By all means, watch this video so that you have some context for my comments.
First of all, Rick Warren has been apostate for years, so I'm hardly surprised. But he was brought onto this show for the express purpose of discussing his 40 years of marriage, and the 'secret' to t a good marriage. He certainly deserves to be congratulated, and that accomplishment is worthy of note and celebration, but what happens next is horrific and has eternal consequences.
Now I'm not stupid. I know a guy only gets brought on a show like this because he is a known quantity. He wasn't going to say anything new or shocking. Rick Warren was vetted years ago, and they knew he would spew some self-help-ish platitudes. They knew he would smile for the cameras. They knew he would be a nice guy, and he wouldn't beat them over the head with the Bible.
I don't claim to be familiar with his show other than being aware of its existence, but there are a couple of people on the couch there that I recognize. Whoopi Goldberg is there, and her hatred of God, and the Bible is pretty well established, despite having a preacher for a father. In addition she has this warped view of Jesus that doesn't match the Bible.
A bit further next to her is Barbara Walters who has, at least enough class and poise to not say whatever pops into her head. Mrs Walters has been at this game a long time, and though she has a passing interest in eternal things, doesn't believe the Bible at least when it comes to salvation.
On the far end is Jenny McCarthy, who has made her initial mark in the world by exposing her nakedness to men for money. She flouts her early Catholicism, but claims weird things like salvation being found in her son, as opposed to the son of God. It's interesting that at the 1 minute mark in this video she seems to imply that Mr. Warren's faithfulness to his wife for 40 years is nearly impossible. This is probably a window into her life more than his. Somehow, despite her pin-up girl roots, she has rebranded herself as a nurturing supermom and an advocate for autism cures. Only in America can you pull off a turn-around like that.
So there you have it. Rick Warren sits on the couch with an assortment of Bible rejecting, man-hating harpies. He has been brought on the show for his opinion. Behind him on the big screen are lots of pictures of Rick Warren with his arms outspread and a glowing light behind him, as if he was the Messiah. He's even introduced as 'Pastor' and Mrs. Walters claims he is one of the most influential ministers in America. The stage has been set. He has been presented as an expert by the harpies. Whatever he says next will carry a lot of weight with the audience. The hostesses, trained entertainers that they are at least pretend to hang on his every word. Not only does he have a rapt audience surrounding him, he has a TV camera and an audience of millions. Millions of people with a Godless eternity before them and the lake of fire awaiting them. What does he say?
Pretty much nothing. He says nothing you couldn't get from any number of unregenerate self-help authors. He has a golden opportunity to stand up for Jesus Christ, and instead he says meaningless phrases like 'Love is a choice'. Actually, Mr. Warren, 'love' is a verb. Sometimes a noun, but usually a verb. He never one mentions the name of Jesus Christ and only mentions God once in passing as in 'we are committed to God', whatever that means. Which God? The God of the Bible or the god of Jenny McCarthy?
The audience and the hostesses heard him speak for several minutes and not once did he offer them anything more than what they had come with. They remained without hope, and without God while he pocketed the money and gloried in the spotlight.
How hard would it have been to say something like " The beginning of the foundation of our marriage is a belief in the salvation available through the shed blood of Jesus Christ" or "If it weren't for Jesus and how he saved me from hell, we wouldn't have a good marriage." Or " Until I repented and believed the gospel, I had no idea what love even was." I mean, I'm willing to give the guy a bit of latitude here. There are only a couple of reasons he wouldn't have said anything like that. One reason is that he doesn't believe anything of the sort. The brainless empty platitudes he regurgitated may in fact, be his opinion on the matter. That's pretty scary in itself, but the alternative may be worse. He may know the truth and be afraid to say it. If you present the Bible to Jenny the harlot, and her conscience is pricked, you don't get invited back. Oprah won't promote your book if you don't toe the party line. If that's the case, that he was silenced by either fear or self-love,the blood of millions is now on his hands.
Mr. Warren is a best-selling author, and quite wealthy, and there is no danger that the producers of 'The View' will be asking me to come on anytime soon. Nobody even knows who I am. But I decided years ago that I would rather do the job the way God says do it and by consequence labour in obscurity, than to sell and out and be put in the spotlight. What Rick Warren has isn't even worth having. A Christianity where God exists just to give you a better life now or to help you lose weight or to fix your crummy marriage isn't a faith worth dying for, and that's why the Rick Warrens of the world have no martys. When's the last time you heard of somebody dying for their 'purpose driven life'?
What's worse about it all is that because he has the spotlight, and the microphone, people like him become the definition of what Christianity is in the minds of the world. Those of us that try to do right are accused of being 'mean' and 'angry by comparison. Why can't you be more like Rick or Joel? The reason we can't be more like Rick or Joel is because we can't sell out God like they have.
The world promotes what the world approves of, and Mr. Warren..I'm sorry 'Pastor' Warren, isn't part of the solution; he's part of the problem.
If you want a gutless, spineless, gelding Christianity, you're welcome to it. I'm going to keep the faith once delivered to the saints.
No comments:
Post a Comment