalities, the kind of people who seek power and use leadership to build their own personal kingdoms, to run the show and bypass the few democratic rules and structures they have in place. Over the past 30 years, almost all denominational practice and policy has been shaped by the influence of two men, one the President of a small, broken down Bible college in Dallas, the other a Republican political operative and appeals court judge in Houston. These men pointed to supposed "liberals" in the universities and seminaries, and convinced the uninformed and uneducated people in the pews to use the backward, provincial governing structure of the SBC to appoint trustee boards to fire people they claimed were liberal and to feather their own nests, along with those of their friends.
The kind of duplicity and hypocrisy this generates is visible in everything these people do. They take a hard line against adultery, but cheer and give unconditioned loyalty to a man who has claimed to have had affairs with literally hundreds of women, at times to openly humiliate one of the three women he's been married to in public, and who not only has not repented of it, as orthodox, conservative Christian doctrine requires, but has openly claimed he has done nothing requiring repentance. And politics and political affiliation has a lot to do with the standards that are applied. Former President Bill Clinton does not get the same consideration, even though he has repented and acknowledged his need for repentance. Baptist News Global has a good story on what's been going on with Clinton's former church in Little Rock, which you can read about in this article:
[link:https://baptistnews.com/article/on-al-mohler-paige-patterson-bill-clinton-immanuel-baptist-church-and-baptist-polity-and-politics/|
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