Social Justice, Vineyard Columbus and "gay rights"

The Vineyard Church of Columbus, a the 7000 member mega-church pastored by Rich Nathan hosted a 3 day “Justice Revival” back in April. On the 2nd night attendees were scolded by Shane Claiborne because he said the church was perceived as being "anti-gay". Mr Claiborne ended in a high spirited proclamation that the Vineyard was going to show that they weren't “anti-gay, judgmental and hypocritical”. Mr Claiborne is one of several "friends” who writes blogs for Jim Wallis “God's Politics” blog (as does Rich Nathan). It should be noted that Jim Wallis, the featured speaker at the “Justice Revival” openly promotes homosexual rights as a “Social Justice” issue. Considering that only homosexuals were mentioned in Mr Claiborne's generous proclamation (and not generically extended to all the lost and fallen) serious Christians rightly question if Mr Claiborne was merely advancing a shared goal from the Vineyard Columbus pulpit.

During the”Justice Revival” Mr Wallis, who founded Sojourners repeatedly referred to evangelist Charles Finney who signed people up at his revivals to end slavery. About 3 weeks after the Justice Revival, Sojourners sent a “survey” to revival attendees which included an invitation for volunteers to work on a bounty of liberal political issues including “GLBTQ rights” (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer "rights"). Will Vineyard members be helping homosexuals fight for same-sex-marriage and adoption "rights" during this election year cycle?

Several comments by Rich Nathan have made it into several openly gay news and blog sites including an Associated Press story is also being quoted in gay news sites. 365gay.com had an article “Evangelical Group Seeks To Move Away From Anti-Gay Focus”:

An evangelical group that wants to reshape the movement's political reputation for being focused on opposing abortion and same-sex marriage is hoping that a series of meetings stressing its roots in women's suffrage and abolition will help it break out of the mold.

"Lots of people feel that the evangelical label has been taken captive by a very narrow political program," said the Rev. Rich Nathan, senior pastor at The Vineyard Church of Columbus, which is hosting the revival. "Folks don't feel that that represents them. Many of the so-called evangelical leaders are saying, we didn't elect these people, they don't represent us. How did they become our spokespeople? How did this narrow agenda become our agenda?"

The Bible is very clear about what is sin and what is not. Rich Nathan may argue that he does not support gay rights or marriage but when he says such things and allows such things to happen in his church at a so called “Justice Revival” mature Christians may rightly raise questions.

Rich Nathan's hand is on the tiller of the Columbus Vineyard and he is responsible not only for what his guest speakers say but also where his guest speakers lead the sheep under his charge.

The Desperate Need To Learn Wisdom

In his May congregational email entitled “The Desperate Need To Learn Civility As A Church And As A Culture” Rich Nathan, a gifted public speaker, expressed dismay and scolded the uncivil language a number of people used when expressing how upset they were about the Justice Revival. But just last month Mr Nathan threw civility under the bus taking potshots at creationists and global warming skeptics from the pulpit. Nathan performed impersonations of creationists and global warming skeptics as 2 dimensional, Archie Bunker stereotypes at a service for teenagers and 20 somethings. Using creationists and global warming skeptics as object lessons of people who “were not the brightest or sharpest knife in the drawer” Nathan went so far as to imply that they were waging a “culture war against science”. The teenagers roared with laughter at Nathan's uncivil remarks but those of us with gray hair know that you have to watch what you say to the young-uns as they are not known for their discernment and will learn to mimic his contempt and unchrist like treatment of others (especially creationists).

As Paul's letters to Timothy point out; church leaders need to be held accountable to a high standard of conduct but when that involves a popular speaker like Nathan, bringing accountability becomes not only more difficult but also more important. Hero worship of a charismatic leader can lead to a feeling of invincibility in a pastor and the feeling that the pastor can say or do no wrong in the congregation. When combined with a Jesus as pacifist mentality in the congregation, holding a pastor accountable becomes even harder.

I hope that the parents of all those teenagers are merely unaware of Mr Nathan's bad behavior and not condoning it by their silence.

Peeling back the veil of Social Justice

Rich Nathan and Jim Wallis hosted a so called “Social Justice” revival back in April of 08 and Nathan continues to advocate "Social Justice" from the pulpit. Not being a biblical term, "Social Justice" is little more than a fuzzy buzz word to most people. If you asked 10 people what “Social Justice” was you would likely get 11 different answers (yes, I meant to say 11). What exactly is Social Justice?

Ever heard of Barack Obama's friend and political fund raiser (**) William (Bill) Ayers? Bill Ayers is a leading Social Justice advocate. He has written books on Social Justice including “Teaching for Social Justice” and as a tenured professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago is teaching “social justice” to your children's future teachers. Here us a link to one of his many “Social Justice” books:

William [ Bill ] Ayers - Teaching for Social Justice: A Democracy and Education Reader

Did you hear the joke... what do Barack Obama and Osama Bin Laden have in common??? They both have friends who bombed the nation's capitol. A few may recall that Bill Ayers is a 70's era domestic terrorist from a group called the "weathermen". The weathermen bombed about 2 dozen buildings across America (police stations, the Capitol and the Pentagon) to aid the Vietnamese communists during the Vietnam war. Bill Ayers published his book "Fugitive Days" on 9/11, 2001 and on this dark day in American history, as America was reeling from it's deadliest terrorist attack on American soil was quoted as saying "I don't regret setting bombs. I feel we didn't do enough". Mr. Ayers, published a memoir celebrating his exploits, and once described himself as ''guilty as hell, free as a bird.''

You don't have to dig too deep to discover that Social Justice is just the modern buzz word for Marxism (which Ayers advocates). Here are a few quotes from Bill Ayers:

“We need to look beyond our isolated situations, to define our problems globally. We cannot be child advocates . . . in Chicago or New York and ignore the web that links us with the children of India or Palestine.”

“In a truly just society there would be a greater sharing of the burden, a fairer distribution of material and human resources.”

For another course, titled “Improving Learning Environments,” Ayers proposes that teachers “be aware of the social and moral universe we inhabit and . . . be a teacher capable of hope and struggle, outrage and action, a teacher teaching for social justice and liberation.”

Here are 2 articles revealing some of the very disturbing things Ayers and friends are teaching our children's teachers about “Social Justice” such as "Math for Social Justice".

The Ed Schools’ Latest—and Worst—Humbug by Sol Stern

Obama's Little Red Schoolhouse

One of Ayers' descriptions for a course called "Improving Learning Environments" says a prospective K-12 teacher needs to "be aware of the social and moral universe we inhabit and . . . be a teacher capable of hope and struggle, outrage and action, teaching for social justice and liberation."

Rich Nathan may object saying that he is not advocating bombings (and he is not) but the very real and dangerous point, is the meaning of this very fuzzy, un-biblical term "Social Justice". As Bill Ayers is writing the leading educational text books on Social Justice. And he is teaching the teachers who will be in our classrooms and on our school boards, about Social Justice, I would say that Ayers has the last say on what "Social Justice" will or will not mean to the millions of school children who will be indoctrinated into what this unrepentant domestic terrorist has to say.

** Ayers and Obama served on the woods board together and Ayers hosted fund raiser parties for Obama at his house.

creationists and Global Warming skeptics mocked from the pulpit

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On 7/27/08 Rich Nathan, senior pastor of the Vineyard church of Columbus, crossed a line of ethical behavior while speaking to the Joshua house congregation (a service for hundreds of teenagers and 20 somethings). Mr Nathan, as a negative object lesson was implying that creationists and skeptics of global warming were ignorant Archie Bunker stereo types who were waging a culture war against the “reigning paradigm of science”.

Mr. Nathan suggests (quite wrongly) that we should just accept whatever dogma the "scientific"community currently happens to be peddling at the time without close scrutiny or debate. If Rich Nathan examined history a little more carefully he would be reminded of the "reigning scientific paradigm" in the days of Charles Darwin, which was that blacks and women were inferior. Please consider these quotes by evolutionists Charles Darwin and his bulldog Thomas Huxley and consider the consequences of just "accepting" the "reigning scientific paradigm" without debate.

"The more civilized so-called Caucasian races have beaten the Turkish hollow in the struggle for existence. Looking to the world at no very distant date, what an endless number of lower races will have been eliminated by the higher civilized races throughout the world." (Charles Darwin, 1881, 3 July, "Life and Letters of Darwin, vol. 1, 316")

"At some future period, not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilized races of man will almost certainly exterminate, and replace, the savage races throughout the world." (Charles Darwin, The descent of Man, Chap. vi)

"The chief distinction in the intellectual powers of the two sexes is shown by mans attaining to a higher eminence, in whatever he takes up, than the woman. Whether deep thought, reason, or imagination or merely the use of the senses and hands.....We may also infer.....The average mental power in man must be above that of woman."
(Charles Darwin, "The descent of Man, pg. 566")

"No rational man, cognizant of the facts, believes that the average Negro is the equal, still less the superior, of the white man.....it is simply incredible to think that.....he will be able to compete successfully with his bigger-brained and smaller-jawed rival, in a contest which is to be carried on by thoughts and not by bites." (Thomas Huxley, Darwin's bulldog, 1871, Lay Sermons, addresses and reviews)

I am sure that Mr Nathan would not advocate Darwin's racist views but that is not the point. Would Jesus want you to just accept a "reigning scientific paradigm" without close scrutiny? Some scientific paradigms should be debated and as is is common knowledge that evolution is taught exclusively in the public schools Mr Nathan should realize that hearing two sides of a formerly one sided debate is balance, not a culture war.

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Regarding global warming, it is public knowledge that thousands of scientists reject 'global warming'. Sex may sell cloths and movies but in the grant driven scientific community, those who generate the most fear get the most funding.  Before the United States spends well in excess of a trillion dollars to stop the sky from falling, let us make sure we are not merely buying the emperor a new set of clothes by questioning reigning scientific paradigms considered too sacrosanct to be questioned.

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Text excerpts from a sermon Rich preached on July 27, 2008, at Joshua House, the occasion being Eric Pickerel’s last Sunday. The title of the sermon was: C.A.L.L.E.D. to be a Leader. This excerpt was from the outline - #4 “A leader is a life long learner.”

I have met 25 year olds who have become really old in their thinking. They’ve, at 25, become inflexible and intolerant of other ideas, and the cement is poured around their feet, and some kind of weird sort of loyalty to those who came before them. To some theology from the 16^th century or the 20^th century or historic Vineyard, and this is what we are going to be and they become old in their thinking.

and

I have met 60 year old Christians and 70 year old Christians who are amazing young in their thinking. They are open and flexible, and available to God, because they see the Christian life as this incredible adventure of pursuing Jesus. This exciting adventure that never gets old, I’m pursuing the Lord and even if the Lord is going to shake up old paradigms or He’s going to change and revise my thinking, I’m going to keep on the learning curve, I want to keep on being alive and excited about new discovers and fresh things.” Eric, Julia, Jonathan just stay young in your thinking. Stay open and flexible and just willing to test things, challenge existing paradigms and status quo.

I told you about the Jesuit before, last week, I read a book on leadership, about written by a former Jesuit Priest, it was called, “Heroic Leadership”, it was written by a guy name Chris Lowery. He was a Jesuit Priest; he went on to go into the business world. He worked for JP Morgan as a managing director. He tells the story in “Heroic Leadership” about this Jesuit Priest name Clavius. And Clavius believed that it was important for the priest not only to be experts in theology, but to be experts in astronomy and mathematics. And for 50 years he just taught astronomy and mathematics to would be Jesuit Priest in Rome. He believes that the Jesuits’ would have their greatest impact if people around the world said these guys are just the very best in science. That if you want to know science, go to the Jesuits.

Now, contrast that to the contemporary evangelicals. When the world looks at the evangelicals and said, if you want people who are just the (pause) not the brightness or sharpest – you know knife in the drawer – if you want folks who are anti-science, who, if there is something that scientist are agreeing too, like global warming – we are agin it (then made sounds like disgust) – evolution, forget about that!. You know, let me just say something to you guys. I mean, I do not know where you are at, but here’s where I’m at.

I believe in Jesus Christ, I believe in Jesus Christ. I don’t believe in science, I believe in Jesus Christ. But my view of science is that if there is a reigning paradigm in science, I just have to accept it. I don’t have a need to fight the reigning paradigms in science or declare culture war on science. I’ll just have to say “OK.” Now the paradigm may change in 40 years, it has in the past, it probably will in the future. But, if there is a reigning paradigm – you do not, as a young adult, have to fight it like your parents and grandparents. Don’t fight out war. You have enough wars of your own to fight. Don’t fight old battles, there losing battles.