While in seminary down in Fort Worth, Texas, I frequently went to Texas Rangers baseball games. Back in the early 2000s, it was just $5 to sit in the upper decks and watch Major League Baseball. The stadium was only about fifteen minutes from my house, so needless to say, I went all the time!
One such afternoon at the ballgame, I strolled up with a friend and fellow seminary student. The Rangers were playing the Oakland A's and it just so happened to unofficially be "Gay Night" at the ballpark. Neither of us knew that was going to be the case. If we did, we might have begged our wives harder to come with us. However, as we walked into the stadium, protestors were outside with signs that had messages on them about what God hates. One such sign read, "God hates you." The other signs were derogatory as you can imagine. I could share specifically what they said, but you probably already know. Plus, I'd rather not have whatever social media site block this post from you reading it, because the ultimate message of it is more important. Plus, you're a smart cookie that knows how to use the Google machine if you have to.
I soon found out that the protestors were with Westboro Baptist Church, which is actually not a real church and definitely not real Baptists. They are indeed, a hate group. Its unfortunate that they use the name church and baptist, because truthfully, they might as well be called the Westboro Ku Klux Klan Light. I didn't realize this at the time. I assumed they were a real church and it immediately sparked concern in me. I actually went and engage one of the individuals, telling him that it was a shame that he was displaying messages that told people God hates them. He argued with me, accusing me of being a lukewarm Christian or probably not even a Christian. He spouted scriptures out of proper context about God's vengeance and judgment. And, I soon realized, I wasn't going to get anywhere with the individual by debating. My best bet was to just go enjoy the game and pray passionately for this individual and organization.
These protestors are the extreme obviously. However, I can't help but have concern sparked in me again now when I see the way some so-called Christ-followers engage our world in anger.
Let me be clear, I am committed follower of Jesus Christ. I am Southern Baptist. I don't claim a political party, because I believe the primary 2 are both Godless. I choose Jesus before politics. I believe in sharing the gospel. I believe in doing God's Kingdom work and living out His Great Commission. I believe in loving others in Christ's name, even those I disagree with. I also believe the bible is the inerrant word of God. It is the revelation of God and the redemption plan for mankind. Its truths are crucial to our lives, and I believe on living my life, standing on biblical truth....God's truth.
I want to share all of that to get any potential assumptions out of the way based on what I share in the rest of this post.
As I write this, we are in the midst of Pride Month. As you know, June is the month every year that many in our society and around the world celebrate LGBTQ lifestyles. This topic of angry Christians is fresh on my mind, because it feels like every June, there is a retaliation of sorts from people that call themselves Christians to the mass messaging, display of rainbow flags, and events held all month.
To be truthful, in many cases, I can't help but be reminded of how I felt seeing the Westboro Baptist Church hold up signs telling people that God hates them. In most cases, whether it be online or in conversations, there is no way I'd lump most of the response into the same level of intensity as the Westboro haters. But, most of it seems to come from a place less about the conviction of the Holy Spirit, righteous anger, or Christ-like love and more from a place of political belief, tradition, fear, and prideful arrogance.
Let me again be clear. I'm not a defender of sin. I don't agree with the LGBTQ lifestyle, just like I don't agree with the lifestyle of a drunkard, thief, materialistic self-absorbed socialite, or prideful political church-goer that claims to do all they do in the name of Jesus.
I write this because I am frustrated as a follower of Christ. Too often, there are poor ambassadors carrying the name of Jesus. Yes, too often, Christians are only known for what they're against more than what they are for. With that said, there is a time and place to take a stand, speak boldly, and call sin a sin. But, there's also a reason why scripture is clear about being slow to speak and quick to hear.
"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger." James 1:19
There's a lot of firing off out of anger instead of prayerful and wise, discerning engagement.
Response to Pride Month isn't the only issue I intend to address. It's in everything, all the time. Social media is a minefield of explosive talk, memes, argument, and hate.
The Southern Baptist Convention will be meeting next week. I wish I could attend, but will be unable. However, I am praying for many of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who will be in attendance. Too much of what comes out of my own convention seems angry. SBC Twitter is frankly an embarrassment. I have to take it in doses.
When I was a Chaplain at West Point, I was introduced to an app called Jodel. The cadets frequently used the app. The app is an anonymous message board that allows people living in a certain city, town, or geographical location to interact with each other and talk about what is going on locally. No names or profile pictures are used. Everything can be kept anonymous if the author of the post chooses. Anyone can participate in the message board.
I was warned before I downloaded the app that Jodel was a cesspool. Boy, were the warnings correct. The app was a cancer to the corps of cadets. So much hate, anger, and immaturity spawned from the message boards. I also happened to be there during the height of COVID, so that made it much worse. Cadets and faculty used Jodel to air grievances and the rage was contagious. There were literally a couple of instances in which a revolt was being planned and nearly acted out by some cadets using Jodel as the platform to plan the riot.
Twitter and other social media isn't always anonymous, but they share similarities to Jodel in that the rage, anger, and hate is contagious. For some reason, many people believe that they can live different lives online completely separate from their reality, free of consequence.
Too often, I get sucked into a rabbit hole of Christians hating the world, Christians hating on other Christians, and Christians displaying anger over any other emotion or message.
THIS IS A PROBLEM.
But with that said, I do know better. I know there are many good believers out there. There are believers who genuinely love Jesus and want the world to know hope. There are believers who live God's Word and commit their lives to serving others. There are believers who get disgusted with the fact that we kick our own when they're down, we quarrel amongst ourselves, and we seem to always be misrepresented because of our own actions.
The issue is, that message and intention of these truly committed believers is getting drowned out by the gross noise of anger.
Admittedly, when I worked at West Point, I often talked to cadets that were equally disgusted by the things they read on Jodel or they deleted the app altogether because they saw it as the evil forum that it was. In fact, the majority of the cadets I talked to wanted nothing to do with Jodel. It was a smaller faction of cadets that engaged on the app and made all the noise. Unfortunately, the noise of that minority infected everyone.
The same holds true in our churches, in our Christian circles, in our convention, and in our world. The noise of the angry minority is infecting everything. And, you better believe that it is not a work of God. It is the work of the enemy.
Just like the lady who rocked pro-Jesus bumper stickers on her car that cut in front of me in traffic and then flipped me off last week, there is a faction of so-called Christians that are flipping off the world in the "name of Jesus" and we are all paying the price.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ. I have no problem saying that. I am not ashamed of that! I share my faith boldly.
As someone who carries the label of Jesus Christ in America, I also carry some other labels unfortunately.
It is assumed by many because of my Jesus label, that I am also a Republican, Trump supporter, a supporter of people carrying around automatic rifles, a hater of gays, in conspiracy with covering up sexual abuse in the church, a hateful bigot, and that I would rather argue with someone who doesn't believe the same as me rather than have a love for them, that includes serving them and caring for their needs.
Truthfully, none of those assumptions about me are true.
We can't always help how we are labeled. As long as there are people that disagree with you, they can assume anything about you. It will happen. However, we can do a great deal to help ourselves and more importantly, help be a good ambassador for the name of Jesus Christ.
We all know the 10 Commandments. That third commandment is an oft overlooked one.
"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain." Exodus 20:7
Vain can mean "empty, nothing, or worthless". The command is to not bear the name of God in a worthless way or for a wicked purpose. God is serious about His name. Just as we do not like to be mislabeled, God definitely does not want to be mislabeled. He wants us to know who He is. He wanted us to know who He is so much so that He sent Jesus to earth to live as a man. He gave us the bible, revealing Himself to us. He has sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in us if we are in Christ.
Names are important.
When God called me into the Army as a missionary, a chaplain, I met a Soldier during my first year that asked me the question, "Why are chaplains always grumpy?"
It broke my heart to hear that question. The Soldier wasn't joking around. He was sincere in his questioning. In his experience with chaplains, he assumed all were grumpy and angry. As a chaplain, my mission is to bring God to Soldiers and Soldiers to God. How can I do that if I am grumpy and angry?
Who wants to come to someone who is grumpy and angry? If I carry the name of God and I am angry all the time, what about that reveals God's true character and encourages a lost person to follow Him?
Absolutely nothing.
Does God hate sin?
Yes.
Does sin anger God?
Yes.
Does that mean that God is angry all the time?
No.
In fact, God is loving all the time. God is the picture Jesus presented in the parable of the Prodigal Son.
Think of it like this.....
Do most people get upset, angry, and saddened when there's a mass shooting at a school?
Yes.
Christian or non-Christian alike, a mass shooting at a school is a tragedy that will invoke all kinds of emotions, to include anger.
Does that mean we are angry people if we get passionate and fired up over a terrorist killing children?
No.
We get angry at the act, because we love.
God hates sin, because He loves every single one of us. And, all of us have sinned.
Sin keeps us from Him. Sin keeps us experiencing the best things that God offers us.
Save the Calvinistic debates for another day, but God doesn't hate someone because they continue to rebel and pursue sin. God loves that person and wants them to come home.
That is quite different than an angry Father. God isn't standing with His arms crossed, waiting to chop the legs out from under every prideful individual. He wants to crush the sin of pride and save the individual.
This isn't a denial of or discussion about righteous anger, or when Jesus turned over the temple tables.
We should get passionate about helping people get out of sin and be delivered. It SHOULD FIRE US UP!
But, it shouldn't make us angry and grumpy people.
Our Heavenly Father isn't an angry and grumpy person.
We are called to be imitators of our Father. (Ephesians 5:1)
Before you post, repost, debate, get sarcastic, quarrel, or assume, be slow to speak, listen and pray.
Quit flipping off the world in the name of Jesus.
God isn't impressed with that.
In fact, He hates that sin.
He loves you.
He wants you to come home too.
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