Tuesday, November 28, 2017

I was against Moore before I was against Moore

This is a post from 2007; it refers to Roy Moore's "heroic" stance  (and resulting martyr complex)  when he insisted on displaying the Ten Commandments in his courthouse. (Because the 11th commandment reads: "thou shall displayest my law, not necessarily in thy character but in thy wall adornments, wherever thou feelest thou should for thy celebrity status. Go ahead, I'll backest thou up on this.")


For Moore, The Church is Less

I missed this (2005) article by Baptist pastor James Evans, Discounting God's role in church, state when it first appeared. It is worth a read. An excerpt, aimed squarely at Judge Moore's grandstanding:
But if we blame all of our country's current problems on the failure of the state to acknowledge God, what does that say about the church? After all, isn't the church a "public acknowledgment of God?" When congregations pray, aren't they engaged in public prayer? When the Bible is read, doesn't that count as Bible reading?

To put the matter more pointedly, is the church such an inadequate institution that if God is not acknowledged in the courthouse and schoolhouse God is removed from the public sphere? 
Amen, brother!

3 comments:

  1. So as long as we have prominent displays of the 10 commandments, prayer in school, and say "Merry Christmas" that makes us a good Christian nation that God is obligated to bless? I don't think He is so easily fooled. (Is. 29:13)

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  2. Persis, The "prayer in school" ranting is also misleading since everyone is absolutely permitted to pray in public school.

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    1. Good point. Probably more silent prayers than can be counted, but if you only want the outward display then... But this invoking of "God" is almost like a talisman as though mere words without faith offer magical protection.

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