They Hate You Because They Hate Me

Michael Brown has an excellent column in today's Townhall that focuses on the twin themes of evangelical hypocisy (it exists) and the hatred of Christians, and evangelicals in particular, by the media and "elite." It exists too. 

Brown starts with hypocrisy. As an example, he notes that evangelicals denounce gay marriage but turn a blind eye to rampant no-fault divorce in the church. Sanctity of marriage? An excellent example of self-impeachment by the witness. 

He gives several other examples but then makes the point that for every bad apple, many more are trying to do it right. True, but I would hasten to add that as Christians, we also know, or should, that all fall short of the glory of God. A church is a hospital for sinners. Jesus said He did not come to save those who are well but those who know they are sick. We are and always need to remember it. Our humility and compassion will increase proportionately.

Then Brown turns to the nonstop barrage of invective hurled at Christians. He quotes 
John McCandlish Phillips, a former Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter, who in 2005 noted, " ... how newspapers like the Washington Post and the Times told their readers that evangelicals and traditional Catholics were engaging in a “jihad” against America."

He further quotes Phillips' observation that:

“In more than 50 years of direct engagement in and observation of the major news media I have never encountered anything remotely like the fear and loathing lavished on us by opinion mongers in these world-class newspapers in the past 40 days. If I had a $5 bill for every time the word ‘frightening’ and its close lexicographical kin have appeared in the Times and The Post, with an accusatory finger pointed at the Christian right, I could take my stack to the stock market.”

It has not gotten better since 2005. Christians are now the functional equivalent of ISIS for the Left and it has infected the public arena. Life is unfair. 

But Brown reminds us of something said by Tertullian, one of the early Church fathers:

“We are charged with being irreligious people and, what is more, irreligious in respect to the emperors since we refuse to pay religious homage to their spiritual majesties and refuse to swear by them. . . . Christians are considered to be enemies of the State, enemies of the public well-being.”

Some things never change. The Church ar its best is always conter-cultural. Brown emphasizes this final point:

"Yes, it’s always those dangerous, untrustworthy Christians. This will always be the accusation against us as long as we march to the beat of a different drummer. Welcome to the club."

It's a badge of honor. May I do my best to always wear it well and act accordingly.

townhall.com/columnists/michaelbrown/2018/01/11/is-evangelical-synonymous-with-hypocrite-n2433097