The words of Hosea are upon us. The status quo Christian church has grown to love power and by doing so, spiritually destroying itself. Spiritual destruction is marvelous because a refiners fire separates the pure from the impure. It is a phoenix rising from the ashes, the plough overcoming the sword and the lamb saving the lion. "I will abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land, And will make them lie down in safety. … And I will say to those who were not my people, ‘You are my people’"

It is not too late, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. "For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land. There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefore the land mourns, And everyone who lives in it languishes Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky, And also the fish of the sea disappear."

Why have the status quo Christian leaders "eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your way, in your numerous warriors."

Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life (a book I’ve read and support), writes in his voter guide (http://www.pastors.com/RWMT/default.asp?id=178&artid=7543&expand=1) about the five most important issues Christians must consider when voting: 1) abortion, 2) stem-cell research, 3) homosexual marriage, 4) human cloning, and 5) euthanasia. Focusing on these issues as the most "crucial issues" of  "the most important election Americans have had in 50 years" is misguided at best and complete rebellion against Jesus’ teachings at worst.

Rick Warren is not at fault for this, nor the proverbial religious right; instead, it is the entrenched wolves in sheep’s clothing of the materialistic/militant Greek/Roman culture that overpowers Christian love. Many Christian leaders are oblivious to this and become "blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!," as seen with Rick Warren’s proposal.

Why is his proposal so bad? All over the globe, 1.1 billion people live in extreme poverty, which means they live under $1 a day. Billions more live in poverty without adequate health care, nutrition, safety and a loving home. Countless children die of preventable diseases. The environment is continually destroyed and we could face a global climate shift. Weapons are endlessly manufactured and traded across the globe (with the U.S. being a major supplier). HIV/AIDS, poverty, abuse, malnutrition, disease, war, racial reconciliation, health care, welfare, education, diplomacy, alternative energy, the environment, research, the U.S. industrial infrastructure, prison reform, human rights and economic accountability are important issues too.

Why are these issues more important? Because Jesus would care less about the "moral" issues Rick Warren presents, and would feed his sheep. The hungry sheep number and die in the billions! Are we going to be so concerned with "morals" as to ignore the call to feed the sheep? In summary, a candidate could perfectly fit Rick Warren’s points, yet completely ignore Jesus’ call to feed the sheep. Worst of all, these points apply not only to priorities for voting, but covertly outline the social role of "ideal" Christians as moralists, not humanitarians. "If you judge people, you have no time to love them." Mother Teresa

The goats care for ‘the least of these’ with bombs, indifference, hostility and "morality." We must first become powerless as the sheep to care for the sheep, or else, unwittingly, we become wolves in sheep’s clothing. Are you ready to disarm yourself and walk in the naked boots of peace with us?

Matthew 25:22-46
All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

 34"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

 37"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

 40"The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

 41"Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

 44"They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

 45"He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

 46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Archetypal goat, Rick Warren among others

This entry was originally published at Interconnectedness by Mikhail (Misha) Lomize