The Blinne Blog

Howard Dean: What Would Jesus Do? Not!

The New York Times reported the following altercation between Howard Dean and an Iowa voter:

Later, Dr. Dean flashed his much-talked-about temper at a town-hall-style forum here in a sharp exchange with a 67-year-old retiree, Dale Ungerer. Mr. Ungerer, who said he was a registered Republican but had sometimes voted for Democrats, challenged Dr. Dean to "please tone down the garbage, the mean-mouthing of tearing down your neighbor and being so pompous," questioning why the candidate spent so much time bashing President Bush.

Dr. Dean declared, "George Bush is not my neighbor." As Mr. Ungerer, stood up, Dr. Dean said, "You sit down. You've had your say, and now I'm going to have my say."

Several days ago Howard Dean asked, "Don't you think Jerry Falwell reminds you a lot more of the Pharisees than he does of the teachings of Jesus?"

Let's take a look at Dr. Dean's comments concerning Mr. Bush not being his neighbor and see whether he was on the side of the Pharisees or the side of Jesus.

Luke 10:25-37: The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "

28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."

Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." [emphasis mine]

The expert in the Law (a.k.a. a Pharisee) sought to justify himself by defining people away as his neighbor. Jesus replied with the Parable of the Good Samaritan which focused not on who your neighbor was but rather what was the characteristics of a good neighbor (showing mercy).

Howard Dean was recently asked whether he considered what Jesus would do when he made a decision. He replied no. Given the above, Dr. Dean was telling the truth.

Joshua Claybourn's Domain: Ugh

Christian blogger Joshua Claybourn had the following comment on Pat Robertson's latest prophesy. 'Nuff said.

Pat Robertson is no stranger to comments that make your skin crawl, and his latest television broadcast fits the mold. He said:

I think George Bush is going to win in a walk. I really believe I'm hearing from the Lord it's going to be like a blowout election in 2004. It's shaping up that way. The Lord has just blessed him. I mean, he could make terrible mistakes and comes out of it. It doesn't make any difference what he does, good or bad, God picks him up because he's a man of prayer and God's blessing him.

Please excuse me while I go hurl. I really don't know where to begin with this one; there's just so much to say. I suppose the best route is to just listen to my second grade teacher: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." (For those of you following along at home turn to Jeremiah 14:14)

Religion and the Internet

Pew Internet & American Life Project looked at Internet use including religious use and here were their conclusions:

• 30% of Internet users have sought religious information online as of November 2002.
• That represents growth of 94%, from 18 million who had sought religious information as of March 2000, to 35 million who had done such searches as of November 2002.
• More online women than online men have done religious searches on the Web.
• African-American users are more likely than other groups to have searched for religious information online, especially African-American women.

Is this a good thing? Only time will tell. Americans have often been very individualistic. One thing that religion provides is a community. An earlier study noted:

Similarly, solitary activities like mailing prayer requests and downloading religious music are also very popular pastimes for religion surfers (38% have done each of these activities), while more socially-oriented activities such as seeking spiritual guidance via email (21%) or participating in a religious chat room (10%) have not been as widespread.

If this is representative, then the Internet religious experience will be an attenuated one compared with the off-line, traditional, one.

The ArchBishop of the Southern Cone Writes Presiding Bishop Griswold

Titusonenine is reporting a new letter from the Primate of the Southern Cone, Greg Venables, to the Presiding Bishop of the ECUSA, Frank Griswold.

The Most Reverend Frank Griswold
The Episcopal Church Center
815 Second Avenue
New York NY 10017

Dear Frank,

This comes with a prayerful greeting from the Southern Cone in Jesus name.

As you can see from the attached statement, the decision of ECUSA to consecrate Gene Robinson, a person sexually active outside marriage, and to declare by resolution that same-sex blessings are "in bounds," has left us no choice but to recognize the situation which you have created. That is one of a profound impairment of communion.

Our deep sadness comes on two fronts. First of all, you have done what you have no right to do: You have represented as God's blessing your promotion of an unbiblical agenda. You must know that the overwhelming majority of the people in this province view that as absolutely scandalous. Our concern is very great for those who embrace the deception you foster. Spiritually, it is a terrible place to be.

In addition, you should know that many of us in the provinces you obviously consider to be of little consequence are also deeply offended at the arrogant, strident and unilateral action ECUSA has taken. This is doubly problematic because you personally have been so critical of your own government's failure to be collaborative in international affairs. Is stridence only a problem when you happen to disagree with the action and could you not at least have discussed your convictions and underlying principles with your fellow primates before the final steps were taken?

With deep regret, I must inform you that the Province of the Southern Cone is designing a process for certification of missionaries. Those that come from your province will have to demonstrate their commitment to orthodoxy in order to be acceptable for ministry in ours.

Surely by now, you must see the folly of what you have done. The implications are staggering. Hardly a day goes by without international mention of more consequences. It is my fervent hope that you will repent. The mercy of Jesus knows no limit.

I continue to pray that you will turn away from the course you have taken and return to the "faith once delivered to the saints."

With great sorrow,

+Greg

(The Most Rev.) Gregory Venables
Primate of the Southern Cone

To ECUSA and the churches of the Anglican Communion, from the House of Bishops of the Province of the Southern Cone of America.

In the Name of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

The recent unilateral actions of the Episcopal Church in the United States (ECUSA) in consecrating a bishop who is sexually active outside marriage, and the recognition of same-sex blessings have created a deeply painful and divisive situation and has devastated our Christian witness. In the light of Tradition, it reveals a misinterpretation of the clear witness of God's Word and a deaf ear to the heartfelt pleas of the entire Communion. When the economically powerful church in America acts, it attracts worldwide attention; and despite repeated warnings, ECUSA's leaders have shown selfish indifference to the difficulties and confusion their actions have now brought this and other provinces.

Their action is a clear departure from the moral teaching, practice and common understanding of the Anglican Communion, clearly expressed by the Lambeth Conference of 1998. Following the example of Jesus we are open to all people, but we reject as sin those acts which separate us from God and from each other. ECUSA's action has forced painful division in the Communion and is a schism of their own making. Because by its precipitous action it has fomented needless division and denied the Tradition of the Church catholic, we believe that ECUSA cannot represent the Anglican Communion in any legitimate or moral sense.

As a consequence, this Province now shares only a profoundly impaired communion with ECUSA and, in faithfulness to the Word of God, we cannot accept this consecration as a valid one. Impaired communion means that we cannot share fellowship, ministry, Eucharist or gifts with those who have affirmed or participated in the consecration of Gene Robinson, nor with those who perform or permit blessings of same-sex unions outside historic Christian marriage, nor with any clergy who are sexually active outside marriage.

We give thanks to God for the bishops, clergy and laity of ECUSA who have stood firm against these unacceptable acts. We remain in full fellowship, ministry and Eucharistic celebration with them. At the same time we are deeply concerned about increasing reports of pressure and persecution against those who hold fast to the Scriptures and the historic faith through retributive applications of canonical and secular legal procedures. Missionaries desiring to serve in our Province must reject the erroneous decisions of ECUSA and must affirm traditional scriptural norms.

It is our hope and earnest prayer that ECUSA will come to its senses, repent and turn back from its schismatic actions; but without renouncing their present position there is little hope of it. As a Province we believe institutional unity in meaningless unless it is based in the truth of the Holy Scriptures.

May God have compassion on His church.

The Data Lounge: Anglican Schism Deepens Worldwide

The Data Lounge (a daily online news magazine which focuses on gay and lesbian issues) is reporting the following:

KAMPALA, Uganda -- Uganda's Anglican church says it has withdrawn an invitation to its American counterpart to attend the consecration of a new archbishop in protest over the consecration of gay American bishop Gene Robinson.

The move by Anglicans in Africa was the latest in a series of reactions against the Anglican Communion's tolerant stance on gay issues. Many worry that instead of fading, the global backlash against Robinson and progressives who support him is growing ever more embittered and determined.

The Vatican in early December abruptly canceled top-level talks between the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion that were aimed at finding areas of unity.

Meanwhile, more Anglican groups in African and Asia broke ties with the Episcopal Church, the American branch of the 70 million-member Anglican Communion, over November's consecration of Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire.

In an extraordinary letter, the leader of the Anglican Church in Central Africa accused the Rev. Frank Griswold, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, of lies, betrayal and promoting a "false gospel."

Several Orthodox bodies, including the Russian, Armenian, Syrian, Coptic and Ethiopian churches, have suspended ties with the Episcopal Church over the past several months. The Russian Orthodox Church said that "the consecration of a gay priest has made any communications with him and with those who consecrated him impossible"

The strongest feelings of outrage are coming from within the global denomination. Nine provinces of the communion — Nigeria, Rwanda, West Africa, Southeast Asia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, the West Indies and Central Africa — have formally broken relations or entered into a state of "impaired communion" with leaders in the Episcopal Church.

In early December, Bishop Peter Adebiyi of Lagos, Nigeria, said Nigerians would ignore the Episcopal Church and set up parishes in the United States, according to the newspaper.

"We will not communicate with (Episcopal Church) in terms of worship or visitation or work on transfer to any of the dioceses in the U.S.," Adebiyi said. "Priests from there will not be allowed to work or visit the Church in Nigeria."

Southeast Asian primates convened a special meeting in Malaysia and broke ties with the Episcopal Church declaring the would remain severed, "until and unless they repent of their action and return to embrace biblical truths."

In the United States, the Rev. John A. M. Guernsey of the American Anglican Council warned conservatives in the Episcopal Church last November to be ready for whatever comes next.

"We don't know what will come; we don't know what it will cost us. It may cost us our reputation, as we are vilified and ridiculed. It may cost the church buildings, which we and the saints before us have sacrificially labored and given to build. It may cost us our ministries, as some may even seek to strip us of our priesthood."