Sunday, July 8, 2007

Can't We All Just Get Along?

This seems to be the question certain American evangelical "leaders" - so called - are asking themselves these days about the cool relationship between American style Church-ianity and "the religion of peace". With this peace and love PR problem in mind they're apparently working hard to cozy up to the jihadist enabling leadership of several Middle Eastern nations as reported by Jonathan Falwell, son of the late Jerry Falwell, at World Net Daily.

One has to wonder about the leadership ability and discernment of a man when he announces ex post facto:

On Monday, July 2, I attended what I can only pray may become a historic meeting. Several weeks ago, I received a call about attending a meeting at the Egyptian Embassy in Washington, D.C. I was told this meeting would be hosted by the ambassador from Egypt and might be attended by representatives of other Arab nations, as well as by 10-15 pastors, evangelists and Christian media representatives.

My interest stirred, I agreed to attend the meeting even though I was not quite sure of its purpose.


Eh? I can only wonder who the cryptic phone call was from and why Mr. Falwell was too sheepish to ask any questions about "the purpose" of the meeting prior to making his decision attend.

Reading on we find that that he joined himself with a veritable who's who of spiritual snake-oil salesmen from The Blasphemy Network in order to sit down at the bargaining table with a delegation of Mohammedian politicians:

When we arrived at the Embassy, we were greeted by Evangelist Benny Hinn and introduced to several other pastors, evangelists, Christian TV producers and representatives of Christian organizations. Among them were Gordon Robertson of the 700 Club, Paul Crouch Jr. of Trinity Broadcasting Network, Christian lobbyist Ralph Reed, Richard Cizik of the National Association of Evangelicals, Vernon Brewer of WorldHelp and several others.

Within a period of no more than 10 minutes, the ambassadors from Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Kuwait, Yemen, Iraq, Bahrain and the ambassador from the Arab League of Nations all arrived. I now realized that this meeting was far more than a social gathering.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: One has to wonder precisely what it was he was expecting prior to this "Damascus Road" experience - "More tea and crumpets Mr. Falwell?"] Soon thereafter, we sat down at a large table – evangelicals all on one side and Arab representatives on the other, about 24 of us – for lunch.

Maybe my interpretation of Mr. Falwell's article is all wrong; maybe it was a very productive and spiritually profound meeting that glorified the Risen Savior, Jesus Christ. But in reading and re-reading the material he posted I couldn't find even a faint glimmer to suggest the entire event amounted to anything other than a colossal waste of time which served only to further embolden the false religious beliefs of the Mohammedians in attendance. Honestly, if true born-again Christians can't take Benny Hinn and Paul Crouch seriously - and we can't - then how can we expect deceived idolaters steeped in a false religion to receive their witness for Christ?

The sad fact is that this article serves as yet another example the pathetic story so often repeated regarding the self-anointed spokesmen of American style Church-ianity; to wit the headline ought to have read "Another Opportunity Missed!", or "Defeat for Christ Once Again Snatched from the Jaws of Victory!", or perhaps simply "Compromise!" would have been a sufficient title.

With friends like these Christ doesn't need enemies.