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Church Divided Unites Under The Wrong Flag
As I reflect on the new war on terrorism and the recent attack on the United States, I am frankly outraged by the way the Church has responded to these events, and not surprised by how both New York City and federal government agencies have responded to the Church. At first I was upset by the way New York City officials marginalized the Church immediately after the World Trade Center attacks. While I ministered alongside trauma counselors at Ground Zero, I was surprised to see how few clergy and Church groups were there and the lack of interaction between the government and the Church. But a cursory analysis of this situation showed that since the Church in New York City is so fragmented, we have no unified way of addressing a major crisis in a timely or effective fashion. So why shouldn't we be dismissed as marginal. But therein lies the problem for me. I wouldn't mind the Church being marginalized if it was because we were so utterly different than the corrupt society around us. Unfortunately, we are marginalized because we are so much like our messed up culture, and we are viewed by most as an ineffectual and archaic institution. Therefore, we can't possibly be prophetic if we are looked upon as a Church without something important to say or contribute. The ancient Church, as depicted in the Bible's "Acts of the Apostles" (see especially Chapter 2), was so radically different than the pagan society around it that the Roman government did everything it could to get rid of it. In contrast, in America, our civil society with its civil religion has institutionally acquired the compassionate ministry/social services side of the church so that we are no longer considered necessary. What God has called us to do as a Community of faith, we have handed over to the government. Worst yet, the Church has sided with the status quo in its response to the recent attacks. Amazingly, the Church as a whole seems to be on the side of the military. On Christian radio and media all over the country there isn't a great outcry for peace, but an overwhelming support for the military actions in Afghanistan. What kind of Church supports war? Where in the New Testament does it say we should side with our governments when there is war? In fact, the whole of Scripture points to exactly the opposite: "Blessed are the peacemakers." (I wouldn't be surprised to hear that a few Christian aid and relief agencies are arriving in the war-zone with the help of the US military. This could easily turn into a 21st century colonialistic missionary endeavor, not unlike our ill-conceived 18th & 19th century culture-crushing missions into Africa, Asia and South America. Any Christian group wanting to do relief work in a war-torn country should steer clear of outside government assistance if it wants to remain faithful to its witness.) You see, I want the Church to be marginalized. I want it to be persecuted by the misguided governments of the world. When the Church is so radically like Jesus, the people living in darkness won't look for our backing and support, but search for ways to silence us. A recent poll shows that ninety percent of America supports the President and Congress in their actions against the Taliban. We are not a people of faith when we support our civil government's war. The most accommodating stance the Church should take is in abstaining from comment-certainly not the total support we have given. But even that would be wrong, because war is pure Evil. Period. There are no winners. Please don't be confused that this is simply some "just-war" debate. This is a "who is the Church" debate. The Government and its co-opted Church wants us to return to a state of normalcy. We Christians should not want the Church or our society to return to normal. Instead, we should want the Church to cry out with one unified voice for peace, speaking prophetically Words that are counter to a culture that is living in bondage and darkness. I want to see the Church stand up and preach the Word of God: "God does not want one to perish, but all to come to salvation." When Christians kill or sit by idle while others kill, they cease to be the Church (remember the German "Christians" during World War II). When born-again Christians divorce or have abortions in equal or greater numbers than the non-practicing segments of our society, then they cease to be the Church-they simply become "the Hypocrites." No wonder we are ignored. Now is the time for prophecy: both to society and to the Church. But our declarations do not have to be condemnatory or hell-fire prophesies. Instead, they should be moral affirmations, in Word and deed. We should be standing up for the poor, the oppressed, the downtrodden, the abandoned, and those who don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior-to practice our mission: setting the captives free. What I should be reading about in the media is how the Church is being insensitive and intolerant because our proclamation efforts have increased since the World Trade Center attack to the point of obsessiveness. Aren't we supposed to be messengers of hope to a lost world. We should be preaching against the sinfulness of the Taliban, terrorism, and, yes, the American globalistic, anti-environmental, and capitalistic policies that hurt so many in the world. Satan blinds us when we think that the United States are the good guys. There is only one Good Guy. It's time for Christians to wave our Christian flags, the Cross, not our American ones. They are definitely not the same. I am Christian first, a husband second, a son, a brother, a cousin, an uncle, a minister, a member of my community, a learner, and, maybe, next I am an American. If that's unpatriotic, let me tell you that I volunteered to serve this country when I was a younger man--but now my "citizenship is in Heaven." Patriotism for ones country must be balanced by a Christian's love of his/her God. And that balance better be the most lopsided it can be. Do you get it? When we became Christians we were called out of the world to save people from destroying themselves. So let's get to it. Peace be with you. Pastor Paul Dordal is a missionary pastor living in the Norwood section of The Bronx, New York. He most recently served as Pastor for Administration at First Alliance Church in Manhattan (eight blocks from the WTC). He currently serves as Assistant Vice President for External Affairs at Nyack College in Nyack, NY. You can reach him at pauldordal@juno.com
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