Bitter Comment on Evangelical Christian Churches

Mike, my second cousin in Georgia USA, sent the following by an outraged Protestant pastor who like Mike and yours truly seems to be a recovering fundamentalist, no doubt acquired at emotional revival meetings in a long ago callow youth.  The words are confrontational and blunt but to my mind nail the point. Why did so many American Evangelicals, who claim to follow Jesus and his teachings and are often quick to find that 'log in one's eye' embrace a presidential candidate who is the antithesis of generosity, charity, humble living and doing under others (especially young women) with a measure of kindness? Donald Trump received an overwhelming majority of the votes of persons who describe themselves as Evangelical Christians. - Glenn N. Holliman

The Price of an Evangelical Christian Soul

DECEMBER 1, 2016 / JOHN PAVLOVITZ

They say that every man has his price; present him with an attractive enough offer and he will part with even that which he treasures most. All convictions become negotiable, every virtue is eventually up for sale.

Below, John Pavlovitz, whose provocative blog may be found on the Internet.

This year Donald Trump brought Evangelicals to a high mountain overlooking America and told them it could all be theirs—and all it would cost them is their souls. In the dizzying storm of a Presidential campaign and all that was laid out before them, this seemed like a bargain.

And so despite all their preaching about morality and all their posturing about holiness and all their sermonizing about the wickedness of the world up until that point, they willingly signed themselves over to the wild-haired, foul-mouthed, money-loving, p*ssy-grabbing Devil with the orange face:

The big-name preachers engaged in the most acrobatic of theological gymnastics to try and make Jesus consent to their endorsement and to declare him a Biblical option.

Celebrity evangelists traveled the country selling him town to town like a magical elixir for all that ailed the hurting masses.

Once sickened Christian politicians became far less vocal, much more amenable, far more complementary with each passing week.

The partisan networks manufactured a continual stream of irrational fear, misinformation, and sky-is-falling rhetoric to paint him as the coming Messiah.

Local pew sitters weaned on a heavy diet of prejudice, Apocalypse, and Nationalism convinced themselves that all his terrible indiscretions were somehow the lesser of two evils and safely within the parameters of Christlikeness by comparison.

And one by one, souls got sold.

With all their well-rehearsed, sanctimonious Scripture lip service about receiving salvation, this proved to be largely ceremonial. They may have once invited Jesus into their hearts, but when the rubber met the narrow road they evicted him and took the cash. 

Jesus was right when he said you cannot serve both God and money—he just probably thought he’d do better in the Bible Belt this year. He certainly felt he’d win North Carolina.

And as with all deals with the Devil, it feels like winning at first. In the rush of the moment you think you’ve beaten the house—until later you learn that the house always wins; that the game is set up for your failure, that the Devil never makes an even deal. One day the temporary high of the win wears off and you realize you’ve been had; that you took a sucker bet and lost everything—and by then it’s too late.

And so right now a large portion of the American Evangelical Church sits pretty, believing itself victorious; momentarily giddy at its spoils, gloating in its apparent advantage, and oblivious to the cost.

The cost, is that the Church itself, though winning this political battle has lost the greater war for its humanity and its dignity. It has been fully separated from its namesake. It is no longer synonymous with Jesus. It is no longer good news for the poor, the marginalized, the hurting, the downtrodden. It is an exclusive brothel where power lusting white Christians fornicate freely.

The Evangelical Church is no longer a brilliant beacon of God’s love in a dark place, it is simply another building upon which Donald Trump will slap his name on, exploit for a bit, and eventually abandon, leaving behind lots of people hurting who are broken and bankrupt.

Jesus once asked of a crowd listening to him preach, “What does it profit a person if they gain the world but forfeit their soul?”

This is the question we will be answering in the coming months, but one thing is for certain:

The Evangelical Church in America is now fully in the hands of the wild-haired, foul-mouthed, money-loving, p*ssy-grabbing Devil with the orange face, and along with it the reputation of the Gospel itself—and Evangelical Christians made the deal themselves. 

They have a temporary win, but have permanently sold themselves and the credibility of the Church. And those followers of Jesus who failed to sign our names in blood and kiss the Devil’s ring will have to figure out what we do now to remind the world what the love of God for all people looks like.

Hold on to your soul.

Comments Welcome:

From a retired United Methodist Minister in Alabama - 

Thanks Glenn for sending this article. I think John Pavloviz is "right on." One of he characteristics of the Evangelicals is their propensity to judge. They feel they have the right to pass judgment on anyone and everyone who does not see things their way. This "right to judge" comes from their narrow and misplaced interpretation of scripture. Another way of saying that is to say they find scripture that they feel backs up their "religious beliefs" and then spew out their judgments as if it is the "final word." It is the old adage, "my way or no way" which Trump exemplifies. Sadly, these people seem not to have experienced the Love of God and the fact that we are all one. As one of our contemporary theologians has written:"Our true well being will be found in relationship, not in isolation."  And I would add, certainly not in condemnation. These people definitely "sold their soul" as John says in part because they strongly feel they "have the final word" and can therefore justify supporting someone whose morals are "in the gutter" and who also feels he has the final say.