Papering over the cracks
Posted by Angie on Thu 24-Aug-2006 at 12:00 pm
The Christian right tries to exaggerate its influence by pretending that the differences between Protestantism and Catholicism, and within the denominations themselves, really don’t exist any more. Conservative Protestant leaders appear on platforms with conservative Catholics and even conservative Jews, because, hey, we all believe in the same god, don’t we, and everything in the garden’s rosy.
If you believe this, don’t upset yourself by reading any conservative in-house journals. There, people are still fighting the battles of the Reformation.
Did you see it? [A]n article in the … Herald/Sun newspaper … in which a Roman Catholic priest is interviewed concerning his work with street kids. He says, ‘I don’t preach to the kids … [N]one of them could ever say I try to convert them.’
[But] God says: ‘He that winneth souls is wise’. (Proverbs 11:30) (New Life, 24 Aug. 2006)
Australian religious right organisations publicly welcome the help given to them by Mormon supporters, but privately it’s a different story:
… [D] on’t go to the movies to watch ‘States of Grace’ when it’s released, But watch out for the Mormon propaganda it introduces. This film … tells of two Mormon missionaries and the problems they encounter … ‘Christianity Today’ reviewer Ted Olsen writes …: ‘We’d rather see “The Da Vinci Code” than “States of Grace”! (New Life, 10 Aug. 2006)
And it’s very acceptable when conservative Jewish leaders support Christians on ‘moral issues’, but what are the Christians whispering behind their hands?
Why oh why was Rick Warren [US megachurch supremo] … guest speaker at Sinai Temple, a Jewish synagogue? … Rabbi David Wolpe said of Warren: ‘He has built a giant church that attracts people of all ages. Perhaps he can help us learn how to do that.’
The editor of the ‘Northern Landmark Missionary Baptist Magazine’ … comments: ‘In other words, the purpose of Warren’s visit was to help Jewish rabbis learn how to build membership in their religion which rejects Christ as Saviour. Is this an appropriate role for any Christian minister of the Gospel?’ (New Life, 24 Aug. 2006)