Hugs and kisses at the prayer house…

For me, the firestorm that is currently engulfing the ministry of Bishop Eddie Long- the religious leader who has been accused of forcing male members of his megachurch located in Atlanta to have sex with him- is just another act in the centuries-old drama that features the struggles of men and women trying to stand on Mount Horeb while keeping their shoes on.

In other words, the war between flesh and spirit has been waged for some time- with all of its falls from grace and battles won; with all of its false witnessing and faith rewarded.

The conflict is such that Paul’s exhortation to members of the church to “salute one another with an holy kiss” can be easily tweaked on any given Sunday.

So in that context there is no indictment of Bishop Long here. It’s not even about him; just recognition of where Peter was coming from when he wrote about the righteous scarcely being saved..

I’m sorry, but your mother is going to hell…

Technorati Tags: Religion,Christopher Hitchens,cancer,atheism,faith,politics,socialism,Christianity,Islam

Earlier today I came across an article about noted intellectual, author and atheist (or anti-theist, as he has described himself) Christopher Hitchens, who is in the throes of a death journey due to esophageal cancer. The focus of the article was that today a prayer day was proclaimed in Hitchen’s honor. Not surprisingly Hitchens said that he would not be participating, although he allowed that there are those that are genuine in their compassion and in that context it is “a nice gesture.” The article states that “The way the English-born Hitchens sees it, the people praying for him break down into three basic groups: those who seem genuinely glad he’s suffering and dying from cancer; those who want him to become a believer in their religious faith; and those that are asking God to heal him.”

As a Christian it occurred to me that, sadly, the first group is as real and as deadly as the disease that is currently ravaging Hitchen’s body. As far as the individuals that belong to that group are concerned, the teachings and examples of Christ don’t matter and they won’t hesitate to say or do hideous and wicked things in His name. Some will undoubtedly say, “Well, those are not true Christians!”  Hmmm. Seems like I’ve heard that same type of defense regarding another faith during the past few years…