Monthly Archives: October 2007

Christian Haters

Posted by Matthew on October 31, 2007 None comments |

What kind of emotions arise in you when you see “Christians” such as those of the recent funeral protests? This tiny Baptist church in Kansas City has certainly made a name for itself in a big way…around the world. And what is it doing for the name of Christianity? You guess.

Christians are increasingly becoming more and more to be associated with hate in the West. And it is largely true. There is a mainstream, publicized ‘Christianism’ that is truly a rapacious farce. These ‘Christianites’ subscribe to a religion like a magazine. They sign on the dotted-line and pay their dues all in exchange for a piece of entertainment and identity for which they can feel proud about. Then they go to the streets as though in the judgment seat of God to bring down the judgment on the world. They are people who are not fundamental for they “know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Mark 12:24). We learn in fact, that God has fixed his own day on which he will judge the world (Acts 17:31) and any judgment should begin in the household of God (1 Peter 4:17).

They are people who have professed Christ but not confessed Christ. For one cannot confess Christ without his spirit. (1 Cor 12:3)

Paul writes his letters to Christians. And this is interesting because Romans, which is such a letter, says this to some of them: Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. Romans 2:1-5

Bad ‘Christianity’ has always existed from the beginning, and it seems apparent to me at least, that Paul was aware of a “Christianity” comparable to that of today: one that is not the real thing. Paul spent a lot of his life and love doing that too. Otherwise the blind just go on leading the blind.

Today “Christianity” and “Christian” have become political words. But I have no interest in the politics of this world, so what do I have to with those? Probably nothing, practically speaking. The time will come when our “words” will be judged (Matt 12:36) because the “mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” So our words are much more than “just words”. Yet the words “Christianity” and “Christian” however, seem to be expendable and if I were to refuse to identify with them, it could be for the better, for after all, those people are “haters and judges”.

In this case, Christians need the gospel.

In the beginning, it was called “the Way”, later in Antioch, believers where called “Christians”. Perhaps it’s time for believers to think about just being of “the Way of Holiness” again (Isaiah 35:8)?

But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. Psalm 50:16-17

The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. They have dealt corruptly with him; they are no longer his children because they are blemished; they are a crooked and twisted generation. Deuteronomy 32:4-5

A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of a twisted mind is despised. Proverbs 12:8

Female Genital Repression

Posted by Matthew on October 20, 2007 None comments |

Source: Wikipedia

For some of the women in these societies, FGM is seen as an exciting promotion into womanhood and for others, cause for revolt.
Richard Shweder (What about “female genital mutilation”?, 2000) argues that it is not the men who are oppressing and torturing the women in these “ceremonies” but it is the women themselves who perform the rituals and therefore it is cultural and shouldn’t be regarded as wrong.
However I contend that it is a highly repressive tyranny towards women in these “cultures” and that the “culture” itself is tyrannous. Culture is not an innately righteous entity, but seems to be often used as a cover for detestable acts within humanity. There is much fear in many of these women that their entire lives and well-being is at stake if they do not partake of the ritual. After all, the men of their society will not accept them otherwise, and they would be shamed and rejected. It is the standards and patrilineal values held by these men that give a sense of hypocrisy when the women are taught that they must not be centered on themselves—are not the men being centered on themselves in this regard?
This reminds me of other tyrannical “cultural” systems around the world such as the Hindu caste system in India where young girls can be subjected into widowhood in an outcast commune for the rest of their lives if their husband or even future husband dies. In times past women were burned on the pyres with their dead husbands in “cultural” funeral ceremonies. Repression of women has remained a salient fact of nearly all cultures in history in one way or another.
Cannibalism is also one of those “cultural facets” of certain societies in the past, but clearly a barbaric and unacceptable “culture”. This alone should caution us as to how we throw around the word “culture” onto customs and rituals so as to make them “righteous” in any regard.

In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. Ephesians 5:28-30