Drinking Kool-Aide in the New Jonestown

I saw where Tony Jones recently bragged on his weblog about changing his title to Ecclesiologist. Why not? He’s a poor theologian.

While reading “The New Kierkegaardians Christians”, I am reminded of Jim Jones. He was a church leader too. Jim Jones was a sweaty, lecherous, megalomaniac who led his flock to their deaths in a sweaty place called Jonestown. They killed themselves drinking Kool-Aide which Pastor Jones served to them. It was a case of murder by bad theology.

Whenever someone talks about Kool-Aide in a political, sociological, or religious context, it is a reference to Jonestown. And by the way, the Kool-Aide in Jonestown was poisoned. The poison was the lethal part.

Is Tony’s theology poisoned? I think it is.

Having arrived at Chapter 4 – “The Theology Stupid”, I wonder about the people who choose to swallow this drivel. Why don’t they see the flaw in Tony’s theology when he says; “And finally, the world, to which the gospel would be preached was not the planet Earth. The only world known to Jesus was the Roman Empire…” (pg. 98)? Either Tony Jones thinks God is very limited in His knowledge, or he doesn’t think Jesus was God.

Seeing what Mr. Jones says about postmodernism as the ingredient to liberate theology, I have to wonder if Emergers will swallow anything and everything with a “new” label slapped on it.  How can they not perceive his subterfuge when he ties “foundationalism” to biblical faith and declares both wrong (pg. 19 & 103)?  According to Tony, there isn’t an “indubitable foundation” in the Bible, or for knowing God (pg. 19). Tony Jones replaces the breath of life (Genesis 2:7) with existentialism when he speaks about “conceiving” of  being a follower Christ (pg. 103). Tony says his Kierkegaardian theology begets a new way of life!

I‘ve highlighted many such flaws and poisonous contradictions in my copy of the book. I could go on and on, but reading this book is tiresome! Tony and I are worlds apart in what we believe. 

Tony says that theology is defined as "words about God" (pg. 47). How is it that Tony’s three pillars of Emergent theology; it should be local, conversational, and temporary -- are considered by anyone as being consistent with the Holy Bible? Is God not omnipresent, all-knowing, and eternal? Tony Jones doesn’t seem to think so, and his Emergent brethren seem to agree. According to Emergent theology, their words about God don’t have to agree with the Word of God.

How is it that such a man as Tony Jones can be considered fit to define what a church should be?

Watch out for the poison in the theological Kool-aide Mr. Jones is serving! Drink from the fount of Emergent theology at your own peril!

The Emerging Arrogance (Building the Kingdom) - Part 1

Let's look at what Emergers are saying about building God's kingdom.

"Our dream is to join in the activity of God in the world wherever we are able, partnering with God as God’s dreams for our world come true. In the process, the world can be healed and changed, and so can we." -- Emergent Village

That seems kind of harmless on the surface. Many Christians probably won't object to that. Some may think it is a poorly constructed way of saying that the Emergers plan to serve God until Christ returns. I submit that is a not so subtle way of saying that they believe they will usher in the kingdom of God through their efforts.

The best way to understand a system of thought is to get to the root of it. When it comes to getting to the root of a crime or conspiracy, the current trend is to 'follow the money'. We need to 'follow the theology' to understand the statements made by these Emergers.

When we look at who is behind Emergent Village we find a fellow by the name of Brian McLaren. This is great, because I happen to remember that name from Phil Perkins' weblog. This is like striking gold, because McLaren is an outspoken Emerger. He is well published and we'll have no trouble finding out what McLaren thinks.

On that note, let's examine a short quote on McLaren's thoughts concerning the correct exegesis of the Holy Bible. The following quote comes from a 'fictional' presentation of McLaren's views of postmodernity and Christianity.

"Our interpretations reveal less about God or the Bible than they do about ourselves. They reveal what we want to defend, what we want to attack, what we want to ignore, what we're unwilling to question..." (A New Kind of Christian, 50)

McLaren essentially says that the reader of the Bible gets to decide what the text means to him or her. McLaren thinks you'll understand the Bible better if you forget about trying to understand God or the Bible itself. His view is that you should just allow it to say whatever you want it to say. McLaren rejects the notion that there is a correct way to understand the Bible.

So the root of Emergent theology is relativism, according to the movement's most prominent speaker, Brian McLaren.

It depends on what your definition of 'is' is.

Now I expect some reader to accuse me of jumping to conclusions here. Relativism is slippery, and McLaren is the Bill Clinton of theology. Some are going to read that quote and think that McLaren is referring to a reasonably orthodox understanding of scripture. Christians are supposed to learn a lot about themselves from the Bible, right?. But that is not what McLaren means, he wants you to reject the notion that you will find absolute truth in the Bible.

Let's look at how McLaren embraces postmodernism and apologizes for having renounced it. The following is from an interview McLaren has on his web site.

Q: I found your piece uncharacteristic. You are normally careful not to use inflammatory language, but you called talk about the “postmodern church” ridiculous. Wasn’t that kind of harsh?
A. I regret using that word. I’m sorry for offending or hurting people.

Q: You put people like me in a really tough situation. On our website, we refer to ourselves as a postmodern church, so now we have been judged by you as ridiculous.
A: Again, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sure you have good reasons for using that terminology on your website, and I don’t criticize you at all.

Q: I thought you were all about the postmodern church. Why would you say there aren’t any?
A: I guess I was having a bad day. I think everyone can relate to having a bad day.

Postmodernism requires the rejection of any claims to absolute truth. A postmodernist interpretation requires the reader of the Gospel to think like Pilate.

Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
(Joh 18:37-38 KJV)

Postmodernism says Jesus Christ was either ignorant, crazy, or a liar when He speaks about truth.

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
(Joh 14:5-7 KJV)

Postmodernism is the doctrine of the Serpent, friends. "God didn't really tell you the truth. For he knows that when you interpret the Bible the way you want to read it, you'll be as gods and be wise." Brian McLaren is subtle, because his only conviction is that truth is relative. The way of the Emergents is the way of subtlety.

We'll take a look at what the King had to say about the Kingdom in the next post.

The Emergent Confusion

I constantly find myself astonished at the heresies being proclaimed by so-called Christians. I'm beginning to think we could study a different popular heresy every day for the next year and not run out of them. The Emergent Church is the Al-Queda of Christianity. It's an infestation that seems to have the marks of an Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ cult.

A brother by the name of Phil Perkins has been blogging on the Emergent church for some time. I must admit that I had heard the term 'emergent church' many months ago. I didn't pay enough attention then to even find out what the term meant. I first heard of it from a very liberal fellow who claims to be Christian. He is a rather undiscriminating critic of Christianity in general, so I took it as undeserved epithet.

But I ran smack up against an Emergent web site tonight while looking at tools for Bible blogging. I could not believe what they were saying about making God's dreams come true. How arrogant can they be? Gee, aren't you glad that somebody has figured out that God is too puny to make his own dreams come true?

Notice that these people fancy themselves as 'kingdom builders'. Osama and Mahmoud are kingdom builders too. They don't like the current order of things either. Emergers have the notion that they are going to evangelize the world through good works while purposely down-playing the Gospel. Their gospel is a social message. They claim that the Church has alienated the rest of the world by proclaiming the message of sin, righteousness, and judgement. Emergers hope to restore Christianity to its 'authentic' form.

I found that Emergent web site through a blog about a new bible translation, The Books of the Bible. It seems to be a version tailored for Emergers. The following bullet points are very interesting;

• chapter and verse numbers are removed from the text (a chapter-and-verse range is at the bottom of each page)
• individual books are presented with the literary divisions that their authors have indicated
• footnotes, section headings and other supplementary materials have been removed from the text (translators’ notes are available at the back of each book)
• the books of the Bible have been placed in an order that provides more help in understanding, based on literary genre, historical circumstance and theological tradition
• single books that later translations or tradition divided
  into two or more books are made whole again
  (example: Luke-Acts)
• single-column setting that clearly and naturally presents the
  literary forms of the Bible’s books

Ah how refreshing! Yes, nominal Christians aren't reading their Bibles, so we have a few tricks to fool them into thinking it's just another book. Who knew that footnotes, verse numbers, and chapters were hindering Christians all along? This will fix everything that is wrong with the church!

It's late and I need to call it a day. There are so many things wrong with this movement that I can't hope to scratch the surface tonight.

From the foundation of the world

"I want you to get a bigger vision. There are exciting things in your future. Your future is filled with marked moments of blessing, increase, promotion. God has already ordained before the foundation of the world, the right people, the right opportunity. Time and chance are coming together for you. Why don’t you get your hopes up?" Osteen tells his audience. "Why don't you start believing that no matter what you have or haven't done, that your best days are still out in front of you."  -- Joel Osteen from video clip featured in an October 2007 interview on the CBS program, 60 Minutes

Joel Osteen tells his listeners that God has ordained earthly prosperity for them.  He says that God has set up people and opportunities from the foundation of the world for them to get an increase or a promotion. Does the Bible say that? Lets see...

The phrase "foundation of the world" is found in ten places, all in the New Testament. It is used to speak of secrets that Christ taught in parables; a kingdom to be occupied by believers after the judgment of the sheep and the goats; blood for which Israel is judged, love between the father and the son, ...etc. The references are listed below. And none of them refer to opportunities appointed to specific believers to reap prosperity. 

1. things which have been kept secret (Mat 13:35)
2. the kingdom prepared for believers (Mat 25:34)
3. the blood of all the prophets, which was shed (Luk 11:50)
4. the love of the Father for the Son (Joh 17:24)
5. believers chosen (Joh 17:24)
6. the works (of God) were finished (Heb 4:3)
7. blood of an inferior sacrifice shed many times (Heb 9:26)
8. Christ, the lamb (1Pe 1:20)
9. Christ, the lamb slain (Rev 13:8)
10. names were not written in the book of life (Rev 17:8)

Osteen admits that he isn't qualified to teach the Bible and he doesn't feel called to do that. He wants to be a life-coach to the Church. He apparently doesn't mind making up doctrine to motivate Christians to do what he thinks they ought to do. He spent $100 million remodeling a basketball arena for preaching, but he forgot to include a cross in the sanctuary. He doesn't think he needs one, answering "I don't know" when asked why a cross isn't there.

People claim that he preaches the Gospel, but how can he do that when he leaves the cross out of it?

My people perish for lack of knowledge. (A Letter to an American Family)

Dear Family,

I just came back from visiting you in another State. I was encouraged by the opportunities I was given to witness and minister, but I am discouraged by the sad condition of my people.

I saw you living in conflict, each one fighting to be the one in charge. The youngest son, 9 years-old, has learned how to set traps for his parents. He's learned how to divide his mother and father against one another. Momma and Poppa don't need any help with that. They're divided already. The wife has put the children first in her household. Father is assumed to be under suspicion, but the children are assumed to be blameless. The older son, 15 years-old, wasn't raised any better. He is liable to sit by and watch Dad be condemned by Mom and little brother for committing made-up crimes. Big brother might have first hand knowledge of Dad's innocence in the matter at hand, but it might be to his strategic advantage to keep silent. Though I have not seen big brother do that, I know that he used to practice the same manipulation as little brother. I was once a victim of big brother's schemes. I saw a train wreck of a family, and it breaks my heart.

I'm pretty sure that each one of you; Mom, Dad, and the two boys consider yourselves to be Christian. But you treat each other much too often like you don't know Christ at all. You act like you are ashamed of the Gospel. You've clearly bought into the notion that the Bible is a book of old stories that has no relevance to your lives. Yet you feed on practically all of the pig slop that this American culture serves up. Your hearts and minds are far from God, as demonstrated by your interactions with each other. If only you knew what Christ said the about the human heart and hypocrisy!

If only Mom and Dad knew what God says about marriage, family life, and how to raise up children. But you don't want to hear about it, because you think you're good people. Never mind the fact that you treat each other with contempt. Each one is convinced in his or her own mind that the other one is the problem. You are smart, but it would be better for you if you were humble.

If you truly knew Jesus Christ, then you would be concerned about sin, righteousness, and judgment. You should be alarmed that the fruit of the Spirit is absent in your dealings with one another. You'd practice forgiveness and restoration instead of vengeance and division. Christians would bless and encourage one another, not curse and lash out at spouse or child. Only God knows if you truly believe. Your actions indicate that you have little love for one another, which is a sign of unbelief.

I love you dearly, but who else is going to speak the truth to you? I don't know. I'd rather be an outcast and lose the relationship I have with you, than to say nothing and see you continue on this way.

Dad, Mom, and boys...you ought to be concerned about your relationship with God. Christians are supposed to act like God's people. He doesn't save you, because you're good. He offers you salvation in Christ, because you're a dirty rotten sinner and you're condemned. He saves you, because you can't save yourself. He says that a believer is going to demonstrate their faith in action. He says that the world will know that you belong to Him, because you'll have love for one another. If you believe, then you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you to accomplish these things in your lives.  Where is the Spirit in your lives? What will He say about your heart when you stand before Him?

You know that God sees into your heart, don't you? You should know that, because the Bible tells us so. (See the later part of John chapter 2 for one of many places where that is given). Have you thought about what Christ would say about contents of your heart? He says that what you say and do comes from your heart. He says that you lie when you say you are His, but then you turn around and act like a child of the Satan.

What is the sum total of your Christian life? The answer to that is an indication of whether you are a believer or a make-believer. Do you know what else He says about one who says they believe and yet acts like a devil? He says that you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven for others by making a mockery of the Gospel. You may not care about your eternal soul, but what about the others?

I write these things knowing that others will gladly contradict them. You'll have no trouble finding someone who will tell you that the Bible doesn't really mean what it says. You can find pastors and priests who will tell you what you'd rather hear. After all, how do you think we've come to this sad condition as a people?

Have you noticed any positive change in me since I became a Christian ten years ago?  Have I been a blessing to you?  If there is anything good in me, then it is by the grace of God and His work in me through the Holy Spirit.  God will do the same for you if you turn to Him.  The kindness of God is meant to turn you to repentance.  Why don't you ask Him to teach you to bless each other?  Ask in honest faith and it shall be given unto you.

I run the risk of becoming a laughingstock and a stranger to you because I'm concerned for you. I'd rather be outcast than see you continue to reap judgment.  God will restore honor to your house through you, if you will only submit to Him.

Love,
REB

PS: I haven't actually sent this letter to you, my family. You won't understand, because you're in darkness.  I just hope and pray God will continue to give me opportunities to speak the words of life to you so that you might hear and believe.