Evangelicals don't care about the environment, damn it!
The main reason I started Page 132 was that I completely agreed with Donald Miller's profound realization, "I felt like, by going to this particular church, I was a pawn for the Republicans. Meanwhile, the Republicans did not give a crap about the causes of Christ."So I have been watching very closely the latest scuffle between The Old Guard (Dobson et al) and some emerging leaders of modern American evangelical Christianity.
You see, National Association of Evangelical’s vice president for governmental affairs, Rich Cizik, has called for real action to avert the dangers of global warming and dramatic climate change.
In response, The Old Guard sent a letter (PDF) asking the National Association of Evangelicals to fire Richard Cizik, ostensibly because "we perceive as a threat to the unity and integrity of the Association." The threat? Cizik has gone on record as saying, "We [proponents of global warming] are the future, and the old guard,” he continued, “is reaching up to grasp its authority back, like a horror movie where a hand comes out of the grave.”
In their letter, The Old Guard say, "Cizik and others are using the global warming controversy to shift the emphasis away from the great moral issues of our time, notably the sanctity of human life, the integrity of marriage and the teaching of sexual abstinence and morality to our children."
However, at the end of the letter, they let their real concern slip, "Finally, Cizik’s disturbing views seem to be contributing to growing confusion about the very term, “evangelical.” As a recent USA Today article notes: “Evangelical was the label of choice of Christians with conservative views on politics, economics and biblical morality."
It isn't just the same ol' hot button social issues, it is bigger than that. The Old Guard have invested most of their adult life trying to gain power within the Republican Party and we shouldn't forget that. Evangelicals are committed to conservative views on politics and economics? Where exactly is that in Scripture? Oh yeah, in the Republican Party platform.
Sickening...
Postscript - The new leader of the NAE is supporting Cizik and rejecting the calls by The Old Guard for him to be removed. Money quote-"Anderson, meanwhile, told the paper Cizik was 'a great asset' and noted that Dobson's organization released the letter to the news media before NAE officials were aware of it. 'I guess that says it all,' he said." I'd say Mr. Anderson has a measure of the man that Dobson and his activists are.
posted by Expat Teacher @ 11:47 PM
