Enough is Enough!

I'm not sure which is worse a rogue, religious leader who is trying to grab 15 minutes of fame through despicable acts of religious candor or the dotes that feel the need to respond to his foolishness and, thus, prolong his ill-gotten notoriety. We now have a general, a president, numerous religious leaders from around the world, and at least two church organizations that have felt the need to make a public statement calling his actions unwise and un-Christian. The simple facts of this whole fiasco should make the average Christian shake his head in disgust. Here are the facts: there is an insignificant, independent church group in a small corner of the world planning to burn some paper and as a result all hell seems to have broken loose. If the media had not been alerted and the extremists had not been informed and the politically correct had not been aroused, no one would have paid attention to the folly that was planned for September 11, 2010 in Gainsville, FL. NO ONE! But, because someone took issue, this small group of rogues now have an audience on the world's stage. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ ..." (Romans 16: 17 - 18). The Greek word for avoid is ekklino which means "to shun, turn away from and ignore." Had someone been wise enough to ignore the folly of these foolish people, their 15 minutes of fame would have died before it started. But no, our president and politicians and religious leaders felt that their opinions were so important they just had to say something. God forbid that we should quietly go about our business and just do the right thing.

The folly continues, however, as two Pentecostal organizations have now undoubtedly paid money to release a large ad in two insignificant newspapers which will, no doubt, prolong the fleeting fame of this foolish-hearted group. The mere reference to the planned actions in FL only adds credence to their irresponsible cause.

What is so frightening is that the leaders of the world who are responding to this idiocy are supposed to be among the world's intellectually elite. It's enough to make poor simple-minded people like me totally frustrated. What's the world coming to when the best and brightest lower themselves to this level of irrationality.

So here's my plan. The next time you think you need to spend money on a newspaper ad to prolong the fame of someone who believes that "good grammer" is nothing more than a loving grandparent, stop for a moment, take a deep breath, think wisely and then send your excess finances to "The Care Package" c/o Cottondale Community Church, POB 192 Cottondale, AL 35453. We will take your money and spend it on feeding the poor, the hurting and the hungry, and by "visiting the fatherless and widows and do our best to keep ourselves unspotted from the world" (James 1:27). James calls this pure and undefiled religion!